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US5214725A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Optical coupler/splitter with a filter

Assignee: Furukawa Electric Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1992-05-29
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Granted: 1993-05-25
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Expires: 2012-05-29
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Abstract

Abstract An optical coupler/splitter having an optical waveguide on the side of light incidence, two optical waveguides on the branched side, branched from the former optical waveguide and each having straight and curved sections, and a dielectric multi-layer film filter provided in a manner crossing the latter waveguides and common to them. The filter is so formed as to intersect with a straight section of one waveguide and with a curved section of the other, so that respective crossing angles between the filter and the branched optical waveguides differ from each other, thereby providing different reflection or transmission characteristics with respect to the branched optical waveguides. An optical signal having a variable wavelength and issued from a measuring apparatus based on the backscattering method is distinguished by the common filter of the coupler/splitter, making it possible to perform measurement of the losses of the branched optical waveguides independently without being affected by interference light. There is no need to provide a plurality of filters having different characteristics, and thus the coupler/splitter has a simplified structure and excellent productivity.

Inventors

  • 👤 Hisaharu Yanagawa
  • 👤 Takeo Shimizu
  • 👤 Shiro Nakamura
  • 👤 Isao Ohyama

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 04:10
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/26; G02B6/28; G02B6/293; G02B6/29346; G02B6/29361; G02B6/29368

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim 101 words
An optical coupler/splitter with a filter, comprising: at least one optical port; a group of optical ports comprising a plurality of optical ports which are branched from or connected to said at least one optical port; and at least one dielectric multi-layer film filter common to said group of optical ports, said at least one dielectric multi-layer film filter being arranged in a manner to intersect and cross said group of optical ports, respective crossing angles formed between respective ones of said plurality of optical ports and said at least one dielectric multi-layer film filter being all different from each other.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 101 words
An optical coupler/splitter with a filter, comprising: at least one optical port; a group of optical ports comprising a plurality of optical ports which are branched from or connected to said at least one optical port; and at least one dielectric multi-layer film filter common to said group of optical ports, said at least one dielectric multi-layer film filter being arranged in a manner to intersect and cross said group of optical ports, respective crossing angles formed between respective ones of said plurality of optical ports and said at least one dielectric multi-layer film filter being all different from each other.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 33 words
The optical coupler/splitter according to claim 1, wherein said at least one dielectric multi-layer film filter common to said group of optical parts is comprised only of a single dielectric multi-layer film filter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 86 words
The optical coupler/splitter according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of optical ports of said group of optical ports includes a curved section thereof and a straight section thereof connected to said curved section, and said at least one dielectric multi-layer film filter extends in a manner obliquely crossing said group of optical ports, and intersects with each of said plurality of optical ports at a prescribed location located on one of said curved section and said straight section of said each optical port.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4708423A Cited
US4790615A Cited
US4860294A Cited
US4842357A Cited
US5048909A Cited
US5093876A Cited
US5111519A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1996-05-24 1996-11-23 1997-05-25 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2000-05-24 2000-11-23 2001-05-25 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2004-05-24 2004-11-23 2005-05-25 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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