Raytheon Company

Raytheon Canada Limited

James Robert Whitty

Gabor Devenyi

Brien Douglas Ross

Stanislaw Szapiel

An optical communications system has a selective block/add capability of an optical channel. An optical beam separator receives and separates an input mixed optical beam into a separated optical channel and a remainder optical beam. A block/add unit receives as an input the separated optical channel and produces as an output a controllably modified separated optical channel. The block/add unit includes a source of an add input optical signal, and a controllable mirror. The controllable mirror is controllable between a first state in which the controllable mirror does not block the path of the separated optical channel, so that the separated optical channel is the output of the block/add unit, and a second state in which the controllable mirror blocks the path of the separated optical channel, and also reflects the add input optical signal as the output of the block/add unit. An optical beam combiner receives the output of the block/add unit and combines the output of the block/add unit with the remainder optical beam.

Optical communications system with selective block/add capability of an optical channel

A first part has first, second and third inwardly-facing surface portions angularly spaced about an axis, and a second part has outwardly-facing fourth, fifth and sixth surface portions spaced angularly about the axis, a radial distance from the axis to each surface portion decreasing progressively in a given direction along the axis. Each of the fourth, fifth and sixth surface portions faces, is closely adjacent to, and is substantially congruent in shape with a respective one of the first, second and third surface portions. At least one of the first and second parts is an optical component.

Method and apparatus for accurately aligning optical components

A sight includes at least one lens having a lens central axis parallel to a lens through-thickness direction and which is laterally physically truncated parallel to the lens central axis, and a sight housing in which the at least one lens is received. The sight housing has a horizontal dimension, and a vertical dimension less than the horizontal dimension. A greatest dimension of the lens is parallel to the horizontal dimension of the sight housing.

Sight having an asymmetric field of view and its manufacture

A sighting device includes a fixed-position objective lens group lying on an optical axis, an eyepiece lens group lying on the optical axis, and a variable-position objective lens group lying on the optical axis and positioned between the fixed-position objective lens group and the eyepiece lens group. A variable-lens position of the variable-position objective lens group relative to the fixed-position objective lens group or the eyepiece lens group may be controllably varied. A mechanical aperture stop lies on the optical axis between the fixed-position objective lens group and the eyepiece lens group. A stop axial position and/or a stop size of the mechanical aperture stop may be varied according to the position of the variable-position objective lens group.

Telescopic sighting device with variable exit pupil

The thin-film optical filters and transmitted-light collimators of a multistage optical multiplexer/demultiplexer apparatus are assembled by locating the thin-film optical filters so that an incident light beam is incident upon and reflected sequentially from each thin-film optical filter to the next thin-film optical filter, and orienting each thin-film optical filter to produce a respective angle-of-incidence of the incident light beam on the thin-film optical filter so that a desired transmitted light beam is transmitted therethrough with a maximum intensity. The transmitted-light collimators are positioned to receive the respective transmitted light beams with minimal insertion loss. The respective steps of positioning are performed independently of, but after, the respective steps of orienting for each multiplexer/demultiplexer stage.

Method of assembling a multiplexer/demultiplexer apparatus to account for manufacturing variations in the thin-film optical filters

A motor drive system includes a motor having a rotary motor output shaft, a driven component, and a flexible coupling connecting the motor output shaft to the driven component. The flexible coupling is a helix formed of a first wound wire. The helix has a helix unbonded free length that is less than about two times a helix outer diameter. The approach is particularly suitable for miniature motors and their driven components, wherein the motor output shaft has a shaft diameter of less than about 3 millimeters and the helix outer diameter is less than about 3 millimeters.

Motor drive system with wire-wound flexible coupling

An optical fiber system includes an optical fiber light transmission system having a light path therethrough, and a filter module positioned to controllably place light filters into the light path of the optical fiber light transmission system. The filter module includes a movable support on which light filters are mounted, and a drive mechanism operably connected to the movable support to controllably move the at least one light filter into and out of the light path. The drive mechanism is operated to move the light filters into or out of the light path.

Selectable filter module for optical fiber transmission system, and method of filtering light

Add/drop functions of light signals in an optical fiber light transmission system are performed using a group of bandpass light filters, wherein each of the group of bandpass light filters is operable to reflect a reflected wavelength band and transmit a transmitted wavelength band. A filter module is positioned to selectively place any of the group of bandpass light filters into a light path of the optical fiber light transmission system. A first add/drop function is accomplished by first positioning a first selected one of the bandpass light filters into the light path using a drive mechanism, directing the input light beam onto the first selected one of the bandpass light filters, performing the first add/drop function on the input light beam relative to a first band light signal in a first wavelength band, and removing the first selected one of the bandpass light filters from the light path using the drive mechanism. A second add/drop function is accomplished by second positioning a second selected one of the bandpass light filters into the light path using the drive mechanism, directing the input light beam onto the second selected one of the bandpass light filters, and performing the second add/drop function on the input light beam relative to a second-band light signal in a second wavelength band.

Method for performing add/drop functions of light signals in optical fiber light transmission systems

A lens assembly is prepared by placing a first lens into an interior of a lens housing with a first side of the lens contacting a seat in a side wall of the lens housing. An annular first retainer is placed into the lens housing contacting a second side of the first lens. A second lens is placed into the lens housing with a first side of the second lens contacting the annular first retainer. An annular second retainer is placed into the lens housing contacting the second side of the second lens. The annular first retainer and the annular second retainer are affixed to the side wall with respective metallic solder or weld joints. The first lens and the second lens are not affixed to the inner side wall.

Lens assembly and method for its preparation

A collimator positioning system for positioning a collimator on a base member. The positioning system includes a first support rod and a second support rod. The first support rod has a general elongated length with at least two cam surfaces spaced from each other along the length. The second support rod is movable relative to the first support rod to form a variable collimator support area therebetween. The support rods are adapted to be moved relative to each other for varying an angle of inclination or a height of the collimator on the base member.

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Midland, Canada

James Robert Whitty