Hughes Aircraft Company

Vincent L Jones

Gregory L Tangonan

Stephen R Forrest

Joseph L Pikulski

George W LeCompte

Joseph A Wysocki

Ronald B Chesler

Michael R Vince

George H Hulderman

Wilbur M Bailey

Arlie G Standlee

The optical characteristics of an optical fiber (28) are studied by simultaneously introducing multiple small-radius bends into a short length of the optical fiber (28). Since there is a small loss of light associated with each bend, those losses are added and made easier to measure and analyze when multiple bends are used. The optical fiber (28) is wound over a mandrel (10, 50) that is shaped to include at least two simulated peel location bends of the optical fiber (28) wound onto the mandrel (10, 50), and, preferably, four or more simulated peel location bends per turn of optical fiber (28) around the mandrel (10, 50).

Testing of optical fiber by introducing multiple simulated peel location

An optoelectronic crossbar switch 50 for selectively connecting signals on a plurality of optical fiber channels 52 to a given number of output receivers 30-36. Each optical fiber channel is split into a different number of optical fibers 56(a-h) which are arranged into an array having a plurality of rows and columns. Each row contains a fiber from each channel. A current summation network 58 is provided for each row and advantageously employs a plurality of selectively activatable detectors 60-74. The detectors are held in their open circuit state via a CMOS multiplexer 80 so as to minimize crosstalk between addressed and nonaddressed detectors. The switch 50 construction also minimizes the number of required components.

Current summed optoelectronic crossbar switch

A fiber optic buffer defect detection system including a laser, for illuminating the fiber buffer with a collimated beam of light energy, and detectors for detecting any scattering of the beam, from a defect in the fiber buffer. The detectors are mounted to collect scattering out of a radial plane defined by the angular rotation of the beam about the fiber at the point of intersection of the beam with the fiber buffer.

Optic fiber buffer defect detection system

Growing community of inventors

Simi Valley, CA, United States of America

Vincent L Jones