Panduit Corporation

University of Arizona

Jose M Castro

Richard Joseph Pimpinella

Scott R Hartman

Bulent Kose

Yu Huang

Brett Lane

Asher S Novick

Andrew R Matcha

Thomas M Sedor

Surendra Chitti Babu

William Kidd

Robert A Reid

Raymond K Kostuk

Kevin A Marley

Brian L Kelly

Daniel E Host

Johnathan W Brownlee

Steven Bytnar

Paul J Gelsinger-Austin

Fei Jia

William W Kidd

Steven M Bytnar

A low latency free-space optical data communication channel has at least two opposing optical collimators for transmitting an optical communication signal in the form of a parallel beam across a free-space channel. The input of the collimators are multi-core optical fibers. Multiple cores of the multi-core optical fibers are positioned at the focal point of the two opposing optical collimators. The optical collimators image the communications signals in each of the cores of the multi-core fibers into the corresponding cores of the opposing multi-core fibers.

Apparatus and method for low latency free-space optical communications

A fiber optic adaptor has a first face defining a first central axis and a second face opposite the first face defining a second central axis, wherein the first central axis is at an angle relative to the second central axis. In one embodiment, the angle matches the angle of the front face of an APC connector.

MPO adapter for APC connector inspection

A visual inspection device and apparatus is disclosed for inspecting fiber ends of a connector by capturing an image of the connector end face, and implementing an image analysis tool for detecting contamination from the captured image. The visual inspection tool includes components for providing a larger field of view to capture the entire connector end face in a single image, and the image analysis tool is able to accurately and efficiently detect contamination from the captured image.

Apparatus and system for visual inspection of fiber ends and image analysis tool for detecting contamination

A test apparatus has at least one optical source, a high-speed photodetector, a microcontroller or processor, and electrical circuitry to power and drive the optical source, high-speed photodetector, and microcontroller or processor. The apparatus measures the frequency response and optical path length of a multimode optical fiber under test, utilizes a reference VCSEL spatial spectral launch condition and modal-chromatic dispersion interaction data to estimate the channels total modal-chromatic bandwidth of the fiber under test, and computes and presents the estimated maximum data rate the fiber under test can support.

Optical channel bandwidth analyzer

An air-gap HCF connector termination method and connector assembly for factory and field connector assembly termination for patch cables and trunk cables made from HCF, where in multitude of mechanisms can facilitate air-gap between the first and second HCF fiber end-faces, comprising preparing the HCF end-faces using appropriate cleaving methods including mechanical, ultrasonic and laser cleaving, such that the air-gap separation between first and second HCF's can be anywhere between 0.5-100 microns, where reflection at the connector interface is low with RL>35 dB, due to HCF propagation mode effective index matching with index of air.

Hollow core fiber air-gap connector

An apparatus having input and output ports using a plurality of optical connector adapters, wherein the fiber connections can follow a specific mesh pattern has a plurality of fibers inside the apparatus. The fibers pass through at least one mandrel and are designed to produce a leakage in the transmitted light from each fiber of least −30 dBm, wherein the fiber buffer of fibers around the mandrel are partially stripped in at least one section. The apparatus also has an imaging system consisting of at least a lens, camera sensor and an optical filter are placed in proximity to the fiber striped section wherein the optical filter has spectral properties tuned or partially tuned to the operational wavelength of the network and the optical filter is placed in the light path before the camera sensor.

Apparatus and methods for monitoring optical networks

An optical interconnection assembly for a Spine-and-Leaf network is disclosed. The optical interconnection assembly has Spine multi-fiber optical connectors and Leaf multi-fiber optical connectors. The Spine optical connectors of the interconnection assembly are optically connected to multi-fiber connectors of Spine switches via Spine patch cords. The leaf multi-fiber connectors are optically connected to Leaf multi-fiber connectors of Leaf switches via Leaf patch cords. An array of simplex fiber optic cables in said interconnection assembly serve to optically connect every Spine multi-fiber connector to every Leaf multi-fiber connector so that every Spine switch is optically connected to every Leaf switch. The optical interconnection assembly facilitates network Spine-and-Leaf interconnections and the ability to scale-out the network by installing additional assemblies, Leaf switches, and Spine switches.

Optical interconnection module assembly for spine-leaf network scale-out

A patch cord for transmitting between a single mode fiber (SMF) and a multi-mode fiber (MMFs) has a MMF, SMF, and a photonic crystal fiber (PCF) with a hollow core placed between the SMF and MMF. A mode field diameter (MFD) of the PCF hollow core section is in the range of 16 to 19 microns, the length of the PCF is between 1 cm to 10 cm, the MMF has 50±2 microns core diameter, the SMF has a 6-9 microns core diameter, and the coupling between the PCF mode to the MMF fundamental mode is maximized.

SMF to MMF coupler

A multiport passive photonic light circuit chip has multiple waveguides written in at least two layers on a glass substrate. Some waveguides connect transmitting and receiving ports of an optical channel, some waveguides redirect a fraction of optical signals to some other receiving ports, and waveguides have circular cross-sectional shapes wherein a refractive index contrast is in the range of 0.2% to 2%.

Multichannel optical tap devices

An apparatus and method of inspection are provided that inspects the end-face of two or more fiber optic connectors simultaneously without the need to move a probe from one end-face to another end-face and inspecting them one by one.

Arrayed visual inspectors for fiber connectors and adapters

Methods for estimating the Effective Modal Bandwidth (EMB) of laser optimized Multimode Fiber (MMF) at a specified wavelength, λ, based on the measured EMB at a first reference measurement wavelength, λ. In these methods the Differential Mode Delay (DMD) of a MMF is measured and the Effective Modal Bandwidth (EMB) is computed at a first measurement wavelength. By extracting signal features such as centroids, peak power, pulse widths, and skews, as described in this disclosure, the EMB can be estimated at a second specified wavelength with different degrees of accuracy. The first method estimates the EMB at the second specified wavelength based on measurements at the reference wavelength. The second method predicts if the EMB at the second specified wavelength is equal or greater than a specified bandwidth limit.

Methods for estimating modal bandwidth spectral dependence

A test apparatus has at least one optical source, a high-speed photodetector, a microcontroller or processor, and electrical circuitry to power and drive the at least one optical source, photodetector, and microcontroller or processor and for measuring the frequency response of a multimode optical fiber under test. The test apparatus can utilize an optical pulse waveform with a light adapter to measure of the channel under test. It can also uses a correction method to de-embed a chromatic bandwidth of the source from the encircled flux modal chromatic bandwidth. The correction method can use correction functions obtained for different type of VCSELs to estimate the optical channel bandwith when used with VCSEL transceivers.

Apparatus and methods for an optical multimode channel bandwidth analyzer

A system for the transmission of optical and electrical signals has two optical connectors wherein each of the connectors have a metal ferrule electrically connected to a conductor. The system also has an adapter wherein having the connectors optically connected to each other via the adapter also electrically connects the conductor of optical connectors via the metal ferrules of the first and second optical connectors. Alternatively, a system can have first and second optical connectors wherein each of the connectors have an outer housing with a conductive interior surface. This system also has an adapter with at least one metal split sleeve wherein having the connectors optically connected to each other via the adapter also electrically connects optical connectors via the conductive interior surface of the outer housing of each optical connector contacting the at least one metal split sleeve.

Hybrid fiber optic and electrical connector

Various implementations of visual inspector attachments for fiber connector cleaners are disclosed. The example fiber optic inspection module includes a camera to capture an image of an end-face, a light source to illuminate the end-face, and a first mirror that reflects light from the light source to the end-face and includes a fixed point that allows the first mirror to pivot. Alternatively, an example fiber optic inspection module includes a camera to capture an image of an end-face, a light source to illuminate the end-face, and a first mirror that reflects light from the light source to the end-face and the first mirror moves in an upward direction.

Visual inspector attachment for fiber connector cleaners

An optical fiber connector ferrule assembly has a ferrule holder and a ferrule partially within the ferrule holder. The ferrule holder has a keying feature for setting the angular orientation of the ferrule assembly within a connector housing. The ferrule includes at least one stand-off feature on the end face of the ferrule for maintaining a controlled air gap spacing when mated to a second compatible ferrule assembly.

Growing community of inventors

Naperville, IL, United States of America

Jose M Castro