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:
Sep. 02, 2003
Filed:
Sep. 20, 2001
Todd Barrett, San Diego, CA (US);
Other;
Abstract
A variable optical attenuator is provided, and in one embodiment, a communication beam and associated alignment beam are generated by a beam generating element. The alignment beam may later be sampled by a sensor that can provide a relative location of the alignment beam with respect to the sensor. The communication beam may then be positioned so that a desired percentage of the communication beam enters an output fiber. Information, such as alignment beam offset, may be used to position the communication beam. In another embodiment, the variable optical attenuator may utilize one or more reflecting devices, such as a MEMS device, to provide optical beam attenuation. In this configuration, the MEMS device may position a focused communication beam in such a manner that a desired percentage of the communication beam enters an output fiber.