Method and apparatus for optical communication by frequency modulation
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorGordon J. Priatko
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Abstract
Laser optical communication according to this invention is carried out by producing multi-frequency laser beams having different frequencies, splitting one or more of these constituent beams into reference and signal beams, encoding information on the signal beams by frequency modulation and detecting the encoded information by heterodyne techniques. Much more information can be transmitted over optical paths according to the present invention than with the use of only one path as done previously.
Claims8
A frequency-modulation (FM) optical communication system comprising
- beam generator means for producing multiple individually monochromatic laser beams of mutually differently frequencies,
- splitter means for splitting at least one of said individually monochromatic beams into reference and signal beams, and
- transmitter means for transmitting information from a first location to a second location, said transmitter means including
- selecting means each for variably selecting one of said signal beams, and
- encoder means for encoding information on those of said signal beams selected by said selecting means,
- said second location including receiver means for detecting said encoded information by heterodyne technique using said reference and signal beams.
A method of laser optical communication comprising the steps of
- producing multiple individually monochromatic laser beams of mutually different frequencies,
- splitting at least one of said beams into reference and signal beams,
- variably selecting one of said signal beams having selected one of said frequencies,
- encoding information on said selected one of said signal beams by frequency modulation, and
- detecting said information by combining said reference and encoded signal beams.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.