Patent ID: 6490068
Filing Date: 2002-12-03
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
An optical communication system for communicating an analog communication signal comprising:an optical transmitter comprising: means for generating a first reference light beam; and means responsive to the analog communication signal and operative to produce a communication light beam having phase modulation corresponding to the analog communication signal; and an optical receiver comprising: first means responsive to said reference light beam and an RF signal and operative to develop a shifted light beam that is shifted in frequency relative to the frequency of said reference light beam by an amount corresponding to the RF signal; second means responsive to said communication light beam and said shifted light beam and operative to interferometrically combine said communication light beam with said shifted light beam to provide a heterodyne signal including information regarding the state of phase of the communication light beam; third means responsive to said heterodyne signal and operative to produce an electrical signal at the optical beat frequency corresponding to the RF signal and with a phase corresponding to the state of phase of the communication light beam; and fourth means responsive to said RF signal and said electrical signal and operative to provide an output signal that has a linear correspondence to the state of optical phase of said communication light beam and the analog communication signal.