Remote antenna unit and wavelength division multiplexing radio-over-fiber network

• US 7,269,311 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2006
• Issued: 09/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Hwang, Seong-Taek, Kim, Yong-Gyoo, Lee, Gyu-Woong
• Primary Examiner(s): Bovernick; Rodney
• Assistant Examiner(s): STAHL, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US11/398,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20060222369A1
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 385/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25755 Ring network topology

Abstract

Disclosed is a remote antenna unit and a wavelength division multiplexing network. The remote antenna unit includes: an optical circulator having a plurality of ports; an electric field absorption modulator having a first input/output end and a second reflective end, the electric field absorption modulator configured to demodulate an optical signal into a first data signal, and modulate the demodulated optical signal according to a second electric data signal; and a filter disposed between the optical circulator and the electric field absorption modulator, for the filter configured to transmit an optical signal having a particular wavelength from among optical signals input from a port of the optical circulator toward the electric field absorption modulator and reflecting the remaining optical signals into the port of the optical circulator, and inputting the optical signal from the electric field absorption modulator into the port of the optical circulator.

Claims

1. A remote antenna unit comprising:

an optical circulator having plurality of ports;

an electric field absorption modulator having a first input/output end and a second reflective end, the electric field absorption modulator configured to demodulate an optical signal into a first data signal and modulate the demodulated optical signal according to a second electric data signal; and

a filter disposed between the optical circulator and the electric field absorption modulator, the filter configured to transmit an optical signal having a particular wavelength from among optical signals input from a port of the optical circulator toward the electric field absorption modulator and reflecting the remaining optical signals into the port of the optical circulator, and input the optical signal from the electric field absorption modulator into the port of the optical circulator.

2. The remote antenna unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the optical circulator has a first, second, and third ports, so as to output optical signals inputted into the first port toward the second port while outputting optical signals inputted into the second port toward the third port;

and the filter configured to transmit an optical signal having a particular wavelength from among optical signals input from the second port of the optical circulator toward the electric field absorption modulator and reflecting the remaining optical signals into the second port of the optical circulator, and input the optical signal from the electric field absorption modulator into the second port of the optical circulator.

3. The remote antenna unit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an antenna converting radio signals into the second electric data signal and converting first electric data signal from the electric field absorption modulator into a radio signal.

4. The remote antenna unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electric field absorption modulator includes:

an active layer in which the optical signal propagates;

upper and lower clad layers between which the active layer is interposed, for locking the optical signals in the active layer;

a reflective layer stacked on the second end of the electric field absorption modulator; and

an electrode stacked on the upper clad layer, for inputting/outputting the first and second electric data signals.

5. A radio-over-fiber network comprising:

a base station including an optical transmission portion for transmitting downstream optical signals having different wavelengths, and an optical reception portion for receiving upstream optical signals having different wavelengths; and

a plurality of remote antenna units connected sequentially to the base station through optical fibers so as to be in a loop structure, each of remote antenna unit including;

an optical circulator having a plurality of ports;

an electric field absorption modulator having a first input/output end and a second reflective end, the electric field absorption modulator configured to demodulate an optical signal into a first data signal and modulate the demodulated optical signal according to a second electric data signal; and

a filter disposed between the optical circulator and the electric field absorption modulator, the filter configured to transmit an optical signal having a particular wavelength from among optical signals input from a port of the optical circulator toward the electric field absorption modulator and reflecting the remaining optical signals into the port of the optical circulator, and input the optical signal from the electric field absorption modulator into the port of the optical circulator.

6. The radio-over-fiber network as claimed in claim 5, further including an antenna which converts radio signals into the second electric data signal and converts first electric data signals from the electric field absorption modulator into a radio signal.

7. The radio-over-fiber network as claimed in claim 5, wherein the electric field absorption modulator includes:

an active layer in which the optical signal propagates;

upper and lower clad layers between which the active layer is interposed, for locking the optical signal in the active layer;

a reflective layer stacked on the second end of the electric field absorption modulator; and

an electrode stacked on the upper clad layer, for inputting/outputting the first and second electric data signals.

8. The radio-over-fiber network as claimed in claim 5, wherein the upstream and downstream optical signals propagate in the optical fiber in an identical direction.

9. The radio-over-fiber network as claimed in claim 5, wherein the optical transmission portion of the base station includes:

a plurality of optical transmitters to output the downstream optical signals; and

a first wavelength multiplexer to perform wavelength division multiplexing with relation to the downstream optical signals.

10. The radio-over-fiber network as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first wavelength multiplexer transmits the multiplexed downstream optical signals toward the remote antenna units.

11. The radio-over-fiber network as claimed in claim 5, wherein the optical reception portion of the base station includes:

a plurality of optical receivers to receive the upstream optical signals; and

a second wavelength division multiplexer to perform wavelength division multiplexing with relation to the upstream optical signals from the remote antenna units.

12. The radio-over-fiber network as claimed in claim 11, wherein a second wavelength division multiplexer transmits the multiplexed upstream optical signals toward the optical receivers.