An apparatus includes a plurality of connector track elements, each extending substantially perpendicularly from a coupling plane, wherein a particular connector track element of the plurality of connector track elements includes a distribution of at least two magnets adjacent unattached end thereof, a polarity of the magnets on the particular connector track element being selected to provide magnetic repulsion as to at least one adjacent connector track element.

A tensioning spool apparatus for storage of optical fiber exhibiting reduced variation of tension during a retraction cycle versus an extension cycle of fiber over a predefined range of spool rotation cycles, the optical fiber dynamically extended under tension from the spool.

An optical communications apparatus, including a reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer, in which an optical deflection component may perform angle deflection on a plurality of first sub-wavelength light beams to obtain a plurality of second sub-wavelength light beams and a plurality of third sub-wavelength light beams, and propagate the plurality of second sub-wavelength light beams to a second optical switch array. A third wavelength dispersion component combines the plurality of second sub-wavelength light beams into a second light beam. A first output component outputs the second light beam from a dimension. A second wavelength dispersion component combines the plurality of third sub-wavelength light beams into a third light beam, and makes the third light beam incident to a third optical switch array. A second output component outputs the third light beam to drop a signal.

An opto-mechanical assembly includes a first thermal control element disposed on a region of a first section of an enclosure; a second thermal control element disposed on a region of a second section of the enclosure; and an optical element that includes a first portion and a second portion. The first thermal control element is configured to heat the first portion of the optical element and to cause the first portion of the optical element to be associated with a first temperature, and the second thermal control element is configured to heat the second portion of the optical element and to cause the second portion of the optical element to be associated with a second temperature. This causes a difference between the first temperature and the second temperature to satisfy a temperature difference threshold. Accordingly, this also causes a temperature gradient along an axis of the optical element to satisfy a temperature gradient threshold.

A liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) device includes a silicon substrate and a pair of electrodes including an upper and a lower electrode. The lower electrode is mounted to the silicon substrate and includes a two dimensional array of pixels extending in both a first and second dimension. LCOS device also includes a liquid crystal layer disposed between the upper and lower electrodes and configured to be driveable into a plurality of electrical states by drive signals provided to the pixels of the lower electrode. The pixels are rectangular in profile having longer sides in the first dimension than in the second dimension. Further, the two dimensional array includes a pixel pitch that is greater in the first dimension than in the second dimension.

A multi-chip module (MCM) assembly includes a substrate, a number of optical ports, an electrical block mounted on the substrate and including a plurality of electrical switches configured to route signals in an electrical domain. The MCM assembly further includes an optical block mounted on the substrate, coupled to the electrical block, and configured to route signals in an optical domain. A configuration of the optical block and a configuration of the electrical block are based on the number of optical ports.

A robotic fiber switching system switching between two sets of patch cords is disclosed. The connectors for inner patch cords are placed on multiple layers of stackable rotors which moves into the targeted port by utilizing the interaction of magnetically activated coils and nearby magnets. Multiple layers of stackable stator base are placed outside of the stackable rotors, around which the outer patch cords are placed. To establish a connection, a robot sliding on a rail surrounding the stackable stator is configured to move to the targeted port on the rail, using a robotic arm to pull the corresponding outer patch cord connector from a parking stand and latch it into the adaptor of the inner patch cord at the targeted port.

An optical processing apparatus and an optical system. The apparatus includes an input port, an optical path conversion assembly, an LCoS assembly, and an output port. The input port receives a first light beam. The optical path conversion assembly performs chromatic dispersion on the first light beam to obtain a second light beam, the second light beam being a single-wavelength light beam. The LCoS assembly diffracts the second light beam to obtain diffracted light of the second light beam. The diffracted light of the second light beam includes 0-order diffracted light and +1-order diffracted light. The optical path conversion assembly transmits the diffracted light of the second light beam, and converges the +1-order diffracted light to the output port. The output port collimates and outputs the received +1-order diffracted light.

An M×N wavelength selective switch (WSS), may comprise a common port fiber array unit (FAU) configured to emit optical beams with a lateral offset and a beam steering device configured to direct optical beams with an angular offset to add/drop port optical fibers of an add/drop port FAU. The common port FAU may comprise a first set of common port optical fibers arranged in a first column of the common port FAU and a second set of common port optical fibers arranged in a second column of the common port FAU. The second column of the common port FAU may be laterally offset from the first column of the common port FAU. The beam steering device may be configured to selectively direct, in two dimensions, the optical beams with the angular offset to the add/drop port optical fibers.

This disclosure relates to counterfeit detection and deterrence using advanced signal processing technology including steganographic embedding and digital watermarking. Digital watermark can be used on consumer products, labels, logos, hang tags, stickers and other objects to provide counterfeit detection mechanisms.