Patents by Inventor Robert W. Lafreniere

Robert W. Lafreniere has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6198857
    Abstract: An optical multiplexing device is disclosed for multiplexing optical signals, for example, for a fiber-optic telecommunication system employing wavelength division multiplexing. The optical multiplexing device has a filter assembly defining a light path, preferably a multi-bounce zigzag expanded beam light path, from a common port at least to a first channel port and then a second channel port and then a pass-through port. The first channel port has a first optical filter element, for example, a multi-cavity interference filter, which is transparent to a wavelength sub-range within the wavelength range passed by the common port and the pass-through port, and substantially reflective of other wavelengths within such wavelength range. The second channel port includes a second optical filter element having light transmittance and reflectance properties substantially the same as those of the first optical filter element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Corning OCA Corporation
    Inventors: Michael E. Grasis, Michael A. Scobey, Derek E. Spock, Robert W. Lafreniere
  • Patent number: 5859717
    Abstract: An optical multiplexing device demultiplexes collimated light from a fiber-optic source into separate individual wavelength sub-ranges or channels, and/or multiplexes separate channels to a common fiber-optic waveguide or other destination. An optical block defines an optical gap between two parallel surfaces having an optical port on a first such parallel surface for passing the multi-channel collimated light into the optical gap. A channel port and at least one other reflective element, e.g., multiple channel ports arrayed in spaced relation to each other, are secured to the optical block at the parallel surfaces, providing an unobstructed, epoxy-free multi-point light path within the optical gap. At each channel port an interference filter secured to the optical block spans the optical gap. Each filter transmits a wavelength sub-range of the multi-channel collimated light passed by the optical port, and reflects other wavelengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: Corning OCA Corporation
    Inventors: Michael A. Scobey, Derek E. Spock, Michael E. Grasis, Robert W. Lafreniere