RADIO FREQUENCY PHOTONIC TRANSCEIVER

• US 20110064415A1
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Schuder, Kurt S., Williams, Brett A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,666,253 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/115
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/58 Velocity or trajectory determination systems; Sense-of-movement determination systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/2575 Radio-over-fibre, e.g. radio frequency signal modulated onto an optical carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2210/006 Devices for generating or processing an RF signal by optical means

Abstract

In a first aspect, the invention includes a radio frequency photonic transceiver, comprising: a radio frequency receiver; a radio frequency photonic transmitter; and a switch between the input of the radio frequency photonic receiver and the output of the radio frequency photonic transmitter. In a second aspect, the invention includes an apparatus, comprising: a radio frequency photonic receiver; a radio frequency photonic transmitter; and a switch between the input of the radio frequency photonic receiver and the output of the radio frequency photonic transmitter. In a third aspect, the invention includes a radio frequency, photonic transceiver, comprising: means for generating a radio frequency modulated optical signal; a radio frequency photonic transmitter; and means for switching between the input of the radio frequency photonic receiver and the output of the radio frequency photonic transmitter. In a fourth aspect, the invention includes a method, comprising: generating a first optical signal; electro-optically generating a first radio frequency signal from the first optical signal; transmitting the first radio frequency signal; receiving a second radio frequency signal; and electro-optically modulating a second optical signal with the frequency of the second radio frequency signal. In a fifth aspect, the invention includes a zero-intermediate frequency radio frequency photonic transmitter-receiver unit. In a sixth aspect, the invention includes a radio frequency photonic transmitter-receiver unit including a direct conversion receiver with receiver output.

Claims

1. A radio frequency photonic transceiver, comprising:

a radio frequency receiver;

a radio frequency photonic transmitter; and

a switch between the input of the radio frequency photonic receiver and the output of the radio frequency photonic transmitter.

2. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency receiver comprises a radio frequency mixer.

3. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises a radio frequency photonic receiver.

4. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 3, wherein the radio frequency photonic receiver includes:

a laser;

a lens;

a prism;

a electro-optically active modulator evanescent-wave coupled to the lens to modulate an optical signal output by the laser and transmitted through the lens and the prism with a received radio frequency signal; and

an optical detector capable of detecting the modulated laser signal.

5. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 3, wherein the radio frequency photonic receiver includes:

means for generating a laser signal;

means for focusing the laser signal;

means for electro-optically, actively modulating the focused laser signal with a received radio frequency signal; and

means for detecting the modulated laser signal.

6. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency photonic transmitter includes:

a laser;

a lens;

a prism;

a electro-optically active modulator evanescent-wave coupled to the lens and the prism to generate a radio frequency signal from an optical signal output by the laser and received through the lens and the prism; and

an optical detector capable of detecting the radio frequency output of the electro-optically active modulator.

7. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 6, wherein the electro-optically active modulator includes a photonic microstructure.

8. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 1, wherein the radio is frequency photonic transmitter includes:

means for generating a laser signal;

means for focusing the laser signal;

means for generating a radio frequency signal from an optical signal output by the laser generating means and received through the focusing means; and

means for detecting the radio frequency signal.

9. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 1, wherein the switch comprises an optical circulator.

10. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 1, further comprising an antenna through which the radio frequency photonic receiver can receive and through which the radio frequency photonic transmitter can transmit.

11. An radio frequency photonic transceiver, comprising:

a radio frequency photonic receiver;

a radio frequency photonic transmitter; and

a switch between the input of the radio frequency photonic receiver and the output of the radio frequency photonic transmitter.

12. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 11, wherein the radio frequency photonic receiver includes:

a laser;

a lens;

a prism;

a electro-optically active modulator evanescent-wave coupled to the lens to modulate an optical signal output by the laser and transmitted through the lens and the prism with a received radio frequency signal; and

an optical detector capable of detecting the modulated laser signal.

13. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 11, wherein the radio frequency photonic receiver includes:

means for generating a laser signal;

means for focusing the laser signal;

means for electro-optically, actively modulating the focused laser signal with a received radio frequency signal; and

means for detecting the modulated laser signal.

14. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 11, wherein the radio frequency photonic transmitter includes:

a laser;

a lens;

a prism;

a electro-optically active modulator evanescent-wave coupled to the lens and the prism to generate a radio frequency signal from an optical signal output by the laser and received through the lens and the prism; and

an optical detector capable of detecting the radio frequency output of the electro-optically active modulator.

15. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 14, wherein the electro-optically active modulator includes a photonic microstructure.

16. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 11, wherein the radio frequency photonic transmitter includes:

means for generating a laser signal;

means for focusing the laser signal;

means for generating a radio frequency signal from an optical signal output by the laser generating means and received through the focusing means; and

means for detecting the radio frequency signal.

17. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 11, wherein the switch comprises an optical circulator.

18. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 11, further comprising an is antenna through which the radio frequency photonic receiver can receive and through which the radio frequency photonic transmitter can transmit.

19. A radio frequency, photonic transceiver, comprising:

means for generating a radio frequency modulated optical signal, including;

first means for generating a laser signal;

first means for focusing the laser signal;

means for electro-optically, actively modulating the focused laser signal with a received radio frequency signal; and

means for detecting the modulated laser signal;

a radio frequency photonic transmitter, including;

second means for generating a laser signal;

second means for focusing the laser signal;

means for generating a radio frequency signal from an optical signal output by the laser generating means and received through the focusing means; and

means for detecting the radio frequency signal; and

means for switching between the input of the radio frequency photonic receiver and the output of the radio frequency photonic transmitter.

20. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 19, wherein the first laser signal generating means includes a laser.

21. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 19, wherein the first focusing means includes a lens.

22. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 19, wherein the modulating means includes a electro-optically active modulator evanescent-wave coupled to the focusing means.

23. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 22, wherein the electro-optically active modulator includes a photonic microstructure.

24. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 19, wherein the modulated laser signal detecting means includes an optical detector.

25. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 19, wherein the second laser generating means comprises a laser.

26. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 19, wherein the second focusing means comprises a lens.

27. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 19, wherein the radio frequency signal generating means comprises a electro-optically active modulator evanescent-wave coupled to the focusing means.

28. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 27, wherein the electro-optically active modulator includes a photonic microstructure.

29. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 19, wherein the radio frequency signal detecting means comprises a radio frequency detector.

30. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 19, wherein the switching means comprises an optical circulator.

31. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 19, further comprising an antenna through which the radio frequency photonic receiver can receive and through which the radio frequency photonic transmitter can transmit.

32. A method, comprising:

generating a first optical signal;

electro-optically generating a first radio frequency signal from the first optical signal;

transmitting the first radio frequency signal;

receiving a second radio frequency signal; and

electro-optically modulating a second optical signal with the frequency of the second radio frequency signal.

33. A zero-intermediate frequency radio frequency photonic transmitter-receiver unit.

34. The zero-intermediate frequency radio frequency photonic transmitter-receiver unit of claim 33, where the zero-intermediate frequency radio frequency photonic transmitter-receiver unit comprises a variable zero-intermediate frequency radio frequency photonic transmitter-receiver unit.

35. A radio frequency photonic transmitter-receiver unit including a direct conversion receiver with receiver output.

36. The radio frequency photonic transmitter-receiver unit of claim 35, wherein the receiver output is at the Doppler frequency of a reflecting target.