Grating Patents (Class 398/87)
  • Patent number: 11949461
    Abstract: The present application discloses an integrated self-coherent receiving optical chip based on round-trip delay interferometers, including a first beam splitter, a multi-port circulator array, a first round-trip delay interferometer and a second round-trip delay interferometer integrated on a same substrate, wherein the first beam splitter is connected to the multi-port circulator array, and the multi-port circulator array is connected to the first round-trip delay interferometer and the second round-trip delay interferometer, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: BEIJING ZHONGKE GUOGUANG QUANTUM TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yibo Zhao, Dong Wang, Dongsheng Chen
  • Patent number: 11799260
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a diffractive grating configured to receive multiple output beams from an array of laser sources. The apparatus also includes one or more optical elements configured to receive, direct, and focus multiple zeroth-order light beams, where the zeroth-order light beams include portions of the output beams reflected off the diffractive grating. The apparatus further includes a detector configured to receive the zeroth-order light beams from at least one of the one or more optical elements and process the zeroth-order light beams to generate diagnostic information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: Leva E. Bukowski
  • Patent number: 11799555
    Abstract: A multi-channel light emitting module includes a base, at least one light emitting unit provided on the base, an optical modulation chip provided on the base, and an optical transmission component. The optical modulation chip includes an encapsulation structure and a thin film lithium niobate (LiNbOx) modulator provided in the encapsulation structure. The thin film LiNbOx modulator is optically coupled with the at least one light emitting unit, and the light emitting unit is provided outside the encapsulation structure. The optical transmission component is optically coupled with the thin film LiNbOx modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Global Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Jian-Hong Luo, Dong-Biao Jiang, Juan Zhang, Jiahang Shao
  • Patent number: 11675134
    Abstract: An optical bandpass filter includes an optical splitter having at least four ports, one of the ports being designated as an input port and one of the ports being designated as an output port. First and second reflectors couple with respective third and fourth ones of the ports. The splitter directs portions of the input light from the input port, into the third and fourth ports, such that the portions of the input light propagate toward the respective first and second reflectors. The first and second reflectors reflect light having wavelengths within a predetermined wavelength range, back toward the splitter, as wavelength-selected light, and transmit light having wavelengths that are outside of the predetermined wavelength range, away from the splitter. The splitter directs at least a portion of the wavelength-selected light that propagates back toward the splitter, into the output port, as output light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Skorpios Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Guoliang Li, Stephen B. Krasulick
  • Patent number: 11595443
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, by a network controller and from a first node of a network, information associated with a data stream of the network and determining, by the network controller, a segmentation for the data stream. The segmentation includes a plurality of data segments and the plurality of data segments includes a first data segment. The method further includes determining, by the network controller, a data flow path for each of the plurality of data segments and determining, by the network controller, a first wavelength to assign to the first data segment. The first wavelength is one of a plurality of wavelengths spanning between the first node and a second node of the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Stuart J. Williams, Allan Theall, Timothy Tuggle, Steven Axt, Charlton Gardiner, Kathleen Tse, John Humphries
  • Patent number: 11407672
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a beam shaper array assembly, where the beam shaper array assembly changes the shape of a plurality of beams. The method includes providing an optical endcap having a plurality of connector stems, welding a fiber to each of the stems to form an emitter array and positioning a beam shaper array adjacent to the endcap opposite to the stems. The method also includes measuring an angle error and a position error of each fiber, calculating a correction for each fiber for the angle error and the position error and correcting the angle and position of each fiber using the calculated corrections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gregory D. Goodno, Joshua E. Rothenberg, James G. Ho, Dustin Guenther
  • Patent number: 11249260
    Abstract: An optical input/output chiplet is disposed on a first package substrate. The optical input/output chiplet includes one or more supply optical ports for receiving continuous wave light. The optical input/output chiplet includes one or more transmit optical ports through which modulated light is transmitted. The optical input/output chiplet includes one or more receive optical ports through which modulated light is received by the optical input/output chiplet. An optical power supply module is disposed on a second package substrate. The second package substrate is separate from the first package substrate. The optical power supply module includes one or more output optical ports through which continuous wave laser light is transmitted. A set of optical fibers optically connect the one or more output optical ports of the optical power supply module to the one or more supply optical ports of the optical input/output chiplet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Ayar Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexandra Wright, Mark Wade, Chen Sun, Vladimir Stojanovic, Rajeev Ram, Milos Popovic, Roy Edward Meade, Derek Van Orden
  • Patent number: 11196504
    Abstract: A method includes establishing an extended optical spectrum having multiple channels for transmission of signals within an optical network. The extended optical spectrum includes at least the C-band (i.e., 1530 nm to 1565 nm) plus one or more sub-bands each having a range of wavelengths including at least one optical channel outside the range of the C-band. The method also includes segmenting the extended optical spectrum into a local band and an express band having different transmission specifications. The local band is configured for transmission of signals between nodes having a relatively shorter distance therebetween and the express band is configured for transmission of signals between nodes having a relatively longer distance therebetween. A combination of the sub-bands covers less than the L-band having a range of wavelengths from 1565 nm to 1625 nm and/or less than the S-band having a range of wavelengths from 1460 nm to 1530 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Ciena Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Y. Frankel, David W. Boertjes, Loren S. Berg
  • Patent number: 11119279
    Abstract: The invention relates, inter alia, to a photonic component (10), which has an interference device (20), which has at least one input and at least a first and a second output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: SICOYA GMBH
    Inventors: Marco Vitali, Danilo Bronzi
  • Patent number: 10951654
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, by a network controller and from a first node of a network, information associated with a data stream of the network and determining, by the network controller, a segmentation for the data stream. The segmentation includes a plurality of data segments and the plurality of data segments includes a first data segment. The method further includes determining, by the network controller, a data flow path for each of the plurality of data segments and determining, by the network controller, a first wavelength to assign to the first data segment. The first wavelength is one of a plurality of wavelengths spanning between the first node and a second node of the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property 1, L.P.
    Inventors: Stuart J. Williams, Allan Theall, Timothy Tuggle, Steven Axt, Charlton Gardiner, Kathleen Tse, John Humphries
  • Patent number: 10687130
    Abstract: An network system control method includes: planning an optical tunnel network according to a routing path table and transmitting a control command according to an optical tunnel network configuration of the optical tunnel network by a tunnel scheduling module, wherein the optical tunnel network includes multiple optical tunnels, and each of the optical tunnels includes a routing path and a wavelength; outputting a control signal to multiple optical switches and multiple top-of-rack switches according to the control command by a configuration managing module; receiving flow statistics of the dataflows of the optical tunnels from the top-of-rack switches, calculating dataflow rates of the dataflows and bandwidth usage rates of the optical tunnels, and transmitting a load notification when one of the bandwidth usage rates exceeds an preset interval by a bandwidth usage monitor; and replanning the optical tunnel network according to the load notification by the tunnel scheduling module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Maria Chi-Jui Yuang, Po-Lung Tien, Wei-Zhang Ruan
  • Patent number: 10103809
    Abstract: A wavelength tunable light source includes a light source, a wavelength monitor circuit configured to receive light emitted from the light source, and a processor that controls the light source based upon an output value of the wavelength monitor circuit, wherein the wavelength monitor circuit has a wavelength filter with a periodic transmission spectrum, and three photo detectors connected to outputs of the wavelength filter, and wherein the processor is configured to calculate a ratio of photo-detection normalized with two of three quantities of light received at the three photo detectors and control electric current input to the light source such that a calculated ratio of photo-detection approaches a target ratio at a designated wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: FUJITSU OPTICAL COMPONENTS LIMITED
    Inventor: Masaki Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 9709745
    Abstract: A delay line interferometer comprising an optical waveguide having a distributed Bragg reflector, e.g. Bragg grating, fabricated therein. The distributed Bragg reflector has a refractive index modulation with a period variation ?(z) along its length z that is arranged to output in transmission an output optical signal fout(t) in response to a input optical signal fin(t), wherein the output optical signal fout(t) is the result of temporal interference between one or more time-delayed replicas of the input optical signal fin(t). In other words, the distributed Bragg reflector is operable to generate and permit temporal interference between two or more time-delayed replicas of the input optical signal fin(t). The invention may thus mimic the behaviour of one or more MZIs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Huazhong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Xuewen Shu, Miguel Angel Preciado
  • Patent number: 9476763
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided in which a photodiode supported on a planar light wave circuit assembly and arranged such that a photosensitive portion of the photodiode is aligned along an optical path from the output of the planar light wave circuit to the photodiode of the planar light wave circuit assembly. The photodiode is arranged such that a spot size of light output from the planar light wave circuit is incident on the photosensitive portion such that an optical signal transmitted by the light output is converted to an electric signal by the photodiode. A mounting structure is arranged between the planar light wave circuit assembly and the photodiode in order to support the photodiode on the planar light wave circuit assembly. The optical path of the light output from the planar light wave circuit does not contain any refractive optical elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ravinder Kachru, Stefan Martin Pfnuer, Pangchen Sun
  • Patent number: 9184866
    Abstract: An optical network includes a fiber optic link and one or more distributed block filter pairs. A given block filter pair includes a first block filter and a second block filter disposed at disparate locations along the fiber optic link. The first block filter of a respective pair is a bi-directional device that redirects optical carriers within a particular block wavelength range onto or off of the fiber optic link depending on a direction of the optical signals. The second block filter of a respective pair also is a bi-directional device that redirects carriers within the particular block wavelength range onto or off of the fiber optic link depending on a direction of the optical signal. The block filter pairs enable bi-directional communications over the fiber optic link between corresponding nodes disposed at different locations along the fiber optic link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC
    Inventor: Paul D. Brooks
  • Patent number: 9178620
    Abstract: An optical interface comprising a first portion having at least one optical conduit interface with a first axis for optically coupling with at least one optical conduit, a second portion having at least one transmitter interface with a second axis for optically coupling with a transmitting optical device, and at least one receiver interface with a third axis for optical coupling with a receiving optical device, the first, second and third axes being essentially parallel; and a wavelength filter element (WFE) disposed between the first and second portions, the WFE defining a first optical path between the transmitter interface and the optical conduit interface, and a second optical path between the optical conduit interface and the receiver interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: TE Connectivity Nederland B.V.
    Inventors: Jeroen Antonious Maria Duis, Jan Willem Rietveld, Joseph Gerardus Maria Vos
  • Patent number: 9158008
    Abstract: Disclosed below are representative embodiments of methods, apparatus, and systems for detecting particles, such as radiation or charged particles. One exemplary embodiment disclosed herein is particle detector comprising an optical fiber with a first end and second end opposite the first end. The optical fiber of this embodiment further comprises a doped region at the first end and a non-doped region adjacent to the doped region. The doped region of the optical fiber is configured to scintillate upon interaction with a target particle, thereby generating one or more photons that propagate through the optical fiber and to the second end. Embodiments of the disclosed technology can be used in a variety of applications, including associated particle imaging and cold neutron scattering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: UT-Battelle, LLC
    Inventors: Lynn A. Boatner, John T. Mihalczo
  • Publication number: 20150132003
    Abstract: A first transmissive diffraction grating includes a multiplexed transmission region; a second diffraction grating includes multiple demultiplexed transmission regions that are spatially displaced from one another and characterized by average corresponding grating-normal vector direction, grating wavevector magnitude, and grating wavevector direction. The demultiplexed transmission regions differ with respect to at least one of those parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Christoph M. Greiner, Thomas W. Mossberg, Dmitri Iazikov
  • Patent number: 9025958
    Abstract: A wavelength division multiplexer utilizes an optical source in the form of at least two separate laser array components, each laser array component including a group of laser diodes operating at wavelengths that are spaced by a multiple of the pre-defined channel spacing of the multiplexer. This optical source thus generates a plurality of non-sequential optical signals that need to be re-ordered at some point along the signal path so that all of the signals are multiplexed onto a single output signal path. The multiplexer utilizes an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) to combine the various optical signals, with a specialized apparatus for re-ordering the non-sequential wavelengths of the propagating plurality of N optical signals disposed either at the input or output of the AWG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Leonard Jan-Peter Ketelsen, Julian Bernard Donald Soole
  • Patent number: 8995845
    Abstract: A multi-laser transmitter optical subassembly may include N number of lasers, where each laser is configured to generate an optical signal with a unique wavelength. The transmitter optical subassembly may further include a focusing lens and a filter assembly. The filter assembly may combine the optical signals into a combined signal that is received by the focusing lens. The filter assembly may include N?1 number of filters. Each of the filters may pass at least one of the optical signals and reflect at least one of the optical signals. The filters may be low pass filters, high pass filters, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Finisar Corporation
    Inventors: Tengda Du, Bernd Huebner
  • Publication number: 20150086207
    Abstract: A device may use a comb laser in dense wavelength division multiplexed transmitter and/or reconfigurable optical add or drop multiplexer. The device may include a comb laser to provide a source beam having a plurality of wavelengths. The device may further include a wavelength separator to create a plurality of beams from the source beam, where the wavelength separator is coupled to the comb laser. Each beam from the plurality of beams is centered at a different wavelength. The device may further include processors coupled to the wavelength separator, where the processors separately process each beam. The device may further include a wavelength combiner which is coupled to the plurality of processors. The wavelength combiner merges the plurality of beams into an output beam having a plurality of wavelengths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventor: David Z. Chen
  • Patent number: 8970956
    Abstract: Methods of forming microelectronic structures are described. Embodiments of those methods may include forming a photomask on a (110) silicon wafer substrate, wherein the photomask comprises a periodic array of parallelogram openings, and then performing a timed wet etch on the (110) silicon wafer substrate to form a diffraction grating structure that is etched into the (110) silicon wafer substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Yun-Chung Na, John Heck, Haisheng Rong
  • Patent number: 8971709
    Abstract: An optical transceiver apparatus includes a gain medium, a photoelectric converter, at least one AWG, and a partial reflection mirror. The at least one AWG includes two common ports and multiple branch ports. One of the two common ports functions as a signal sending port, and the other functions as a signal receiving port, where bandwidth of the signal sending port is less than that of the signal receiving port. The gain medium and the photoelectric converter are connected to one of the branch ports of the AWG. The AWG and the partial reflection mirror are configured to cooperatively perform wavelength self-injection locking on an optical signal provided by the gain medium, and output the optical signal through the signal sending port. The AWG is further configured to demultiplex an optical signal received by the signal receiving port to a branch port. A WDM-PON system is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dekun Liu, Yusheng Bai, Huafeng Lin, Zhiguang Xu
  • Patent number: 8958693
    Abstract: A wavelength selective switch includes a light input/output unit that includes an input unit and an output unit of a wavelength multiplexed light arranged in a form of an array in a first direction, a light dispersing unit that receives the wavelength multiplexed light from the input unit and disperses the wavelength multiplexed light into signal wavelengths, a light condensing element that condenses the light dispersed into the signal wavelengths, and a light deflecting element array that deflects a signal light in the first direction and a second direction, that is orthogonal to the first direction, so as to switch the light of the signal wavelengths condensed by the light condensing element to a desired output unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: JDS Uniphase Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8942564
    Abstract: A user equipment (UE) device includes a VLC receiver including a photodiode and a radio receiver. The UE device supports a plurality of alternative technologies, communications protocols, and/or frequencies. During a first mode of operation, e.g., a discovery mode, a low reverse bias voltage value is applied to the photodiode. The low reverse bias voltage is adequate to support the recovery of small amounts of communicated information, and the power consumed by the battery of the UE device is relatively low. During discovery, information communicated includes, e.g., a light transmitter ID, an access point ID, services available at the access point, configuration information for a light receiver and/or for an auxiliary radio receiver. During a second mode of operation, e.g., a data traffic mode, the reverse bias voltage applied to the photodiode is set to a high reverse bias voltage to support higher data rate using VLC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Aleksandar Jovicic, Junyi Li, Thomas Joseph Richardson
  • Patent number: 8929738
    Abstract: Embodiments herein include a resilient add-drop module for use in one of multiple access subnetwork nodes forming an access subnetwork ring. The module comprises a dual-arm passive optical filter and a cyclic arrayed waveguide grating (AWG). The dual-arm passive optical filter is configured to resiliently drop any wavelength channels within a fixed band uniquely allocated to the access subnetwork node from either arm of the access subnetwork ring and to resiliently add any wavelength channels within the fixed band to both arms of the access subnetwork ring. The cyclic AWG is correspondingly configured to demultiplex wavelength channels dropped by the dual-arm filter and to multiplex wavelength channels to be added by the dual-arm filter. Configured in this way, the module in at least some embodiments advantageously reduces the complexity and accompanying cost of nodes in an optical network, while also providing resilience against fiber and node failures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (Publ)
    Inventors: Stefan Dahlfort, Ming Xia
  • Patent number: 8909040
    Abstract: A method and system for multiplexing a network of parallel fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor-fibers to a single acquisition channel of a closed Michelson interferometer system via a fiber splitter by distinguishing each branch of fiber sensors in the spatial domain. On each branch of the splitter, the fibers have a specific pre-determined length, effectively separating each branch of fiber sensors spatially. In the spatial domain the fiber branches are seen as part of one acquisition channel on the interrogation system. However, the FBG-reference arm beat frequency information for each fiber is retained. Since the beat frequency is generated between the reference arm, the effective fiber length of each successive branch includes the entire length of the preceding branch. The multiple branches are seen as one fiber having three segments where the segments can be resolved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Allen R Parker, Jr., Hon Man Chan, Anthony (Nino) Piazza, William Lance Richards
  • Patent number: 8873961
    Abstract: An optical de-multiplexer (de-MUX) that includes an optical device that images and diffracts an optical signal using a reflective geometry is described, where a free spectral range (FSR) of the optical device associated with a given diffraction order abuts FSRs associated with adjacent diffraction orders. Moreover, the channel spacings within diffraction orders and between adjacent diffraction orders are equal to the predefined channel spacing associated with the optical signal. As a consequence, the optical device has a comb-filter output spectrum, which reduces a tuning energy of the optical device by eliminating spectral gaps between diffraction orders of the optical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Oracle International Corporation
    Inventors: Ying Luo, Xuezhe Zheng, Guoliang Li, Kannan Raj, Ashok V. Krishnamoorthy
  • Patent number: 8867917
    Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods of enhancing channel bandwidth in an optical system having a number of wavelength selective switching (WSS) devices. The method includes the steps of passing the optical signals through the WSS devices by: (i) spatially dispersing the wavelength channels of the optical signals; (ii) projecting the spatially dispersed channels onto corresponding predetermined regions of an optical manipulation matrix including a plurality of individually addressable manipulating elements; (iii) determining a modification function that specifies a state for each manipulating element within the predetermined region; and (iv) driving the elements of the corresponding regions at states specified by the function to selectively modify the channel band shape such that the received channel's bandwidth is substantially enhanced, and to spatially direct the wavelength channels to predetermined output ports of the WSS devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Finisar Corporation
    Inventors: Steven James Frisken, Glenn Wayne Baxter, Cibby Pulikkaseril, Novelene Wang
  • Patent number: 8867920
    Abstract: An electro-optical device includes an optical de-multiplexing portion operative to output a first optical signal having a first wavelength and a second optical signal having a second wavelength, an array of photodetectors, and a switching logic portion communicatively connected to the array of photodetectors, the switching logic portion operative to determine which photodetector of the array of photodetectors is converting the first optical signal into a first electrical signal and output the first electrical signal from a first output node associated with the first optical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Solomon Assefa, Douglas M. Gill, Jonathan E. Proesel, Alexander V. Rylyakov, Clint L. Schow
  • Patent number: 8817589
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for line coding in a communications network are described. According to one embodiment of the invention, downstream communications traffic bits are received and mapped into downstream bit positions of a transmission structure. A pre-selected bit in each upstream bit positions of the transmission structure is provided to form a downstream transmission structure. A downstream optical signal carrying the downstream transmission structure is generated for transmission. Upstream communications traffic bits are also received and mapped into the upstream bit positions of the transmission structure to form an upstream transmission structure. An upstream optical signal carrying the upstream transmission structure is generated for transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (Publ)
    Inventors: Fabio Cavaliere, Stefan Dahlfort, Luca Giorgi
  • Patent number: 8792788
    Abstract: Techniques, devices and systems for optical communications based on wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) that use tunable multi-wavelength laser transmitter modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Cedric F. Lam, Hong Liu
  • Publication number: 20140161455
    Abstract: A temperature controlled multi-channel transmitter optical subassembly (TOSA) may be used in a multi-channel optical transceiver. The multi-channel TOSA generally includes an array of lasers optically coupled to an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) to combine multiple optical signals at different channel wavelengths. A temperature control system may be used to control the temperature of both the array of lasers and the AWG with the same temperature control device, e.g., a thermoelectric cooler (TEC). The multi-channel optical transceiver may also include a multi-channel receiver optical subassembly (ROSA). The optical transceiver may be used in a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) optical system, for example, in an optical line terminal (OLT) in a WDM passive optical network (PON).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: APPLIED OPTOELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: I-Lung Ho, Luohan Peng, Justin Lii
  • Patent number: 8731403
    Abstract: A multicast optical switch includes a free-space optical assembly of discrete splitters, cylindrical optics, and a linear array of reflective switching devices, such as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) mirrors, to provide low-loss, high-performance multicast switching in a compact configuration. The assembly of optical splitters may include multiple planar lightwave circuit splitters or a multi-reflection beam splitter that includes a linear array of partially reflecting mirrors, each of a different reflectivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: II-VI Incorporated
    Inventors: Massimo Martinelli, Manish Sharma, Ruipeng Sun, Mark H. Garrett, Aravanan Gurusami
  • Publication number: 20140093244
    Abstract: A filtered laser array assembly generally includes an array of laser emitters coupled between external modulators and an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG). Each of the laser emitters emits light across a plurality of wavelengths including, for example, channel wavelengths in an optical communication system. The AWG filters the emitted light from each of the laser emitters at different channel wavelengths associated with each of the laser emitters. Lasing cavities are formed between each of the laser emitters and a back reflector coupled to an output of the AWG such that laser output from the laser emitters is provided at the respective channel wavelengths of the reflected, filtered light. The external modulators enable high speed modulation of the laser output. The modulated laser output may then be optically multiplexed to produce an aggregate optical signal including multiple channel wavelengths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: APPLIED OPTOELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Jun Zheng, Stefan Murry, Wen-Yen Hwang
  • Publication number: 20140086585
    Abstract: An optical multiplexer/de-multiplexer (MUX/de-MUX) includes a two-dimensional pattern of features in a propagation region that conveys an optical signal having wavelengths. A given feature in this pattern has a characteristic length and the features have an average pitch, both of which are less than fundamental smallest of the wavelengths divided by an effective index of refraction of the propagation region. Moreover, an optical device in the optical MUX/de-MUX images and diffracts the optical signal using a reflective geometry, and provides the imaged and diffracted optical signal to output ports. For example, the optical device may include an echelle grating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: ORACLE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Guoliang Li, Ying L. Luo, Xuezhe Zheng, Ashok V. Krishnamoorthy
  • Patent number: 8649680
    Abstract: The present invention causes spatial-mode light emitted from an optical fiber (11), which is a multimode fiber, to pass through a photorefractive medium (13). The photorefractive medium (13) includes holograms for signal separation that are written by irradiation of the photorefractive medium with (i) guide light having a wave front identical to the wave front of signal light having a particular spatial mode and (ii) control light. The photorefractive medium includes holograms recorded in a multiplex manner with use of control light having different incidence angles in correspondence with respective spatial modes. For signal separation, irradiating the photorefractive medium (13) with control light (15) having a particular angle separates signal light having a spatial mode corresponding to the incidence angle of the control light (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: National University Corporation Hokkaido University
    Inventors: Atsushi Okamoto, Kazuyuki Morita
  • Patent number: 8649682
    Abstract: A distribution node of a passive optical network (PON) comprises a first port for receiving a first optical continuous envelope modulated downstream data signal at a first wavelength (?C) from a first optical line termination unit (OLT1) and a second port for receiving a second optical continuous envelope modulated downstream data signal at a second wavelength (?L) from a second optical line termination unit (OLT2). A first converter (FBG-1) performs continuous envelope modulation-to-intensity modulation conversion of the first optical downstream data signal and forwards the converted first optical downstream data signal (?C) to the first group of optical network units (ONU1 . . . N). A second converter (FBG-2) performs continuous envelope modulation-to-intensity modulation conversion of the second optical downstream data signal and forwards the converted second optical downstream data signal (?L) to the second group of optical network units (ONUN+1 . . . 2N).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (Publ)
    Inventors: Marco Presi, Fabio Cavaliere, Ernesto Ciaramella
  • Patent number: 8644714
    Abstract: Provided is a multi-wavelength optical source generator. The multi-wavelength optical source generator includes: a gain part generating a plurality of lights through a plurality of gain waveguides; a reflective part transmitting or reflecting lights provided from each of the plurality of gain waveguides according to a wavelength; and a multiplexing part multiplexing a plurality of lights transmitted and outputted through the reflective part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Oh-Kee Kwon, Chul-Wook Lee, Dong-Hun Lee, Young Ahn Leem, Yongsoon Baek
  • Publication number: 20140029949
    Abstract: An electro-optical device includes an optical de-multiplexing portion operative to output a first optical signal having a first wavelength and a second optical signal having a second wavelength, an array of photodetectors, and a switching logic portion communicatively connected to the array of photodetectors, the switching logic portion operative to determine which photodetector of the array of photodetectors is converting the first optical signal into a first electrical signal and output the first electrical signal from a first output node associated with the first optical signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Solomon Assefa, Douglas M. Gill, Jonathan E. Proesel, Alexander V. Rylyakov, Clint L. Schow
  • Publication number: 20140029950
    Abstract: A method for controlling an output of an electro-optical de-multiplexing device, the method including identifying which photodetector of a first array of photodetectors is converting a first channel of an optical signal into a first electrical channel signal, and affecting a communicative connection between the identified photodetector of the first array of photodetectors that is converting the first channel of the optical signal into the first electrical channel signal and a first output node associated with the first electrical channel signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Solomon Assefa, Douglas M. Gill, Jonathan E. Proesel, Alexander V. Rylyakov, Clint L. Schow
  • Patent number: 8639119
    Abstract: A remote node for a wavelength-division-multiplexed passive optical network (WDM PON). The remote node comprises means for receiving uplink optical signals from one or more optical network units of the WDM PON; a broadband reflector for reflecting a self-seeding portion of the respective uplink optical signals to the respective uplink light sources; and wherein the reflector comprises a gain medium and is configured for receiving a pump optical signal from a central office of the WDM PON for amplifying the self seeding portion of the respective uplink optical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Agency for Science, Technology and Research
    Inventors: Yang Jing Wen, Zhaowen Xu, Xiaofei Cheng, Yixin Wang
  • Patent number: 8594503
    Abstract: An optical device for optically multiplexing or demultiplexing light of different predetermined wavelengths is provided, the optical device comprising at least one first waveguide (11) and at least one second waveguide (12) formed on a substrate (10), wherein the at least one first waveguide and the at least one second waveguide intersect at an intersection, comprising a diffraction grating structure (13) formed at the intersection. There exists a first wavelength or wavelength band travelling within the first waveguide (11) exciting the grating structure and being diffracted an angle corresponding to an outcoupling direction and there exists a second wavelength or wavelength band, different from the first wavelength or wavelength band, travelling within the second waveguide (12) exciting the grating structure and being diffracted at an angle corresponding to the same outcoupling direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignees: IMEC, Universiteit Gent, Genexis B.V.
    Inventors: Gunther Roelkens, Dries Van Thourhout, Roel Baets, Gerard Nicolaas van den Hoven
  • Patent number: 8559820
    Abstract: A complex orthogonal code in the present invention is one in which each row of a square matrix of N rows and N columns in which an element of an mth row and nth column is exp[2?j(m?1)(n?1)/N] (where j is an imaginary unit) is adopted as a code word. An optical orthogonal code for Optical Code Division Multiplexing/Optical Code Division Multiple Access (OCDM/OCDMA) is realized by a train of N-number of optical pulses corresponding to the argument (phase) of the code elements. An optical transmitter or optical receiver includes an optical correlator provided with a sampled Bragg grating having a plurality of Bragg gratings disposed serially at regular intervals inside an optical waveguide. The optical correlator is allocated any one of the code words. In the optical transmitter, an optical signal to be transmitted is encoded by the optical correlator. In the receiver, a received optical signal is decoded by the optical correlator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: University of Yamanashi
    Inventor: Masanori Hanawa
  • Publication number: 20130259466
    Abstract: An arrangement at a Remote Node, a Remote Node, a Central Office, a WDM-PON and a method in an arrangement at a Remote Node, and a method in a Central Office are provided for supervision of the WDM-PON. The arrangement comprises at least one filter connected to the feeder fibre links and adapted to separate a data signal and an original OTDR signal received on either of the feeder fibre links. Further, the arrangement comprises a first splitter adapted to receive, from the at least one filter, the original OTDR signal, to split the original OTDR signal into a plurality of OTDR sub-signals and to output, to an N*M AWG, the plurality of OTDR sub-signals. The at least one filter is further adapted to output the original OTDR signal to the first splitter and to output the data signal to the AWG, thereby enabling supervision of the WDM-PON.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (Publ)
    Inventors: Jiajia Chen, Patryk Urban
  • Patent number: 8538209
    Abstract: New designs of optical devices, particularly for dropping a selected wavelength or a group of wavelengths as well as demultiplexing a multiplexed signal into several signals, are disclosed. An optical device employs thin film filters with reflectors to reassemble as a fiber Bragg grating. Depending on implementation, a reflector may be a mirror or a coated substrate disposed in a unique way to reflect a light beam from a filter back to a common port of a device. The reflector may also be coated accordingly to bypass a certain portion of the light beam for other purposes. As a result, the optical devices so designed in accordance with the present invention are amenable to small footprint, enhanced impact performance, lower cost, and easier manufacturing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Alliance Fiber Optic Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Yao Li
  • Patent number: 8538262
    Abstract: A Wavelength Division Multiplexed Passive Optical Network (WDM-PON) includes a plurality of broadband light sources, each broadband light source being connected to receive a respective data signal and generating a corresponding modulated broadband optical signal. An Array Waveguide Grating (AWG) is connected for receiving each modulated broadband optical signal through a respective branch port and for generating a filtered broadband signal. The AWG implements a filter function comprising a respective pass-band associated with each branch port such that the filtered broadband signal exhibits a respective intensity peak associated with each pass-band. Each intensity peak is modulated with data from a respective one of the broadband light sources. A bandwidth of the respective modulated broadband optical signal generated by each broadband light source is at least equal to the width of a channel-band of the AWG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: LG-Ericsson Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Douglas Beckett, Bin Cao, Rong Chen
  • Patent number: 8531769
    Abstract: A dispersion element includes a prism having a first transmission surface and an oppositely disposed second transmission surface, and an optical element having a third transmission surface and an oppositely disposed diffraction optical surface on which a diffraction grating is arranged. The prism and the optical element are integrated into one body by cementing the first transmission surface to the third transmission surface. The third transmission surface and the diffraction optical surface are non-parallel to each other in a plane perpendicular to grooves of the diffraction grating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Watanabe, Takehiro Yoshida, Toshiro Okamura
  • Patent number: 8521027
    Abstract: A demultiplexer and a method of demultiplexing a multiplex of spatially separable multiple wavelength streams, where an incoming multiplex of multiple wavelength streams is separated into a first stream of wavelengths and a second stream of wavelengths according to at least one predetermined separation criterion. The first stream and the second stream are respectively input into a first and a second input port of a multi-input port, multi-output port frequency demultiplexer where the first stream and the second stream are separated into a first group of single wavelengths and a second group of single wavelengths respectively. The first group of single wavelengths is coupled to respective output ports and the second group of single wavelengths are coupled to respective output ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventor: Pietro Bernasconi
  • Patent number: RE45193
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for extracting an optical clock signal are provided. The apparatus includes a first reflection filter selecting and reflecting only a first frequency component in an input optical signal; a first Fabry-Perot laser diode matching the first frequency component reflected by the first reflection filter with a predetermined output mode and outputting the first frequency component in the predetermined output mode; a second Fabry-Perot laser diode selecting a second frequency component in an input optical signal that has not been reflected but has been transmitted by the first reflection filter, matching the second frequency component with a predetermined output mode, and outputting the second frequency component in the predetermined output mode; and a photodetector receiving the first frequency component from the first Fabry-Perot laser diode and the second frequency component from the second Fabry-Perot laser diode and beating them to extract a clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Jaemyoung Lee, Je Soo Ko