Patents by Inventor William R. Holland
William R. Holland 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).
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Publication number: 20220357527Abstract: In accordance with a plurality of embodiments of the present invention, exemplary systems and articles of manufactures are described herein that are configured to propagate a MM signal from a light source, such as an optical fiber assembly for propagating a multimode (MM) signal from a light source, the optical fiber assembly comprising a multicore fiber (MCF) having a fiber numerical aperture (NA) value, a first core diameter and a first outer diameter (OD), and a combiner including a taper fiber bundle (TFB) portion in communication with the MCF, and at least one pigtail portion in communication with the light source, wherein the combiner propagates the MM signal from the light source, the MM signal having a signal NA value that is less than the fiber NA value such that the MM signal underfills the at least one pigtail portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2020Publication date: November 10, 2022Applicant: OFS Fitel, LLCInventors: Lalitkumar Bansal, David J DiGiovanni, William R Holland
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Patent number: 10739517Abstract: Systems for holding optical fibers in a predefined orientation and cleaving the optical fibers are shown. In one embodiment, the system comprises a substrate structure with a groove along the top surface of the substrate. The groove extends from the substrate front edge in a direction that is parallel to the orientation of an optical fiber and is dimensioned to receive a portion of a bare optical fiber. The substrate structure also comprises a transverse structure on the top surface, which crosses the groove at an angle. The transverse structure receives ultraviolet light (UV) curable material, which secures the end of the bare optical fiber within the groove. Securing the bare optical fiber allows for proper tension to be applied during cleaving.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2019Date of Patent: August 11, 2020Assignee: OFS FITEL, LLCInventors: William R Holland, Robert Sienkowski
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Publication number: 20200096703Abstract: Systems for holding optical fibers in a predefined orientation and cleaving the optical fibers are shown. In one embodiment, the system comprises a substrate structure with a groove along the top surface of the substrate. The groove extends from the substrate front edge in a direction that is parallel to the orientation of an optical fiber and is dimensioned to receive a portion of a bare optical fiber. The substrate structure also comprises a transverse structure on the top surface, which crosses the groove at an angle. The transverse structure receives ultraviolet light (UV) curable material, which secures the end of the bare optical fiber within the groove. Securing the bare optical fiber allows for proper tension to be applied during cleaving.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2019Publication date: March 26, 2020Applicant: OFS Fitel, LLCInventors: William R. Holland, Robert Sienkowski
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Patent number: 10539740Abstract: A waveguide comprises an un-tapered end and a tapered end. The waveguide progressively varies a numerical aperture (NA) of light as the light propagates from the tapered end to the un-tapered end.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2015Date of Patent: January 21, 2020Inventor: William R Holland
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Patent number: 10114172Abstract: An up-taper is applied by a mode adapter to increase a signal mode area prior to tapering and combining.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2017Date of Patent: October 30, 2018Assignee: OFS FITEL, LLCInventors: William R Holland, Cassandra Thalman
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Publication number: 20170363810Abstract: An up-taper is applied by a mode adapter to increase a signal mode area prior to tapering and combining.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2017Publication date: December 21, 2017Applicant: OFS Fitel, LLCInventors: William R. Holland, Cassandra Thalman
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Patent number: 9768581Abstract: As kilowatt class fiber laser and amplifier systems become more in demand, there are ongoing efforts to improve optical fiber laser and amplifier designs to maximize efficiency and further increase the capacity of these high-energy optical fiber lasers and amplifiers. The present disclosure provides a fiber laser or amplifier system configured to efficiently and conveniently generate and couple high numerical aperture and high-energy pump light into a fiber laser or amplifier system.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2015Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignee: OFS FITEL, LLCInventor: William R Holland
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Patent number: 9759585Abstract: In a TDM- and WDM-based FBG sensor array system, a source emits a light covering a selected wavelength range. The light is amplified and then used to generate a series of pulses that are fed into an array of sensor gratings. The propagation of a pulse through the sensor array results in a time-domain-multiplexed output, comprising a series of output pulses in which each output pulse comprises a reflection of the input pulse at a respective grating in the sensor array. Raman amplification is used to amplify both the pulse input into and the time-domain multiplexed output from the sensor array, which is then coupled into an output processing stage for receiving the sensor output and for reconstructing the wavelength output of each grating in the sensor array. The wavelength change for each grating is then used to calculate a physical parameter(s) to be measured, such as temperature and/or strain.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2013Date of Patent: September 12, 2017Assignee: OFS FITEL, LLCInventors: William R Holland, Yaowen Li, Jeffrey W Nicholson, Yingzhi Sun, Benyuan Zhu
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Patent number: 9671562Abstract: The disclosed embodiments show a fused fiber combiner with sensors that are strategically located at various locations, thereby permitting performance monitoring of the fused fiber combiner. Additionally, the disclosed embodiments show various processes for determining causes of any performance degradations.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2013Date of Patent: June 6, 2017Assignee: OFS FITEL, LLCInventors: William R Holland, Sean Sullivan, William J Strachan
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Patent number: 9595803Abstract: As kilowatt class fiber laser and amplifier systems become more in demand, there are ongoing efforts to improve optical fiber laser and amplifier designs to maximize efficiency and further increase the capacity of these high-energy optical fiber lasers and amplifiers. The present disclosure provides a fiber laser or amplifier system configured to efficiently and conveniently generate and couple high numerical aperture and high-energy pump light into a fiber laser or amplifier system.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2015Date of Patent: March 14, 2017Assignee: OFS FITEL, LLCInventor: William R Holland
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Patent number: 9459407Abstract: A waveguide comprises an annular cross-section and a first numerical aperture (NA) at one end. The waveguide further comprises either an annular or circular cross-section at the other end, which has a second NA. The waveguide has a progressively-varying NA, which varies from the first NA (at one end) to the second NA (at the other end).Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2014Date of Patent: October 4, 2016Assignee: OFS FITEL, LLCInventor: William R Holland
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Publication number: 20160211640Abstract: As kilowatt class fiber laser and amplifier systems become more in demand, there are ongoing efforts to improve optical fiber laser and amplifier designs to maximize efficiency and further increase the capacity of these high-energy optical fiber lasers and amplifiers. The present disclosure provides a fiber laser or amplifier system configured to efficiently and conveniently generate and couple high numerical aperture and high-energy pump light into a fiber laser or amplifier system.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2015Publication date: July 21, 2016Applicant: OFS FITEL, LLCInventor: William R. Holland
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Publication number: 20160211639Abstract: As kilowatt class fiber laser and amplifier systems become more in demand, there are ongoing efforts to improve optical fiber laser and amplifier designs to maximize efficiency and further increase the capacity of these high-energy optical fiber lasers and amplifiers. The present disclosure provides a fiber laser or amplifier system configured to efficiently and conveniently generate and couple high numerical aperture and high-energy pump light into a fiber laser or amplifier system.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2015Publication date: July 21, 2016Applicant: OFS FITEL, LLCInventor: William R Holland
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Publication number: 20160209592Abstract: A waveguide comprises an un-tapered end and a tapered end. The waveguide progressively varies a numerical aperture (NA) of light as the light propagates from the tapered end to the un-tapered end.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2015Publication date: July 21, 2016Inventor: William R Holland
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Patent number: 9377586Abstract: A fiber optical coupler comprises a bundle of optical fibers configured to couple light from a multiplicity of input light sources to an output port, each of the fibers comprising a multimode fiber having a core region and a cladding region surrounding the core region. The bundle has first and second axial sections arranged in tandem and adiabatically coupled to one another via a transition zone that includes an optical interface. Within the first section, the ratio of the cross-sectional core area of each of at least some of the fibers to the total cross-sectional area of each of those fibers is given by R1, and within the second section, the ratio of the cross-sectional core area of each of at least some of the fibers to the total cross-sectional area of each of those fibers is given by R2>R1, where R2 is substantially constant along the axial length of the second section.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2011Date of Patent: June 28, 2016Assignee: OFS FITEL, LLCInventors: William R. Holland, William J. Strachan
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Patent number: 9362709Abstract: As kilowatt class fiber laser and amplifier systems become more in demand, there are ongoing efforts to improve optical fiber laser and amplifier designs to maximize efficiency and further increase the capacity of these high-energy optical fiber lasers and amplifiers. The present disclosure provides a fiber laser or amplifier system configured to efficiently and conveniently generate and couple high numerical aperture and high-energy pump light into a fiber laser or amplifier system.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2015Date of Patent: June 7, 2016Assignee: OFS FITEL, LLCInventor: William R Holland
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Patent number: 9322993Abstract: As kilowatt class fiber laser and amplifier systems become more in demand, there are ongoing efforts to improve optical fiber laser and amplifier designs to maximize efficiency and further increase the capacity of these high-energy optical fiber lasers and amplifiers. The present disclosure provides a fiber laser or amplifier system configured to efficiently and conveniently generate and couple high numerical aperture and high-energy pump light into a fiber laser or amplifier system.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2015Date of Patent: April 26, 2016Assignee: OFS FITEL, LLCInventor: William R Holland
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Publication number: 20160011018Abstract: In a TDM- and WDM-based FBG sensor array system, a source emits a light covering a selected wavelength range. The light is amplified and then used to generate a series of pulses that are fed into an array of sensor gratings. The propagation of a pulse through the sensor array results in a time-domain-multiplexed output, comprising a series of output pulses in which each output pulse comprises a reflection of the input pulse at a respective grating in the sensor array. Raman amplification is used to amplify both the pulse input into and the time-domain multiplexed output from the sensor array, which is then coupled into an output processing stage for receiving the sensor output and for reconstructing the wavelength output of each grating in the sensor array. The wavelength change for each grating is then used to calculate a physical parameter(s) to be measured, such as temperature and/or strain.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2013Publication date: January 14, 2016Inventors: William R Holland, Yaowen Li, Jeffrey W Nicholson, Yingzhi Sun, Benyuan Zhu
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Publication number: 20150372442Abstract: A tapered fiber bundle (TFB) with a brightness reduction (R) that is between 0 and approximately 0.65 (or 65%), where R=(1?(di/da)2), di is an ideal output diameter, and da is an actual output diameter. The TFB is optically coupled to a gain fiber with a mode field diameter (MFD) that is between approximately 13 micrometers and approximately 25 micrometers.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2015Publication date: December 24, 2015Inventors: Hao Dong, William R Holland, Jerome C Porque, Sean Sullivan, Thierry F Taunay
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Patent number: 9211681Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to laser combiners, and more specifically, to all-fiber devices that combine optical laser power from multiple separate sources such as lasers or amplifiers. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a combiner device comprises: positioning an plurality of fibers into a bundle of fibers; drawing the bundle of fibers to create a tapered section, the tapered section having a first outer diameter at an input end, a second outer diameter at an output end, and a taper ratio of at least three; wherein at least one of the fibers of the bundle of fibers comprises an optical waveguide configured for propagating an optical mode from the input end to the output end, and wherein a mode field diameter of the optical mode at the input end is substantially the same as the mode field diameter at the output end.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2013Date of Patent: December 15, 2015Assignee: OFS FITEL, LLCInventors: William R Holland, Thierry F Taunay