Dual-mode fiber optic telecommunications system and method
AssigneeOyster Optics, Inc.
InventorPeter Snawerdt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical data transmitter includes at least one light source, a phase modulator for phase modulating light from the light source, and a controller having an input for receiving an electronic data stream, the controller in a first mode controlling the phase modulator so as to create phase-modulated optical signals in the light as a function of the electronic data stream and the controller in a second alternate mode amplitude-modulating the light as a function of the electronic data stream. A dual-mode receiver, an optical data transmission system and a dual-mode optical signal are also disclosed.
Claims19
An optical data transmitter comprising:
- a laser;
- a phase modulator for phase modulating light from the light source;
- and
- a controller having an input for receiving an electronic data stream, the controller in a first mode controlling the phase modulator so as to create phase-modulated optical signals in the light from the laser as a function of the electronic data stream and the controller in a second alternate mode amplitude-modulating the light from the laser as a function of the electronic data stream, the first mode and the second mode occurring at different times.
An optical data transmitter comprising:
- a light source;
- a phase modulator for phase modulating light from the light source;
- and a controller having an input for receiving an electronic data stream, the controller in a first mode controlling the phase modulator so as to create phase-modulated optical signals in the light from the light source as a function of the electronic data stream and the controller in a second alternate mode amplitude-modulating the light from the light source as a function of the electronic data stream;
- wherein the controller in the first mode preferably phase-modulates the light as a function of an output of a delayed-feedback exclusive-or gate having the electronic data stream as an input.
A receiver for receiving optical signals, the optical signals including both phase-modulated optical signals and direct amplitude-modulated optical signals, the receiver comprising:
- an interferometer for reading the phase-modulated signals;
- and
- a detector to read the direct amplitude-modulated optical signals;
- wherein the interferometer receives delayed amplitude-modulated optical signals.
A dual-mode optical transmission system comprising:
- a transmitter having a laser for transmitting amplitude-modulated signals in a first mode and phase-modulated signals in a second mode and a controller for switching an output of the laser between the first mode and the second mode, the second mode occurring at a different time than the first mode;
- an optical fiber connected to the transmitter;
- and
- a receiver having an interferometer being connected to the optical fiber.
A method for transmitting optical data in two modes comprising the steps of:
- phase modulating light from a laser during a first transmission mode so as to transmit phase-modulated optical data;
- and
- amplitude modulating light from the laser during a second alternate transmission mode so as to transmit amplitude-modulated optical data, the second alternate transmission mode occurring at a time separate from the first transmission mode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.