Back to results
US 7,061,335 B2Granted
Processing of signals with regenerative opto-electronic circuits
AssigneeOEwaves, Inc.
InventorsLutfollah Maleki, Danny Eliyahu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Opto-electronic regenerative circuits and devices for processing RF or microwave signals based on opto-electronic oscillator designs.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- providing an opto-electronic oscillator device having a closed opto-electronic loop which comprises an electronic section and an optical section and forms a positive feedback loop, wherein the closed opto-electronic loop includes an input port to receive an input signal at an input signal frequency and an output port to output an output signal at an output signal frequency;
- setting the closed opto-electronic loop at an initial state with a loop gain below an oscillation threshold when the input port does not receives the input signal;
- injecting the input signal into the input port to operate the closed opto-electronic loop above the oscillation threshold to produce and sustain an oscillation signal in the closed opto-electronic loop;
- and
- coupling a portion of the oscillation signal out of the closed opto-electronic loop to produce the output signal at the output port.
2 more elements
A device, comprising:
- a closed opto-electronic loop comprising an electronic section to carry an electronic signal, an optical section comprising an optical modulator to modulate an optical carrier to produce a modulated optical signal carrying the electronic signal, and a photodetector interconnecting the electronic section and the optical section to convert the optical signal into the electronic signal, wherein the electronic section is coupled to feed the electronic signal to control the optical modulator;
- an input coupler coupled to the closed opto-electronic loop to receive and inject an input signal at an input signal frequency supported by the electronic portion;
- and
- an output coupler coupled to the closed opto-electronic loop to couple an output signal out of the closed opto-electronic loop at an output signal frequency supported by the electronic portion and different from the input signal frequency,
- wherein the closed opto-electronic loop forms a positive feedback loop and has a nonlinear response to produce at least one nonlinear signal component at the output signal frequency.
2 more elements
A device, comprising:
- a closed opto-electronic loop comprising an electronic section to carry an electronic signal, an optical section comprising an optical modulator to modulate an optical carrier to produce a modulated optical signal carrying the electronic signal, and a photodetector interconnecting the electronic section and the optical section to convert the optical signal into the electronic signal, wherein the electronic section is coupled to feed the electronic signal to control the optical modulator;
- an input coupler coupled to the closed opto-electronic loop to receive and inject an input signal at an input signal frequency supported by the electronic portion;
- and
- an input coupler coupled to the closed opto-electronic loop to couple an output signal out of the closed opto-electronic loop at an output signal frequency supported by the electronic portion and different from the input signal frequency,
- wherein the closed opto-electronic loop forms a positive feedback loop and comprises a bandpass filter to transmit at the output signal frequency and suppress signals at the input signal frequency and frequencies different from the output signal frequency.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.