Patents by Inventor Thomas M. Chaffee

Thomas M. Chaffee 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: 11949457
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for transmitting information optically. For instance, a system may include an optical source configured to generate a beam of light. The system may include at least one modulator configured to encode data on the beam of light to produce an encoded beam of light/encoded plurality of pulses. The system may include a spectrally-equalizing amplifier configured to receive the encoded beam of light/encoded plurality of pulses from the at least one modulator and both amplify and filter the encoded beam of light/encoded plurality of pulses to produce a filtered beam of light/filtered plurality of pulses, thereby spectrally equalizing a gain applied to the encoded beam of light. In some cases, the system may slice the beam of slight, to ensure a detector has impulsive detection. In some cases, the system may include a temperature controller to shift a distribution curve of wavelengths of the optical source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Attochron, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas M. Chaffee, Wayne H. Knox
  • Patent number: 11942988
    Abstract: In some embodiments, an optical communication system may include an optical source, a modulator, and a photoreceiver. The optical source may be configured to generate a beam comprising a series of light pulses each having a duration of less than 100 picoseconds. The photoreceiver may have a detection window duration of less than 1 nanosecond. When a first pulse travels through a variably refractive medium, photons in the first pulse may be refracted to travel along different ray paths to arrive at the photoreceiver according to a temporal distribution curve. A full width at half maximum (FWHM) value of the temporal distribution curve may be at least three times as large as a coherence time value of the first pulse, and the detection window of the photoreceiver may be at least six times as large as the FWHM value of the temporal distribution curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Attochron, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas M. Chaffee, Wayne Harvey Knox, Alexander B. LeBon, Brian M. Gregory, Taz M. Colangelo
  • Patent number: 11888533
    Abstract: System, method, and instrumentalities are described herein for transmitting information optically. The optical source may be configured to generate a beam. The beam may include a series of light pulses. The beam of light may be modulated. A modulator may be configured to modulate the series of light pulses in response to a data transmission signal, thereby encoding transmission data into the series of light pulses. The modulated beam of light may be received and both amplified and filtered. The filtered beam of light may be transmitted from to a detector having a photoreceiver. The photoreceiver may be configured to extract the transmission data from the filtered beam of light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Attochron, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas M. Chaffee, Wayne H. Knox, Alexander B. LeBon, Brian M. Gregory, Taz M. Colangelo
  • Patent number: 11831352
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for transmitting information optically. For instance, a system may include an optical source configured to generate a beam of light. The system may include at least one modulator configured to encode data on the beam of light to produce an encoded beam of light/encoded plurality of pulses. The system may include a spectrally-equalizing amplifier configured to receive the encoded beam of light/encoded plurality of pulses from the at least one modulator and both amplify and filter the encoded beam of light/encoded plurality of pulses to produce a filtered beam of light/filtered plurality of pulses, thereby spectrally equalizing a gain applied to the encoded beam of light. In some cases, the system may slice the beam of slight, to ensure a detector has impulsive detection. In some cases, the system may include a temperature controller to shift a distribution curve of wavelengths of the optical source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Attochron, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas M. Chaffee, Wayne H. Knox
  • Patent number: 11831354
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for transmitting information optically. For instance, a system may include an optical source configured to generate a beam of light. The system may include at least one modulator configured to encode data on the beam of light to produce an encoded beam of light/encoded plurality of pulses. The system may include a spectrally-equalizing amplifier configured to receive the encoded beam of light/encoded plurality of pulses from the at least one modulator and both amplify and filter the encoded beam of light/encoded plurality of pulses to produce a filtered beam of light/filtered plurality of pulses, thereby spectrally equalizing a gain applied to the encoded beam of light. In some cases, the system may slice the beam of slight, to ensure a detector has impulsive detection. In some cases, the system may include a temperature controller to shift a distribution curve of wavelengths of the optical source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Attochron, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas M. Chaffee, Wayne H. Knox
  • Patent number: 11824587
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for transmitting information optically. For instance, a system may include an optical source configured to generate a beam of light. The system may include at least one modulator configured to encode data on the beam of light to produce an encoded beam of light/encoded plurality of pulses. The system may include a spectrally-equalizing amplifier configured to receive the encoded beam of light/encoded plurality of pulses from the at least one modulator and both amplify and filter the encoded beam of light/encoded plurality of pulses to produce a filtered beam of light/filtered plurality of pulses, thereby spectrally equalizing a gain applied to the encoded beam of light. In some cases, the system may slice the beam of slight, to ensure a detector has impulsive detection. In some cases, the system may include a temperature controller to shift a distribution curve of wavelengths of the optical source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Attochron, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas M. Chaffee, Wayne H. Knox
  • Patent number: 11824588
    Abstract: System, method, and instrumentalities are described herein for transmitting information optically. The optical source may be configured to generate a beam. The beam may include a series of light pulses. The beam of light may be modulated. A modulator may be configured to modulate the series of light pulses in response to a data transmission signal, thereby encoding transmission data into the series of light pulses. The modulated beam of light may be received and both amplified and filtered. The filtered beam of light may be transmitted from to a detector having a photoreceiver. The photoreceiver may be configured to extract the transmission data from the filtered beam of light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Attochron, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas M. Chaffee, Wayne H. Knox, Alexander B. LeBon, Brian M. Gregory, Taz M. Colangelo
  • Patent number: 11757529
    Abstract: In some embodiments, an optical communication system may include an optical source, a modulator, and a photoreceiver. The optical source may be configured to generate a beam comprising a series of light pulses. The photoreceiver may have a detection window duration of 1 nanosecond or less. When a first pulse travels through a variably refractive medium, photons in the first pulse may be refracted to travel along different ray paths to arrive at the photoreceiver according to a temporal distribution curve. A full width at half maximum (FWHM) value of the temporal distribution curve may be greater than a coherence time value of the first pulse, and the detection window of the photoreceiver may be greater than the FWHM value of the temporal distribution curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Attochron, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas M. Chaffee, Wayne H. Knox, Alexander B. LeBon, Brian M. Gregory, Taz M. Colangelo
  • Patent number: 11575433
    Abstract: In some embodiments, an optical communication system may include an optical source, a modulator, and a photoreceiver. The optical source may be configured to generate a beam comprising a series of light pulses each having a duration of less than 100 picoseconds. The photoreceiver may have a detection window duration of less than 1 nanosecond. When a first pulse travels through a variably refractive medium, photons in the first pulse may be refracted to travel along different ray paths to arrive at the photoreceiver according to a temporal distribution curve. A full width at half maximum (FWHM) value of the temporal distribution curve may be at least three times as large as a coherence time value of the first pulse, and the detection window of the photoreceiver may be at least six times as large as the FWHM value of the temporal distribution curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Attochron, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas M. Chaffee, Wayne H. Knox, Alexander B. LeBon, Brian M. Gregory, Taz M. Colangelo
  • Patent number: 6501578
    Abstract: A line of sight laser communication system includes a laser to generate a laser signal with femtosecond pulses. A first grating spectrally disperses the femtosecond pulses of the laser signal. A programmable mask converts the femtosecond pulses of the laser signal into coded words. A second grating spectrally recombines the coded words of the laser signal. A telescope then launches the laser signal. The launched laser signal is received at a receiving telescope. A second laser generates a set of reference pulses. A non-linear crystal combines the set of reference pulses and the laser signal to create an output signal only when the laser signal and the reference pulses temporally coincide. A camera records the output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignees: Electric Power Research Institute, Inc., The University of New Mexico
    Inventors: Ralph Bernstein, Thomas M. Chaffee, Jean-Claude Diels, Karl Stahlkopf
  • Patent number: 5209356
    Abstract: An acoustic rack for mounting electronic components and the like includes vertical, parallel spaced-apart rack rails positioned near the open front of a box-like rack case. Each rack rail has a front face parallel to the open front of the rack case and is provided with throughholes for mounting electronic component chassis thereon. The front face of each rail is further provided with a layer of resilient, insulative material which dampens and prevents transmission of vibration and impact shock imparted to the rack case to the electronic components mounted and further prevents transmission of electrostatic discharge and radio frequency interference and other electrical disturbances to and from the electronic components and the rack rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1993
    Inventor: Thomas M. Chaffee