The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 11, 2003
Filed:
Sep. 27, 2000
Samuel I. Green, St. Louis, MO (US);
The Boeing Company, Seattle, WA (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method are provided for controllably phase shifting the optical signals emitted by at least one of a plurality of optical fibers by positioning the end portion of the optical fiber that emits the optical signals to be phase shifted relative to the optical signals emitted by the other optical fibers. The apparatus includes a plurality of optical fibers for supporting the propagation of optical signals from a first end to an opposed second end from which the optical signals are emitted. The apparatus also includes at least one micromanipulator, typically operating under the direction of a controller, for controllably positioning the second end of a respective optical fiber relative to the second ends of the other optical fibers, thereby shifting the phase of the optical signals emitted by the respective optical fibers. Typically, the optical signals have a predetermined direction of propagation following emission by an optical fiber. As such, each micromanipulator preferably moves the second end of the respective optical fiber along the predetermined direction of propagation in order to shift the phase of the optical signals. By controllably imparting a phase shift to one or more of the optical signals, the method and apparatus can establish a predetermined phase relationship, such as a phase matching relationship, between the optical signals emitted by each of the optical fibers.