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:
Mar. 15, 2005
Filed:
Jul. 18, 2002
Thomas J. Wiltsey, Woodinville, WA (US);
David L. Rollins, Woodinville, WA (US);
Robert M. Pierce, Woodinville, WA (US);
Thomas J. Wiltsey, Woodinville, WA (US);
David L. Rollins, Woodinville, WA (US);
Robert M. Pierce, Woodinville, WA (US);
Terabeam Corporation, Falls Church, VA (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method for combining multiple optical beams into mode-scrambled optical signals. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a plurality of laser beam sources, each to produce a modulated optical beam. A plurality of input fiber segments, each comprising a multimode optical fiber core, are operatively coupled at one end to a respective laser source to receive a respective modulated optical beam. A multimode optical beam combiner is used to operatively couple the output ends of the input fiber segments to the input end of an output fiber segment having a multimode optical fiber core. The modulated optical beams produced by the laser beam sources are combined into a single mode-scrambled optical signal. The apparatus enables multiple optical beams having similar wavelengths to be combined to increase optical signal strength. It also enables multiple optical beams having different wavelengths to be combined to form a wavelength division multiplexed signal.