 Intersubband quantum box semiconductor laser |
| In accordance with the present invention, semiconductor lasers are formed to provide highly ... |
|
| Article comprising an electric field-tunable semiconductor laser |
| In a broad aspect the invention is embodied in an article (e.g., a trace gas detection or analysis ... |
|
| Quantum well infared image conversion panel and associated methods |
| Given the up-conversion device, the QWIP-LED described above with its circuit representation shown ... |
|
| Quantum cascade laser |
| This need is addressed in accordance with one aspect of our invention, a QC laser comprising first ... |
|
| Semiconductor heterostructure radiation detector having two spectral sensitivity ranges |
| The present invention relates to a semiconductor heterostructure radiation detector having two ... |
|
| Semiconductor laser with kink suppression layer |
| The wafer-to-wafer fabrication optimization is costly, and yields are decreased since many times ... |
|
| Lithography using quantum entangled particles |
| What is claimed: 1. A quantum method, comprising: obtaining multiple entangled photons; and using ... |
|
| Synchronous servo control for a tunable laser |
| OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a tunable laser synchronous servo ... |
|
| Article comprising a semiconductor waveguide structure |
| The invention is embodied in an article (e.g., a QC laser or a semiconductor waveguide modulator) ... |
|
| Data encryption key failure monitor |
| Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a data encryption key monitoring ... |
|
|
Networked photonic signal distribution system
| Details |
Inventors: Sharp, Gordon P.;
Assignee: Aircuity, Inc. (Newtown, MA)
Primary Examiner: Pascal; Leslie
Assistant Examiner:
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
The present invention is a networked photonic signal distribution system. The system includes a source of light, a light detector, and an optical distribution network for distributing light from the source to the detector along a preselected optical path. The system includes a first plurality of remotely distributed optical devices that are in optical communication with the optical distribution network. The optical devices are responsive to at least one external condition such as a gas, biological agents, particles, humidity, temperature, air velocity, pressure, displacement, and proximity or location of objects including people which can affect a parameter of the available light in the optical device. The invention further includes a second plurality of remotely distributed switches for selectably connecting the optical devices to the optical distribution network. The second plurality of remotely distributed switches receive the light from the source of light and convey light that is affected by the external condition to the optical distribution network and to the detector. The detector generates output signals in response to the affected light. The output signals are received by a processor responsive to signals and generates outputs such as audio or video indications that are representative of at least one detected external condition. |
|
DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention is a networked photonic signal distribution system.
The system employs commercially available and economical optical switches, optical fiber, and a common emitter and detector.
Remotely distributed optical switches are used to switch a light beam from one fiber to another with minimal loss at a sensed location to effect a difference in the light beam which is used to determine a particular condition or substance.
This system is particularly useful for detecting a plurality of pre-selected conditions or substances in an area such as the ambient space about a test chamber in a laboratory, the rooms in a building, an entire building or several buildings instantaneously.
It is understood that the invention can be used for homes, including multiple residential dwelling units, office buildings and the like.
The invention can also be used to control an industrial or manufacturing process.
This system can greatly reduce the complexity and cost of environmental control and detection systems.
First of all it can dramatically reduce the amount of fiber cable required as well as creating a much more flexible system that can be added to easily without running long lengths of cable.
Furthermore, the control of the sensing network is totally flexible and programmable.
Unlike the above multiplexing approaches that in effect try to sense all sensor locations virtually simultaneously, this new approach is a selective approach where locations are sensed either sequentially in a programmed pattern or are selected in real time.
This system is consequently more flexible in its applications.
If desired many of the before mentioned time division and wavelength division or frequency multiplexing schemes can still be used with this approach.
Another advantage of this approach is that the optical loss of the switches is much less than the loss of the couplers used in the multiplexer concepts previously described.
In TDM or WDM approaches the source light must pass through all the sensors simultaneously, consequently couplers are used to split the beam into each sensor
|
|
Fault Detection 
