Radio frequency photonic transceiver

• US 8,666,253 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• 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: Williams, Brett A., Schuder, Kurt S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascal, Leslie
• Assistant Examiner(s): KRETZER, CASEY L
• Application Number:
  US12/991,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20110064415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,769 Days
• Field of Search: 398115-117, 455/73
• 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 comprising;

an input configured to receive a first radio frequency signal; and

a first electro-optically active modulator configured to convert the first radio frequency signal into an optical frequency signal, wherein the first electro-optically active modulator includes a first microdisk;

a radio frequency photonic transmitter comprising;

a second electro-optically active modulator configured to convert a laser signal into a modified optical frequency signal, wherein the second electro-optically active modulator includes a second microdisk; and

an optical detector configured to convert the modified optical frequency signal into a second radio frequency signal that, in operation, provides a reference signal to the first microdisk of the radio frequency receiver, a feedback signal to the second microdisk of the radio frequency photonic transmitter, and an output signal at an antenna; and

a switch between the input of the radio frequency receiver and an 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 radio frequency receiver comprises a radio frequency photonic receiver.

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

a first laser configured to output a first laser signal;

a lens;

a prism, wherein

the first electro-optically active modulator is evanescent-wave coupled to the prism to modulate the first laser signal output by the first laser and transmitted through the lens and into the prism with the first radio frequency signal and the second radio frequency signal generated by the radio frequency photonic transmitter; and

another optical detector capable of detecting a modulated laser signal from the first electro-optically active modulator.

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

a laser configured to output a laser signal;

a lens;

a prism, wherein

the second electro-optically active modulator is evanescent-wave coupled to the prism to generate the modified optical frequency signal from the laser signal output by the laser and received through the lens and into the prism; and

the optical detector is capable of detecting the modified optical frequency signal output from the second electro-optically active modulator and configured to convert the modified optical frequency signal into a radio frequency signal representative thereof.

6. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 1, wherein the switch comprises a circulator.

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

8. A radio frequency photonic transceiver, comprising:

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

means for generating a first laser signal;

means for focusing the first laser signal;

means for electro-optically modulating the focused first laser signal with a received first radio frequency signal, wherein the means for electro-optically modulating the focused first laser signal includes a first microdisk; and

means for detecting the modulated first laser signal;

a radio frequency photonic transmitter, including;

means for generating a second laser signal;

means for focusing the second laser signal;

means for generating a second radio frequency modulated optical frequency signal from

the second laser signal output by the means for generating the second laser signal and received from the means for focusing the second laser signal, wherein the means for generating the second radio frequency modulated optical frequency signal includes a second microdisk;

means for detecting the radio frequency modulated optical frequency signal and for converting the radio frequency modulated optical frequency signal into a converted second radio frequency signal representative thereof; and

means for transmitting the second radio frequency signal to the first microdisk; and

means for switching between an input of the means for generating a radio frequency modulated optical frequency signal and an output of the radio frequency photonic transmitter.

9. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 8, wherein the means for generating the first laser signal includes a laser.

10. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 8, wherein the means for focusing the first laser signal includes a lens.

11. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 8, wherein the means for electro-optically modulating the focused first laser signal includes an electro-optically active modulator that is evanescent-wave coupled to the means for focusing the first laser signal.

12. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 11, wherein the electro-optically active modulator includes the first microdisk.

13. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 8, wherein the means for detecting the radio frequency modulated optical frequency signal includes an optical detector.

14. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 8, wherein the means for focusing the second laser signal comprises a lens.

15. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 8, wherein the means for generating the radio frequency modulated optical frequency signal comprises an electro-optically active modulator that is evanescent-wave coupled to the means for focusing the second laser signal.

16. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 15, wherein the electro-optically active modulator includes the second microdisk.

17. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 8, wherein the means for detecting the radio frequency modulated optical frequency signal comprises an optical detector.

18. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 8, wherein the means for switching comprises a circulator.

19. The radio frequency photonic transceiver of claim 8, further comprising an antenna through which the means for generating the radio frequency modulated optical frequency signal can receive and through which the radio frequency photonic transmitter can transmit.

20. A method comprising:

receiving a first radio frequency signal, including;

acquiring the first radio frequency signal through an antenna; and

converting, by an electro-optically active modulator having a first microdisk, the acquired first radio frequency signal to a first radio frequency modulated optical frequency signal representing the first radio frequency signal;

transmitting a second radio frequency signal, including;

generating a second radio frequency modulated optical frequency signal using a second microdisk;

converting the second radio frequency modulated optical frequency signal to the second radio frequency signal; and

transmitting the second radio frequency signal through the antenna;

referencing the acquired first radio frequency signal with the second radio frequency signal when converting the acquired first radio frequency signal to the first radio frequency modulated optical frequency signal; and

switching between receiving the first radio frequency signal through the antenna and transmitting the second radio frequency signal through the antenna.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein converting the acquired first radio frequency signal includes:

generating a laser signal;

focusing the laser signal;

electro-optically modulating the focused laser signal with the acquired first radio frequency signal; and

detecting the modulated laser signal.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein generating the second radio frequency modulated optical frequency signal includes:

generating a laser signal;

focusing the generated laser signal; and

electro-optically modulating the focused laser signal.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein converting the second radio frequency modulated optical frequency signal to the second radio frequency signal includes detecting the electro-optically modulated focused laser signal.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein converting the second radio frequency modulated optical frequency signal to the second radio frequency signal includes detecting the second radio frequency modulated optical frequency signal with an optical detector.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein receiving the first radio frequency signal includes modulating the first radio frequency modulated optical frequency signal with the second radio frequency signal.

26. A method comprising:

generating an output signal for transmission by an antenna, wherein the generating an output signal comprises;

generating a first laser signal onto a first prism;

converting the first laser signal into a modified optical frequency signal;

converting the modified optical frequency signal into a first radio frequency signal using a microdisk;

filtering and amplifying the first radio frequency signal to generate the output signal at a first frequency; and

outputting the output signal to the antenna;

switching the antenna from a transmitting mode to a receiving mode;

receiving a second radio frequency signal at the antenna, wherein the second radio frequency signal is caused by the output signal reflecting off an object;

mixing the second radio frequency signal with the first radio frequency signal to generate a received signal representative of a phase difference between the second radio frequency signal and the first radio frequency signal, wherein the mixing comprises;

generating a second laser signal onto a second prism; and

converting the second laser signal into a second modified optical frequency signal by modulating the second laser signal with the second radio frequency signal and the first radio frequency signal; and

outputting the received signal.