Patent ID: 6246498
Filing Date: 2001-06-12
Classification: G02F,H04B

Abstract:
A method of communicating in free space comprising the steps of:generating a plurality of digital communication signals;time division multiplexing the digital communication signals into a plurality of time division multiplexed data streams;modulating the multiplexed data streams to produce a plurality of analog communication signals;frequency division multiplexing the plurality of communication signals into a single broad band frequency division multiplexed signal;generating with a laser an optical carrier signal;phase modulating the optical carrier signal with the broad band frequency division multiplexed signal by mixing the multiplexed signal with the optical carrier signal in an electro-optic modulator;transmitting the phase modulated optical communications signal to a receiver;demodulating the phase modulated optical communications signal back into the frequency division multiplexed signal;demultiplexing the frequency division multiplexed signal into the plurality of analog communication signals;demodulating the analog communication signals into the time division multiplexed data streams; anddemultiplexing the data streams into the plurality of digital data streams.