Switch (i.e., Switching From One Terminal To Another, Not Modulation) Patents (Class 385/16)
  • Patent number: 10809471
    Abstract: An integrated pluggable optical tap module configured to be coupled to a host interface of a network equipment for tapping a signal of an optical transport link comprises a first, a second optical interface, and an active optical receiver. The optical pluggable module also includes a passive optical tap for splitting a signal received from the first optical interface and transmitting the signal on the second optical interface and a copy of the signal to the active optical receiver. The active optical receiver converts said signal to an electrical signal for transmission to the host interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Accedian Networks Inc.
    Inventors: Ziad Akl-Chedid, Nicolas Côté
  • Patent number: 10802220
    Abstract: An integrated optical beam steering system is configured in three stages to provide beam steering for image light from an imager (e.g., laser, light emitting diode, or other light source) to downstream elements in a display system such as an exit pupil expander (EPE) in a mixed-reality computing device. The first stage includes a multi-level cascaded array of optical switches that are configurable to spatially route image light over a first dimension of a two-dimensional (2D) field of view (FOV) of the display system. The second waveguiding stage transfers the image light along preformed waveguides to a collimator in the third stage which is configured to collimate the image light along the first dimension of the FOV (e.g., horizontal). The waveguiding and collimating stages may be implemented using lightweight photonic crystal nanostructures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Joshua Owen Miller, Kai Zang, Wyatt Owen Davis, Mohammadamin Eftekhar
  • Patent number: 10804784
    Abstract: An actuator includes a coil that provides a magnetic field to move a permanent magnet in a moving direction perpendicular to a coil axis. The coil includes conductor patterns on an insulating base material layer. The permanent magnet is located above insulating base material layer so that a polar direction of the permanent magnet is the moving direction. The conductor patterns include a closest conductor pattern closest to the permanent magnet. A first maximum width of an interval inside the closest conductor pattern in the polar direction is smaller than a second maximum width of an interval inside another conductor pattern in the polar direction. An overlapping width in the polar direction between the interval of the first maximum width inside the closest conductor pattern and the permanent magnet is the first maximum width regardless of a position of the permanent magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shingo Ito
  • Patent number: 10802269
    Abstract: An optical circuit includes an input waveguide, an arrayed waveguide including a plurality of output waveguides, a coupler, an electrode capable of applying a voltage to each of the output waveguides of the arrayed waveguide, and a chip unit to which the input waveguide, the coupler, and a portion of the arrayed waveguide are fixed. The arrayed waveguide is divided into a phase shifter portion capable of generating a predetermined phase difference between adjacent ones of the output waveguides, a beam portion having a cantilever structure that is not fixed by the chip unit, and a waveguide portion between the phase shifter portion and the beam portion. The electrode is capable of applying positive and negative voltages to the beam portion of the arrayed waveguide such that positive and negative voltages are alternately applied to adjacent ones of the output waveguides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiya Sato, Keita Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 10802218
    Abstract: An optical device and a method of manufacturing an optical device, including a ridge waveguide second, and a strip-loaded ridge waveguide section, comprises applying two different protective layers and two separate etches at two different depths. The protective layers overlap to protect the same section of the optical device, and to limit the surfaces of optical device to exposure to multiple etches, except at edges where the protective layers overlap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Elenion Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Wetteland Baehr-Jones, Ruizhi Shi
  • Patent number: 10788689
    Abstract: In an electro-optical modulator, an electro-optical modulation layer is bonded to a cladding layer that overlies a substrate. A modulation zone waveguide is optically coupled to the electro-optical modulation layer and optically coupled to an I/O waveguiding structure embedded in the cladding layer. The I/O waveguiding structure is conformed to guide input light toward the modulation zone waveguide and to guide output light away from the modulation zone waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Anthony L. Lentine, Christopher DeRose, Douglas Chandler Trotter, Thomas A. Friedmann, Michael Gehl, Nicholas Boynton
  • Patent number: 10750257
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for data encoding and channel hopping. The system includes a signal source for providing a signal. The system includes an optical switch having an input port and multiple output paths. The optical switch is configured to receive, at the input port, the signal. The optical switch is configured to route the signal to an output path of the multiple output paths. The system includes a mode converter that is connected to the optical switch and configured to select an orbital angular momentum (OAM) mode. The mode converter is configured to encode or channel hop the signal using the OAM mode and combine the signal from each output path. The system includes a transmitter configured to propagate the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Alan E. Willner, Yongxiong Ren, Guodong Xie, Asher J. Willner
  • Patent number: 10734788
    Abstract: A wafer comprising: a silicon substrate; a base layer of a predetermined thickness of a III-V semiconductor material bonded with the silicon substrate; and at least one layer grown on the base layer to form a plurality of quantum dot lasers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dominic F. Siriani, Sean P. Anderson, Vipulkumar Patel
  • Patent number: 10725312
    Abstract: An Electrically Switchable Bragg Grating (ESBG) despeckler device comprising at least one ESBG element recorded in a hPDLC sandwiched between transparent substrates to which transparent conductive coatings have been applied. At least one of said coatings is patterned to provide a two-dimensional array of independently switchable ESBG pixels. Each ESBG pixel has a first unique speckle state under said first applied voltage and a second unique speckle state under said second applied voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: DigiLens Inc.
    Inventors: Milan Momcilo Popovich, Jonathan David Waldern, John James Storey
  • Patent number: 10718899
    Abstract: An optical device includes: a first port group P including n ports Pi; a second port Q; and a wavelength multiplexer/demultiplexer disposed between the first port group P and the second port Q. In a case where light beams Li of predetermined different n wavelengths ?i corresponding to the respective ports Pi are inputted to the wavelength multiplexer/demultiplexer, the wavelength multiplexer/demultiplexer combines the light beams Li into light L and outputs the light L to the second port Q. In a case where light L? is inputted to the second port Q, the wavelength multiplexer/demultiplexer separates the light L? into light beams L?i of the wavelengths ?i and outputs the light beams L?i to the corresponding ports Pi.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Goi
  • Patent number: 10705295
    Abstract: This application discloses an optical switch and an optical switching system. The optical switch includes a first waveguide, a second waveguide, and a first movable waveguide. The first waveguide and the second waveguide are immovable relative to a substrate. The first waveguide and the second waveguide are located in a first plane, and the first waveguide and the second waveguide do not intersect. The first movable waveguide is movable relative to the substrate. If the first movable waveguide is at a first location, the first movable waveguide is optically decoupled from the first waveguide and the second waveguide, and the optical switch is in a through state. If the first movable waveguide is at a second location, the first movable waveguide is optically coupled to the first waveguide and the second waveguide, and the optical switch is in a drop state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Xin Tu
  • Patent number: 10699860
    Abstract: Problem To be capable of specifying an operation of a knob. Solution A switch 1 includes an operation detecting portion 7 which detects an operation of the knob 5. The operation detecting portion 7 includes a movable member 6 which displaces in association with the operation of the knob 5, a through hole 62a which penetrates through a light shielding portion 62 of the movable member 6 in a thickness direction thereof, one optical source 15 which is provided on one side of the movable member 6 in the thickness direction, a light guiding path 9A which is provided on the other side of the movable member 6 in the thickness direction, and two light receiving elements 10A, 10A which are attached to the light guiding path 9A. The light guiding path 9A is arranged in a position of being capable of receiving light emitted from the optical source 15 through the through hole 62a when the movable member 6 is arranged in a predetermined position by the operation of the knob 5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Inventor: Stephane Schuler
  • Patent number: 10700805
    Abstract: A network node (400) for use with a single-fiber bidirectional communication link comprises a filter (300). The filter (300) comprises at least four ports. A first port (301) is configured to communicate with the single-fiber in a west direction. A second port (303) is configured to communicate with the single-fiber in an east direction. A third port (305) is configured to add/drop in the west direction. A fourth port (307) is configured to add/drop in the east direction. The network node is configured to add a first wavelength (?A) to the west direction and the east direction, and configured to drop a second wavelength (?B) from the west direction and the east direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Roberto Magri, Alberto Deho
  • Patent number: 10684464
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1, 2) for pivoting an optical element (10), comprising: an optical element (10), wherein the optical element is movably mounted so that the optical element can be tilted at least about a first axis (A), a magnet (20) extending in an extension direction (Z), wherein the magnet (20) comprises a magnetization (M) aligned with said extension direction (Z), and wherein the magnet (20) comprises a front side (20a), and wherein optical element (10) is rigidly coupled to the magnet (20) or to a first conductor section (30) that faces the front side (20a) of the magnet (20) in the extension direction (Z), wherein the first conductor section (30) extends along the first axis (A), and a current source means (50) electrically connected to the first conductor section (30), which current source means (50) is designed to apply an electrical current (I) to said first conductor section (30), so that a Lorentz force is generated that tilts the optical element (10) about said first axis (A) al
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: OPTOTUNE AG
    Inventors: Manuel Aschwanden, David Niederer, Stephan Smolka, Chauncey Gratzel, Roman Patscheider, Markus Geissner
  • Patent number: 10677994
    Abstract: Described herein is a calibration system (25) for a wavelength selective switch (1). The switch (1) is adapted for dynamically switching optical beams (5, 7) along respective trajectories between input and output ports disposed in an array (3) using a reconfigurable Liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) spatial light modulator device (17). The calibration system (25) includes a monitor (27) for projecting an optical monitor beam (29) through at least a portion of the switch (1) onto the LCOS (17) and detecting the monitor beam (29) reflected from the LCOS (17). In response, system (25) provides a calibration signal (33) to an active correction unit (35) for applying a correction to one or more of the trajectories while maintaining a constant switching state in the LCOS (17).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: II-VI Delaware, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven James Frisken
  • Patent number: 10649147
    Abstract: An optical module that is connectable to an optical fiber array and that can be packaged in a high density. Two package modules are mounted on a board, and optical waveguides in a Si photonic lightwave circuit mounted on the package module are connected to an optical fiber array fixed to an optical fiber block. Moreover, output end surfaces of the optical waveguides in the Si photonic lightwave circuit are perpendicular to a mount surface of the package module. The optical waveguides in the Si photonic lightwave circuit may be tilted at an appropriate angle with respect to a direction perpendicular to a right end surface. Moreover, the optical fiber block fixes optical fibers with the optical fibers tilted with respect to a direction perpendicular to an end surface connected to the Si photonic lightwave circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignees: NTT ELECTRONICS CORPORATION, NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiro Nakanishi, Teruaki Sato, Motohaya Ishii, Satoru Konno, Yuichi Suzuki, Shigeo Nagashima, Shinji Mino, Shuichiro Asakawa, Hiroshi Fukuda, Shin Kamei, Shunichi Soma, Ken Tsuzuki, Mitsuo Usui, Takashi Saida
  • Patent number: 10641954
    Abstract: A universal interferometer (100) for coupling modes of electromagnetic radiation according to a transformation has N inputs and N outputs for inputting and outputting N modes of electromagnetic radiation into and from the interferometer. Waveguides (101, 102, 103, 104, 105) pass through the interferometer to connect the N inputs to the N outputs and to carry the N modes of electromagnetic radiation. The waveguides provide crossing points between pairs of waveguides and a reconfigurable beam splitter (107) implements a reconfigurable reflectivity and a reconfigurable phase shift at each crossing point. The waveguides and crossing points are arranged such that each of the N modes of electromagnetic radiation is capable of coupling with each of the other modes of electromagnetic radiation at respective reconfigurable beam splitters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: OXFORD UNIVERSITY INNOVATION LIMITED
    Inventors: William Clements, Peter Humphreys, Benjamin Metcalf, Steven Kolthammer, Ian Walmsley
  • Patent number: 10642023
    Abstract: An electromagnetic filtering system comprising an electromagnetic radiation source, a filter chamber to filter the radiation and a filter chamber control system to selectively modify the contents of the filter chamber in order to modify the wavelengths of the radiation that pass through the filter chamber. There is also provided a method of controlling an electromagnetic filtering system that comprises a controllable filter chamber capable of being controlled so as to selectively be filled with a filter material, the method comprising —determining filtering characteristics to be provided by the filtering system, —determining whether the filter chamber should be filled with the filter material, and —controlling the filter chamber to be filled as determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Lluis Hierro Domenech, Esteve Comas, Sergi Culubret
  • Patent number: 10634850
    Abstract: An optical switch for optical fiber large-capacity stored program control exchanges. Optical transmission among optical fibers is performed through the reflection of lasers by a lens part of DMD chips. The lens part of the DMD chips consists of at least two single lenses or at least two lens basic units arranged in an one-dimensional array. The lens basic units are formed by arranging a number of single lenses in an n×n matrix, wherein 2?n?10. The one-dimensional array is arranged in such a direction that lasers do not interfere with each other after reflection. The area of the single lenses or that of the lens basic units is no less than the cross-sectional area of a single optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignees: TIAN JIN SHENG YUN NEW MATERIAL TECHNOLOGY CO. LTD
    Inventors: Jiliang Han, Guangshu Liu, Dejiao Xu
  • Patent number: 10620394
    Abstract: Apparatus for establishing and managing optical connections between optical fibers, the apparatus comprising: a first array that includes a plurality of slack management units (40), each having a holding socket (44) for holding an optical end connector (60) of an optical fiber (61); a second array comprising a plurality of coupling sockets (47), configured to hold optical end of an optical fiber; and a grabber (90) configured to grab an optical end connector (60) from any slack management unit (40) in the first array, and plug the optical end connector (60) into any coupling socket (47) in the second array to establish an optical connection between the optical fiber (61) connected to the optical end connector (60) and an optical end of an optical fiber (49) held in the coupling socket (47).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Xenoptics IP Holdings Pty Ltd.
    Inventors: Joseph Arol, Zohar Avrahami, Solomon Sokolovsky, Sopit Nondjuy, Patcharin Jaikaew
  • Patent number: 10608739
    Abstract: To determine an intensity of emission to be emitted by each of a plurality of emitters in a wireless communication system based on a measured angle of rotation of tilt of the plurality of emitters, a controller is provided which can allow the intensity of emissions of each of the plurality of emitters to be varied in dependence upon the angle of tilt or rotation. This allows for the steering of the emissions from the plurality of emitters to maintain communications within the wireless communication system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: OCADO INNOVATION LIMITED
    Inventors: David Sharp, Joseph Zammit
  • Patent number: 10606792
    Abstract: An interface arrangement on a system board includes at least two data lines for a differential signal transmission, at least one first mounting location for at least one first connector and at least one second mounting location for at least one second connector, and a third mounting location for an integrated circuit, wherein at the at least one first mounting location the data lines are divided into first and second paths, at the at least one second mounting location, the second and first paths are joined, the third mounting location for the integrated circuit is arranged in the first path, and the at least one and second connectors can be mounted at the at least one first and second mounting locations in a first or a second position, respectively, so that signals in the data lines run via the first path or via the second path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Fujitsu Technology Solutions Intellectual Property GmbH
    Inventor: Andreas Maier
  • Patent number: 10564512
    Abstract: Photonic data routing in optical networks is expected overcome the limitations of electronic routers with respect to data rate, latency, and energy consumption. However photonics-based routers suffer from dynamic power consumption, and non-simultaneous usage of multiple wavelength channels when microrings are deployed and are sizable in footprint. Here we show a design for the first hybrid photonic-plasmonic, non-blocking, broadband 5×5 router based on 3-waveguide silicon photonic-plasmonic 2×2 switches. The compactness of the router (footprint <200 ?m2) results in a short optical propagation delay (0.4 ps) enabling high data capacity up to 2 Tbps. The router has an average energy consumption ranging from 0.1˜1.0 fJ/bit depending on either DWDM or CDWM operation, enabled by the low electrical capacitance of the switch. The total average routing insertion loss of 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: The George Washington University
    Inventors: Shuai Sun, Volker J. Sorger, Tarek El-Ghazawi, Vikram K. Narayana
  • Patent number: 10557995
    Abstract: An optical connector includes a first attachment area for receiving and permanently attaching to an optical waveguide. A light coupling unit is disposed and configured to move translationally and not rotationally within the housing of the connector. The light coupling unit includes a second attachment area for receiving and permanently attaching to an optical waveguide received and permanently attached at the first attachment area. The light coupling unit also includes light redirecting surface. The light redirecting surface is configured such that when an optical waveguide is received and permanently attached at the first and second attachment areas, the light redirecting surface receives and redirects light from the optical waveguide. The optical waveguide limits, but does not prevent, a movement of the light coupling unit within the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Terry L. Smith, Barry S. Carpenter, Takayuki Hayauchi
  • Patent number: 10547405
    Abstract: A multi-mode wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) receiver includes a receiver head to receive a free-space optical (FSO) signal. A multi-mode demultiplexers (demux) is coupled to the receiver head via a multi-mode fiber to generate a number of optical signals based on the FSO signal. A number of repeaters modify the optical signals and generate a number of single-mode optical signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin Richard Bock, Aniruddha R. Karmarkar, Gregory Samuel Feller, Christopher William Tischhauser
  • Patent number: 10542334
    Abstract: An optical switch module includes: N first input ports to which a signal is input; M first output ports from which a signal is output; an M×N switch to include N second input ports and M second output ports, and to set a path between the second input ports and the second output ports, the second output ports coupling with the first output ports, respectively; a test-signal input port to which a test-signal is capable of being externally input; an expansion port from which one of the test-signal and the signal from any one of the first input ports is output; and an optical switch to selectively connect at least one of the test-signal and the signal from any one of the first input ports to at least one of the expansion port and any one of the second input ports, wherein both N and M are natural numbers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Shinji Komiya
  • Patent number: 10539739
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a multi-mode optical fiber having a selected plurality of optical propagating modes. The selected plurality may include only a proper subset of or may include all of the optical propagating modes of the multi-mode optical fiber. Each optical propagating mode of the selected plurality has a group velocity that varies over a corresponding range for light in, at least, one of the optical telecommunications C-band, the optical telecommunications L-band, and the optical telecommunications S-band. The ranges corresponding to different ones of the modes of the selected plurality are non-overlapping. The ranges of a group velocity-adjacent pair of the ranges are separated by a nonzero gap of less than about 10,000 meters per second.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: Rene′-Jean Essiambre, Roland Ryf
  • Patent number: 10534130
    Abstract: A Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) filter comprising one or more passive compensation structures are described. The passive compensation structures yield MZI filters that are intrinsically tolerant to perturbations in waveguide dimensions and/or other ambient conditions. The use of n+1 waveguide widths can mitigate n different sources of perturbation to the filter. The use of at least three different waveguide widths for each Mach-Zehnder waveguide can alleviate sensitivity of filter performance to random width or temperature variations. A tolerance compensation portion is positioned between a first coupler section and a second coupler section, wherein the tolerance compensation portion includes a first compensation section having a second width, a second compensation section having a third width and a third compensation section having a fourth width, wherein the fourth width is greater than the third width and the third width is greater than the second width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: PSIQUANTUM, CORP.
    Inventors: Koustuban Ravi, Mark Thompson, Eric Dudley
  • Patent number: 10530470
    Abstract: In order to improve the reliability of a reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexing (ROADM) device, provided is an optical add/drop device that comprises the following: a first wavelength selection unit and a second wavelength selection unit that can select and output an optical signal of a prescribed wavelength from among inputted optical signals; a first branching unit that selectively outputs a first signal being an optical signal that has been inputted from a first terminal station on a main route to the first wavelength selection unit and the second wavelength selection unit; a second branching unit that selectively outputs a second signal being an optical signal that has been inputted from a second terminal station on a sub-route to the first wavelength selection unit and the second wavelength selection unit; and a first output unit that can selectively output to the second terminal station, as a third signal, either the optical signal outputted by the first wavelength selection unit on the basis of t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshinari Takigawa
  • Patent number: 10530515
    Abstract: A node in a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) system is provided, which includes: a colorless optical transmitter, a first arrayed waveguide grating, a first waveband filter configured to divide an input optical signal into M sub-signals of different wavebands and output to a first optical switch, and a first optical coupler/a first optical combiner. A transmit end of the colorless optical transmitter is coupled to an input end of the first waveband filter via the first arrayed waveguide grating. The first optical switch is configured to connect an output end of the first waveband filter to an input end of the first optical coupler/the first optical combiner according to a control signal. An output end of the first optical coupler/the first optical combiner is coupled to an optical transmission path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ning Deng, Shiyi Cao, Jun Luo
  • Patent number: 10524029
    Abstract: An example system can comprise an optical circuit switch. An input port module can receive an input optical signal comprising a plurality of input components, perform an optical to electrical to optical conversion on the input optical signal, multiplex the plurality of input components to an internal optical signal, and transmit first internal optical signal on a first internal waveguide. A switch module can receive the internal optical signal and transmit the transformed internal optical signal on a second internal waveguide according to a predefined control algorithm, which can permit any input component to be mapped to any frequency group and sent to any output component. An output port module can receive the internal optical signal, perform another optical to electrical to optical conversion on the internal optical signal, and demultiplex the internal optical signal to an output optical signal comprising a plurality of output components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
    Inventors: Francois Vincent, David Penkler, Benoit Minster
  • Patent number: 10498446
    Abstract: A communications system may include a first active circuit device and a waveguide coupled to the first active circuit device. The waveguide may include a plurality of passive optical devices spaced apart from one another and arranged along an optical path, and an interconnect structure interconnecting the passive optical devices and integrally formed as a unitary body with the passive optical devices. Furthermore, the interconnect structure may have an opening therethrough aligned with the optical path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: HARRIS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arthur C. Paolella, Diana M. Foster, Christopher A. Corey, James W. Coots, Francisco Torres
  • Patent number: 10476596
    Abstract: A fiber optic tap system includes a first receiver module having an input port configured to receive an optical fiber. The first receiver module is operable to convert a received optical signal to an electrical signal. A first transmitter module is coupled to receive the electrical signal from the first receiver module and convert the received electrical signal to an optical signal. The first transmitter module has an output port for outputting the optical signal. A first tap module is coupled to receive the electrical signal from the first receiver module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: CommScope Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Joseph C. Coffey, Paul John Pepe
  • Patent number: 10459175
    Abstract: An optical device has a photonic IC having a modulator block and a photodetector block for transmitting and receiving optical signals via multiple channels, and a wiring board to transmit and receive electrical signals to and from the photonic IC, multiple electrical wirings formed on the wiring board being associated with the multiple channels, wherein the photonic IC has a first optical waveguide set extending from an output end of the modulator block to an output port of the photonic IC and a second optical waveguide set extending from an input port of the photonic IC to an input end of the photodetector block, the optical waveguides are arranged in the shortest paths for the respective channels in the first and the second optical waveguide sets, and the lengths of the electrical wirings are set so as to compensate for a difference in optical waveguide length among the channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: FUJITSU OPTICAL COMPONENTS LIMITED
    Inventor: Masaki Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 10454585
    Abstract: A data center network system and a signal transmission system, where the signal transmission system includes one hub device, at least two switches, multiple colored optical modules, at least two multiplexers/demultiplexers, and at least two servers. The hub device, the at least two switches, the multiple colored optical modules, the at least two multiplexers/demultiplexers, and the at least two servers form a star network topology structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yaobing Cao, Qinghua Yan, Liqing Su, Di Hu, Jixian Qu, Chuanbing Wang
  • Patent number: 10446900
    Abstract: A refractive index n of a dielectric material is larger than a refractive index of the outside in a lateral direction X and/or a vertical direction Y perpendicular to an electromagnetic wave travelling direction Z, the inside of a waveguide-path has slow electromagnetic wave propagation velocity, compared to an area on the outside, the maximum dimension in the lateral direction and/or the vertical direction of the waveguide-path has a dimension which is specified by a formula below. The formula is: tan(ksa/2)=kf/ks, or tan(ksa/2)=?ks/kf. Here, ks: propagation constant of an electromagnetic wave low-speed area, kf: propagation constant of an electromagnetic wave high-speed area, and a: maximum dimension in the X direction and/or the Y direction of the waveguide-path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Inventor: Kazuyuki Ouchi
  • Patent number: 10448128
    Abstract: A wavelength routing SW is a large-scale optical switch device of a conventional technique, and it requires as many wavelength-tunable light sources as the number of input ports. For the wavelength-tunable light sources to achieve a stable oscillating operation across a wide wavelength range, a complicated control mechanism is necessary. This has been an obstacle in providing a large-scale optical switch device in terms of cost and circuit scale. A wavelength routing SW in the present disclosure includes N wavelength group generators, a splitting-selection unit, and MN tunable filters. Each wavelength group generator includes M fixed-wavelength light sources. Inexpensive general-purpose devices that require no control mechanism for wavelength tuning can be used as the fixed-wavelength light source. The channel loss in the optical switch device can also be reduced by using light sources with a limited narrow range of tunable wavelengths and the wavelength-dependent output port selecting function of an AWG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: National University Corporation Nagoya University
    Inventors: Ken-ichi Sato, Hiroshi Hasegawa, Yojiro Mori, Koh Ueda
  • Patent number: 10437131
    Abstract: A laser scanner system that steers laser beams with GHz throughput and precision is based on switching (thin) films that are either metallic, or stacks of alternating dielectric films. The films are arranged with a slight tilt angle to the incident laser beam. They change their optical properties under electrical loads and become highly reflective to reflect the beam to a certain direction depending on the tilt angle of the switched film. In the area of laser based machining it will be possible to produce with a far higher throughput and precision than with conventional galvanometer based systems. The scanner can be also used in bar code scanners or in laser based TV systems. A new adaptive wavefront correction element can be achieved using switching films arranged in an xy matrix. Many applications of such a distortion correction element exist in adaptive optics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Inventor: Theofilos Eleftheriadis
  • Patent number: 10432339
    Abstract: A process of assembling an optical receiver module that receives a wavelength multiplexed signal is disclosed. The process includes a step of sequentially mounting a wavelength selective filter (WSF), a prism, a mirror, and first and second optical de-multiplexers (o-DeMuxes) each on the carrier. The WSF transmits a first wavelength multiplexed signal but reflects a second wavelength multiplexed signal. The prism includes first and second surfaces, where the first surface reflects the wavelength multiplexed signal toward the WSF, while the second surface receives a second wavelength multiplexed signal coming from the WSF. The mirror reflects the first wavelength multiplexed signal transmitting through the WSF. The first and second o-DeMuxes de-multiplex the first and second wavelength multiplexed signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanobu Kawamura, Hiroshi Hara
  • Patent number: 10416391
    Abstract: The ends of sensing and interrogating multicore fibers are brought into proximity for connection in a first orientation with one or more cores in the sensing fiber being paired up with corresponding one or more cores in the interrogating fiber. Optical interferometry is used to interrogate at least one core pair and to determine a first reflection value that represents a degree of alignment for the core pair in the first orientation. The relative position is adjusted between the ends of the fibers to a second orientation. Interferometry is used to interrogate the core pair and determine a second reflection value that represents a degree of alignment for the core pair in the second orientation. The first reflection value is compared with the second reflection value, and an aligned orientation is identified for connecting the sensing and interrogating fibers based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Froggatt, Eric Sanborn, Jeffrey Lacroix
  • Patent number: 10409074
    Abstract: Near-to-eye devices with steerable phased arrays are provided. In some configurations, a device comprises waveguides, e.g., color plates, that are individually formed to couple a corresponding color output of a micro-display engine and project an image into a human vision system. Some configurations include steerable phased arrays for generating light defining a field of view of image content. The generated light is aligned with light from a real-world view to create an output that concurrently displays the real-world view with the field of view of the image content. The light from the steerable phased arrays is directed through one or more waveguides to an output region of the one or more waveguides. The light from the real-world view can pass through transparent portions of waveguides in a manner that aligns a rendering of the image content with the light from the real-world view to create augmented reality views.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: David Douglas Bohn
  • Patent number: 10412335
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes a display section that displays an image and a controller that controls the display apparatus based on setting information to cause the display section to display the image and changes the setting information from first setting information to second setting information in accordance with a first instruction. In a state in which the controller has changed the setting information from the first setting information to the second setting information and causes the display section to display a first image based on first image information from the first input section, and when the controller receives a second instruction to cause the display section to display a second image based on second image information from the second input section, the controller changes the setting information from the second setting information to the first setting information and causes the display section to display the second image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiki Fujimori, Yoshiteru Uchiyama, Takahiro Ano, Toru Karasawa
  • Patent number: 10409137
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling the energy flux of a light beam (carrier wave) relies on the manipulation of a light beam's Poynting vector to switch the light beam from one optical waveguide to another. A modulator positioned between the two waveguides has an index of refraction n+ik wherein ik is a loss/gain component. It is the manipulation of this loss/gain component ik by an external stimulus which causes anisotropic changes in orthogonal components of the light beam's Poynting vector. This, in turn, causes changes in the propagation distance of the light beam (carrier wave) over a length L along the waveguides that switch the light beam from one waveguide to the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Inventor: Chen-Kuo Sun
  • Patent number: 10405073
    Abstract: An optical switch module includes: N first input ports to which a signal is input; M first output ports from which a signal is output; an M×N switch to include N second input ports and M second output ports, and to set a path between the second input ports and the second output ports, the second output ports coupling with the first output ports, respectively; a test-signal input port to which a test-signal is capable of being externally input; an expansion port from which one of the test-signal and the signal from any one of the first input ports is output; and an optical switch to selectively connect at least one of the test-signal and the signal from any one of the first input ports to at least one of the expansion port and any one of the second input ports, wherein both N and M are natural numbers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Shinji Komiya
  • Patent number: 10396892
    Abstract: A method of automated testing and evaluation of a node of a communications network, the method comprising: a management computer interacting with the node to discover fiber trails within the node that can be safely tested; and the management computer interacting with the node to test at least continuity of each identified fiber trail that can be safely tested.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Ciena Corporation
    Inventors: Dane Hurley, Scott Kohlert
  • Patent number: 10382845
    Abstract: A data center network device provides configurations where the port density can be increased by incorporating multiport transceivers within the device and the use of high density fiber connections on exterior panels of the device. The device also permits dynamically reassigning fiber connections to convert from single fiber connection paths to higher rate bonded fiber paths while at the same time making more efficient use of the fiber interconnections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Fiber Mountain, Inc.
    Inventors: Mohammad H. Raza, David G. Stone, Aristito Lorenzo, Ronald M Plante
  • Patent number: 10379292
    Abstract: An optical transmission module according to the disclosure comprises a first optical transmission line, a second optical transmission line, and a ferrule. The first optical transmission line has a first end face. The second optical transmission line has a second end face opposed to the first end face of the first optical transmission line. An end of the first optical transmission line is situated inside the ferule, and the ferule has a light-transmittable intermediary portion situated between the first end face and the second end face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takahiro Matsubara
  • Patent number: 10356389
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for dissipating an electrostatic charge from an optical element are described. An apparatus includes the optical element, a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device located proximate to the optical element, and a conductive coating over the optical element, wherein the conductive coating is substantially transparent, and wherein the conductive coating dissipates the electrostatic charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Arnon Hirshberg, Barak Freedman
  • Patent number: 10352855
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and optical device for detecting a relationship between an evanescent field and Goos-Hänchen shift, said method comprising: obtaining a potential field function of an evanescent field acting on total-reflection light according to physical meanings of a force function and the potential field function of light in the evanescent field (S101); obtaining a wave function of the perturbed total-reflection light by means of the Schrödinger equation by combining with the potential field function of the evanescent field acting on total-reflection light (S102); and comparing the wave function of the perturbed total-reflection light with a wave function of free total-reflection light with no action from the evanescent field, and determining a momentum gained by the total-reflection light under the action of the evanescent field, which is the same in nature as a momentum of the evanescent field (S103).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Inventors: Ping Chen, Ming Li, Weiwei Liu, Lie Lin
  • Patent number: RE47905
    Abstract: This invention provides a novel wavelength-separating-routing (WSR) apparatus that uses a diffraction grating to separate a multi-wavelength optical signal by wavelength into multiple spectral channels, which are then focused onto an array of corresponding channel micromirrors. The channel micromirrors are individually controllable and continuously pivotable to reflect the spectral channels into selected output ports. As such, the inventive WSR apparatus is capable of routing the spectral channels on a channel-by-channel basis and coupling any spectral channel into any one of the output ports. The WSR apparatus of the present invention may be further equipped with servo-control and spectral power-management capabilities, thereby maintaining the coupling efficiencies of the spectral channels into the output ports at desired values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Capella Photonics, Inc.
    Inventors: Tai Chen, Jeffrey P. Wilde, Joseph E. Davis