Patent ID: 8452187

Claim:
An apparatus for simulating radio frequency (RF) signal propagation characteristics in a wireless communication network, comprising: a first RF terminal; a second RF terminal; a first optical modulator in electrical communication with the first RF terminal; an optical delay line in optical communication with the first optical modulator; a first optical demodulator in optical communication with the optical delay line and in electrical communication with the first RF terminal; a second optical demodulator in optical communication with the optical delay line and in electrical communication with the second RF terminal; and a second optical modulator in electrical communication with the second RF terminal and in optical communication with the optical delay line, wherein the first optical modulator and the second optical modulator each comprise: an RF isolator; a laser in electrical communication with the RF isolator; and a circulator in optical communication with the laser and wherein the first optical demodulator and the second optical demodulator each comprise: a dispersion compensator in optical communication with the circulator; a detector in optical communication with the dispersion compensator; and a gain stage in optical communication with the detector and in electrical communication with the RF isolator.