Patents by Inventor William C. Swann

William C. Swann 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: 10389514
    Abstract: An optical time distributor includes: a master clock including: a master comb; a transfer comb; and a free-space optical terminal; and a remote clock in optical communication with the master clock via a free space link and including: a remote comb that produces: a remote clock coherent optical pulse train output; a remote coherent optical pulse train; a free-space optical terminal in optical communication: with the remote comb; and with the free-space optical terminal of the master clock via the free space link, and that: receives the remote coherent optical pulse train from the remote comb; receives the master optical signal from the free-space optical terminal of the master clock; produces the remote optical signal in response to receipt of the remote coherent optical pulse train; and communicates the remote optical signal to the free-space optical terminal of the master clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
    Inventors: Laura C. Sinclair, Nathan R. Newbury, William C. Swann, Hugo Bergeron, Jean-Daniel Deschenes
  • Publication number: 20180294946
    Abstract: An optical time distributor includes: a master clock including: a master comb; a transfer comb; and a free-space optical terminal; and a remote clock in optical communication with the master clock via a free space link and including: a remote comb that produces: a remote clock coherent optical pulse train output; a remote coherent optical pulse train; a free-space optical terminal in optical communication: with the remote comb; and with the free-space optical terminal of the master clock via the free space link, and that: receives the remote coherent optical pulse train from the remote comb; receives the master optical signal from the free-space optical terminal of the master clock; produces the remote optical signal in response to receipt of the remote coherent optical pulse train; and communicates the remote optical signal to the free-space optical terminal of the master clock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventors: Laura C. Sinclair, Nathan R. Newbury, William C. Swann, Hugo Bergeron, Jean-Daniel Deschenes
  • Patent number: 9557625
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a frequency comb article includes an oscillator; a fiber amplifier; a frequency doubler; a nonlinear fiber; and an interferometer, wherein the fiber amplifier and the nonlinear fiber include a polarization maintaining fiber, and the oscillator, frequency doubler, and interferometer are entirely polarization maintaining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignees: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE, THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERISTY OF COLORADO
    Inventors: Ian Coddington, Laura Sinclair, Nathan R. Newbury, Lindsay Sonderhouse, William C Swann
  • Patent number: 9557219
    Abstract: A method of comb-based spectroscopy for measuring a CW source at time-bandwidth limited resolution by using frequency combs with a high degree of mutual coherence (<1 radian phase noise).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology
    Inventors: Nathan R. Newbury, Ian Coddington, William C. Swann
  • Publication number: 20150253645
    Abstract: A frequency comb article includes: an oscillator to produce an oscillator frequency comb that includes: a first power; and a first optical bandwidth; a fiber amplifier to receive the oscillator frequency comb from the oscillator and to produce an amplifier frequency comb based on the oscillator frequency comb, the amplifier frequency comb includes: a second power that is greater than the first power; and a second optical bandwidth that is greater than the first optical bandwidth; a nonlinear fiber to receive the amplifier frequency comb from the fiber amplifier and to produce a spectrally broadened frequency comb based on the amplifier frequency comb, the spectrally broadened frequency comb including a third optical bandwidth that is greater than the second optical bandwidth; a frequency doubler to receive the spectrally broadened frequency comb from the nonlinear fiber and to provide a doubled frequency comb including: a plurality of fundamental frequencies from the spectrally broadened frequency comb; and a
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventors: IAN CODDINGTON, LAURA SINCLAIR, NATHAN R. NEWBURY, LINDSAY SONDERHOUSE, WILLIAM C. SWANN
  • Publication number: 20130342836
    Abstract: A method of comb-based spectroscopy for measuring a CW source at time-bandwidth limited resolution by using frequency combs with a high degree of mutual coherence (<1 radian phase noise).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicants: America, as Represented by the Secretary of Commerce
    Inventors: Nathan R. Newbury, Ian Coddington, William C. Swann
  • Patent number: 8564785
    Abstract: A method of comb-based spectroscopy with synchronous sampling for real-time averaging includes measuring the full complex response of a sample in a configuration analogous to a dispersive Fourier transform spectrometer, infrared time domain spectrometer, or a multiheterodyne laser spectrometer. An alternate configuration of a comb-based spectrometer for rapid, high resolution, high accuracy measurements of an arbitrary cw waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Commerce, The National Institute of Standards and Technology
    Inventors: Nathan R. Newbury, Ian Coddington, William C. Swann
  • Patent number: 8558993
    Abstract: A coherent laser radar that uses two coherent femtosecond fiber lasers to perform absolute ranging at long distance. One coherent femtosecond fiber lasers acts as a source and the other as a local oscillator for heterodyne detection of the return signal from a cooperative target. The system simultaneously returns a time-of-flight range measurement for coarse ranging and an interferometric range measurement for fine ranging which is insensitive to spurious reflections that can cause systematic errors. The range is measured with at least 3 ?m precision in 200 ?s and 5 nm precision in 60 ms over a 1.5 m ambiguity range. This ambiguity range can be extended to 30 km through reversal of signal and LO source roles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignees: The National Institute of Standards and Technology, as Presented by the Secretary of Commerce, The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of Commerce
    Inventors: Nathan R. Newbury, Ian Coddington, William C. Swann
  • Publication number: 20110285980
    Abstract: A coherent laser radar that uses two coherent femtosecond fiber lasers to perform absolute ranging at long distance. One coherent femtosecond fiber lasers acts as a source and the other as a local oscillator for heterodyne detection of the return signal from a cooperative target. The system simultaneously returns a time-of-flight range measurement for coarse ranging and an interferometric range measurement for fine ranging which is insensitive to spurious reflections that can cause systematic errors. The range is measured with at least 3 ?m precision in 200 ?s and 5 nm precision in 60 ms over a 1.5 m ambiguity range. This ambiguity range can be extended to 30 km through reversal of signal and LO source roles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Inventors: Nathan R. Newbury, Ian Coddington, William C. Swann
  • Publication number: 20110069309
    Abstract: A method of comb-based spectroscopy with synchronous sampling for real-time averaging includes measuring the full complex response of a sample in a configuration analogous to a dispersive Fourier transform spectrometer, infrared time domain spectrometer, or a multiheterodyne laser spectrometer. An alternate configuration of a comb-based spectrometer for rapid, high resolution, high accuracy measurements of an arbitrary cw waveform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Inventors: Nathan R. Newbury, Ian Coddington, William C. Swann
  • Patent number: 5887107
    Abstract: A fiber optic package is provided in which substantially zero strain is exerted on a portion of an optical fiber containing a Bragg grating. The package includes a fastener securing a first portion of the optical fiber and a mandrel, for example, around which a second portion of the fiber is looped. The Bragg grating is preferably located between the first and second portions of the optical fiber. As a result, the portion of the optical fiber containing the Bragg grating is isolated from stresses originating in parts of the optical fiber beyond the mandrel and the fastener. The portion of the optical fiber containing the Bragg grating, therefore, remains substantially stress-free.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Assignee: CIENA Corporation
    Inventors: Donald T. Newman, William C. Swann