Photonic processing of radiofrequency signals
AssigneeAirbus Defence and Space GmbH
InventorsKatarzyna Balakier, Laguna Victor Manuel Fernandez, Niall Andrew Macmanus, Stephen Phillip Brown
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Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention comprise a signal processing method and apparatus for use in a satellite payload in which an input RF signal received at a receiver antenna is modulated by using a single optical carrier at the input of an optical modulator. The optical domain signal is processed and is subsequently combined with a single unmodulated optical LO tone to provide an output RF signal for radiation by a transmitter antenna or for further digital processing by an on-board processor. This results in a clean generation of the frequency-converted RF signal at the output of the opto-electrical conversion stage.
Claims14
A signal processing method for a satellite payload, comprising:
- receiving a plurality of first input radiofrequency, RF, signals on each of a respective plurality of first channels;
- outputting a plurality of first output RF signals on each of the plurality of first channels;
- for each first channel:
- modulating a single optical tone of a respective first wavelength using the received first input RF signal, to produce a modulated optical signal of the respective first wavelength;
- photonically processing the modulated optical signal to produce a processed signal;
- combining the processed signal with a local oscillator signal to produce a combined optical signal, wherein the local oscillator signal is a single optical tone of a respective second wavelength;
- and
- using an opto-electrical converter to convert the combined optical signal into the RF domain to produce a first output RF signal,
- the method further comprising:
- receiving at least one control signal from a ground station, and tuning the respective first and second wavelengths in accordance with the at least one control signal.
An apparatus comprising:
- a first input stage for receiving a plurality of first input radiofrequency, RF, signals on each of a respective plurality of first channels;
- a first output stage for transmitting a plurality of first output RF signals on each of the plurality of first channels;
- and
- a first photonic processing stage;
- wherein the first input stage comprises a modulator for each first channel, arranged to modulate a single optical tone of a respective first wavelength using the first input RF signal, to produce a modulated optical signal of the respective first wavelength;
- wherein the first photonic processing stage comprises photonic processing means to process the modulated optical signal for each first input channel to produce a processed signal for each first channel;
- wherein the first output stage comprises:
- an optical coupler, for each first channel, to combine the processed signal with a local oscillator signal to produce a combined optical signal, wherein the local oscillator signal is a single optical tone of a respective second wavelength;
- and
- an opto-electrical converter for each first channel to convert the combined optical signal into the RF domain to produce a first output RF signal, and
- wherein the apparatus further comprises a frequency generation unit to tune the respective first and second wavelength, and means for receiving at least one control signal from a ground station and for controlling the frequency generation unit to tune the respective first and second wavelength in accordance with the at least one control signal while the apparatus is in orbit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.