Optical analogue to digital converter
US8514115B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 31, 2008 |
| Grant date | Aug 20, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 7, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F2203/70
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An analogue to digital converter is arranged to receive and process an analogue optical input signal to produce an N bit digital optical output signal quantised to 2N levels, where N is greater than or equal to 2. The converter has an input for receiving the optical input signal and N processing channels which are each coupled to the input, at least one of said processing channels comprising an optical processing circuit arranged to generate a plurality of digital optical output signals. The optical processing circuit is arranged to change the state of each digital optical output signal corresponding to a respective different value of the analogue optical input signal, and an optical combining circuit for combining the optical output signals in order to generate one bit of the N-bit digital optical signal.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.