MEMS device and a MEMS device array
Granted: November 1, 2011
Patent Number:
8049944
A two-axis tiltable linear array of MEMS micromirrors is described. The individual micromirrors of the array are flexibly suspended over a common substrate by using two pairs of serpentine hinges coupled by a gimbal ring and are actuated by using tilt and roll electrodes. The tilt actuator regions of the micromirrors are disposed within the gimbal rings, the roll hinges connecting the tilt actuator regions to the micromirrors, which provides for decoupling of the tilt and the roll of the…
Sliding frame comparator in a network diagnostic device
Granted: November 1, 2011
Patent Number:
8050181
A network diagnostic component that is placed in-line between a first and second node. The diagnostic component is used to perform a comparison operation on any specified portion of a network data frame. For example, the first node may communicate with the second node using a network data frame that includes one or more data units. The network diagnostic component uses a starting and ending address that specify where in the network data frame to begin and end the comparison operation. A…
Single-layer birefringent crystal trim retarders
Granted: November 1, 2011
Patent Number:
8049824
A single-layer birefringent crystal trim retarder includes a birefringent crystal cut such that its optic axis is at a high oblique angle and such that it provides low in-plane retardance values even when the birefringent crystal is relatively thick. To compensate for the inherent high +C-plate retardance of this high-tilt O-plate, the single-layer birefringent crystal is coupled with a ?C-plate thin-film retarder to provide a trim retarder having an overall A/?C-plate retarder…
M×N wavelength selective optical switch
Granted: October 25, 2011
Patent Number:
8045854
A M×N wavelength selective optical switch (WSS) for switching K wavelength channels is disclosed. The WSS has two MEMS micromirror arrays, a M×K array and a 1×N array, for switching any wavelength channel from any input port to any output port, provided that any output port receives optical signals from only one input port. The WSS can be used to build fully reconfigurable, colorless and directionless node of an agile optical network.
Surface-relief diffraction grating
Granted: October 18, 2011
Patent Number:
8040607
A bilayer transmission diffraction grating having antireflection lines having rectangular cross-section over grating lines having trapezoidal cross-section is described. The process-dependent grating line profile is accounted for by characterizing the grating line profile and performing electromagnetic wave diffraction simulations, whereby a grating duty cycle is selected that results in an improvement of overall diffraction efficiency and/or reducing polarization dependent loss of a…
Stress free mounting of optical bench for WSS
Granted: October 11, 2011
Patent Number:
8036502
An optical bench in a wavelength selective switch (WSS) is mounted using a combination of fixed mounts and stress-free mounts. The WSS is packaged in an enclosure including a base, a sidewall, and a lid. The optical switching engine is attached directly to the base. The optical bench is attached to the base and the optical components supported thereon are aligned with the array of switching elements of the switching engine. The optical bench is attached to the base with at plurality of…
Mesa-type photodetectors with lateral diffusion junctions
Granted: October 4, 2011
Patent Number:
8030684
The present invention relates to a stable mesa-type photodetector with lateral diffusion junctions. The invention has found that without resorting to the complicated regrowth approach, a simple Zn diffusion process can be used to create high-quality semiconductor junction interfaces at the exposed critical surface or to terminate the narrow-bandgap photon absorption layers. The invention converts the epi material layers near or at the vicinity of the etched mesa trench or etched mesa…
Passively Q-switched microlaser with controllable peak power density
Granted: October 4, 2011
Patent Number:
8031749
Geometrical design of laser microchips is disclosed that allows variation of the optical path length in the different media by simple displacement of the microchip, the movement having a non-zero projection orthogonal to the pump beam. The concept can be implemented to vary optical loss in the lasing cavity, the absorbed pump power, or the optical length of the cavity. Passively Q-switched microchip laser output performance can thus be controlled by simple transverse displacement of the…
Scalable cladding mode stripper device
Granted: September 27, 2011
Patent Number:
8027555
A cladding mode stripper for stripping cladding modes from an optical fiber is disclosed. The cladding mode stripper includes a reflective base and a block of a transparent material disposed on the reflective base. The block of the transparent material has a groove in its bottom surface for the fiber. The fiber is thermally coupled to the base and optically coupled to the groove in the block, for example using an index matching gel. The cladding mode light is reflected from the…
Passive network tap for tapping network data
Granted: September 27, 2011
Patent Number:
8027277
A passive full-duplex bidirectional ZPL tap includes first and second network ports and first and second tap ports. A passive signal separator is configured to receive a data stream from at least one of the first or second network port and pass through the data stream and a first signal portion comprising at least the first signal component and a second signal portion comprising at least the second signal component. A first receive only physical interface device (Phy) is configured to…
Printed magnetic ink overt security image
Granted: September 27, 2011
Patent Number:
8025952
A security image and method of forming said image is disclosed wherein a substrate having an image or indicia thereon is coated with a dilute solution of pigment flakes in an ink or paint. The flakes are subsequently aligned in a magnetic field and are fixed after the field is applied. Most or all of the flakes in a region are aligned so as to be partially upstanding wherein their faces are essentially parallel. Coating the image with flakes yields a latent image which can be clearly…
Photodiode and method of fabrication
Granted: August 30, 2011
Patent Number:
8008688
The present invention provides a highly reliable photodiode, as well as a simple method of fabricating such a photodiode. During fabrication of the photodiode, a grading layer is epitaxially grown on a top surface of an absorption layer, and a blocking layer, for inhibiting current flow, is epitaxially grown on a top surface of the grading layer. The blocking layer is then etched to expose a window region of the top surface of the grading layer. Thus, the etched blocking layer defines an…
Communications system, apparatus for creating a sub-channel and method therefor
Granted: August 30, 2011
Patent Number:
8009557
A communications apparatus includes an input for receiving a data stream being transmitted from a first network node to a second network node using a main channel. A processing resource of the communications apparatus identifies data signifying an idle period within the data stream and determines whether the idle period is at least a suitable minimum duration to support initiating transmission of sub-channel data in place of at least part of the data signifying the idle period. Further,…
DC coupled driver with active termination
Granted: August 30, 2011
Patent Number:
8009709
A DC coupled driver is described for modulating a vertical cavity surface emitting laser at high speeds with active termination. High speed and low total power dissipation is achieved by improving the driver immunity to pulse reflections, which can arise due to impedance mismatch between the driver output impedance and the VCSEL impedance. The rise and fall times of the driver may be adjusted for particular applications. The driver may be fabricated using a choice of bipolar, NMOS and…
Method and apparatus for depicting throughput on TCP and RLC layer of UMTS system
Granted: August 23, 2011
Patent Number:
8004999
A method of creating a graphical display illustrating throughput of data across a protocol layer. A first graphical indication is displayed which illustrates of the number of data units received, by a protocol layer, for each of a plurality of transmission intervals. A second graphical indication is displayed which illustrated the number of data units output by the protocol layer for each of a plurality of transmission intervals.
Displaying eye-diagram and digital diagnostic data using network analyzers
Granted: August 23, 2011
Patent Number:
8005133
Methods and apparatuses for displaying information for analyzing a signal transmitted in a communication system. The method can include displaying digital diagnostic data received from a monitoring interface of a transceiver. An eye-diagram for the signal is also displayed. The digital diagnostic data, network protocol analysis results, and/or the eye-diagram can be selectively displayed using a combined unit or stand alone units. Additionally, results of network protocol analysis can…
Systems and methods for generating network messages
Granted: August 23, 2011
Patent Number:
8005886
A networking system may include a traffic generator. The traffic generator may include a scripting module configured to create a script. The traffic generator may execute the script to send and/or receive network messages within the networking system, which may help test one or more components of the networking system. The script may include one or more entries. An entry may be configured to instruct the traffic generator to send one or more network messages.
Contrast compensation of microdisplay panels including a high order waveplate
Granted: August 16, 2011
Patent Number:
7999895
A contrast compensator for improving the panel contrast of liquid crystal (LC) microdisplays having a high-order waveplate configured as an O-plate and supporting a thin film transistor layer is provided. The contrast compensator includes a counter high-order waveplate configured as an O-plate, which has a birefringence opposite in sign to a birefringence of the thin film transistor substrate.
Historical data management
Granted: August 16, 2011
Patent Number:
8001539
An apparatus and method for managing historical data includes receiving a compiled application program and a declarative specification. An enhancer generates one or more representations of at least one data class defined in the application program based on at least one historical metatag and historical metadata associated therewith from the declarative specification. The enhancer also generates configuring instructions for configuring a database in accordance with the storage…
Optical network test access point device
Granted: July 26, 2011
Patent Number:
7986884
An optical network test access point (“TAP”) device. In one example embodiment, an optical network TAP device includes a printed circuit board and a plurality of optical receiver modules. The printed circuit board includes a microprocessor, a multiplexer connected to the microprocessor, and a plurality of post amplifiers connected to the multiplexer. Each optical receiver module includes one or more ROSAs. Each ROSA is connected to the multiplexer through one of the plurality of post…
