Patent ID: 7020396
Filing Date: 2006-03-28
Classification: H01Q,H04B,H04J

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for generating an arbitrary ultra-wideband waveform, the apparatus comprising components including: an optical comb generator for generating a serial stream of optical tones, one of which is selected as an optical beating tone; a serial-to-parallel converter connected with the optical comb generator for receiving the serial optical tones therefrom and for converting the serial optical tones into a plurality of parallel optical tones, each having a phase and an amplitude; a spatial light modulator connected with the serial-to-parallel converter for receiving the parallel optical tones, and for independently adjusting at least one of the phase and amplitude of each of the parallel optical tones to generate the constituent components of an arbitrary waveform; a plurality of optical-to-electrical converters, each connected to receive one of the parallel optical tones and the optical beating tone and to beat the respective parallel optical tone with the optical beating tone, the plurality of optical-to-electrical converters thus producing a plurality of electrical notes, with each electrical note representing the difference between the parallel optical tone and the optical beating tone; and at least one transmitter array including a plurality of antenna elements, with each antenna element connected to receive an electrical note and to launch a signal based on the electrical note, with the plurality of electrical notes being launched by the at least one transmitter array such that a sum of the launched signals form a superimposed signal in free space, forming a user-determinable arbitrary waveform.