Patent · US Active

Optical-to-millimeter wave conversion

US8726317B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by
14References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 30, 2008
Grant dateMay 13, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 6, 2029

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04B2210/006
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method of converting a modulated optical signal to an encoded electrical signal is provided. The method utilizes a device comprising an electrooptic sideband generator, an optical filter, and an optical/electrical converter. Initially, the modulated optical signal, which carries encoded optical data, is directed to an optical input of the electrooptic sideband generator. The electrooptic sideband generator is driven to generate frequency sidebands about a carrier frequency of the input optical signal. The optical filter is utilized to discriminate between the frequency sidebands and the carrier frequency and combine sidebands-of-interest to yield at least one frequency-converted optical signal comprising a millimeter wave modulation frequency. The frequency converted optical signal carries the encoded optical data and the modulation frequency is a function of the spacing of the sidebands-of-interest. The frequency-converted optical signal is directed to the optical/electrical converter where it is converted to an encoded electrical signal. Additional embodiments are disclosed and claimed.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.