Patent ID: 6441938
Filing Date: 2002-08-27
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
An optical communication system using a radio frequency (RF) signal for communicating an analog communication signal comprising:an optical transmitter comprising: means for generating a reference light beam; and means responsive to the analog communication signal and said reference light beam and operative to produce a phase modulated communication light beam; and means responsive to said reference light beam and said phase modulated communication light beam and operative to produce a polarized communication light beam having phase modulation corresponding to the analog communication signal, and including the reference light beam; and an optical receiver comprising: first means for separating the reference light beam and the phase modulated communication light beam; second means responsive to said reference light beam and the 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; third means responsive to said phase modulated 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; fourth means responsive to said heterodyne signal and operative to produce an electrical signal at the optical beat frequency corresponding to the RF and with a phase corresponding to the state of phase of the communication light beam; and fifth 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.