Apparatus and method for optical fiber alignment using adaptive feedback control loop
US5450508A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 8, 1994 |
| Grant date | Sep 12, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 8, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/4248
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A servo-feedback method with elements for dynamically aligning a pair of mating ends of optical fibers supported in a pluggable connector. At least one of the mating ends in the pair receives light from the other mating end. The light-receiving end is mechanically vibrated (dithered) by a piezo-electric driving element relative to the other mating end in the pair to dither modulate the light passing to the receiving end. The dither modulation on the dither modulated light is electrically detected and processed relative to a dither reference wave using an analog-to-digital converter and a processor method. The detected dither modulation presents a unique waveform, in which a frequency doubling effect occurs in both half cycles of the dither reference waveform whenever the mating ends dither about their steady-state aligned position, and no dynamic error signal is then generated. A slight mis-alignment of the mating ends from their steady-state aligned position is indicated when the double frequency effect occurs only in one half cycle of each reference dither cycle, and the direction of the error signal and servo movement is indicated by detecting which of the reference half cycles …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.