Patent ID: 7006772

Claim:
A method comprising the steps of: modulating an optical signal with a high-frequency signal and sending the modulated optical signal; receiving the modulated optical signal; combining the received modulated optical signal, a first optical local component from a local light source and a second optical local component from the local light source to produce an electrical signal which includes plural electrical components, said second optical local component having a predetermined frequency differential relative to a predetermined frequency of the first optical local component; selecting a first electrical component from said plural electrical components, said selected first electrical component being a frequency-shifted carrier component obtained from the combining of the modulated optical signal with the first optical local component; selecting a second electrical component from said plural electrical components, said selected second electrical component being a frequency-shifted sideband component obtained from the combining of the modulated optical signal with the second optical local component; and demodulating to provide an output high-frequency signal using the first and second electrical components.