US4264875A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System for optical injection phase locking and switching of microwave oscillators
Assignee: The AT&T MVPD Group LLC
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Filing: 1979-08-03
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Granted: 1981-04-28
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Expires: 1999-08-03
Abstract
Abstract In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a microwave signal is used to modulate a laser diode and the resultant modulated light output energy from the laser diode is applied through an optical fiber waveguide to the active solid state component in a microwave oscillator circuit such that the output signal from the microwave oscillator is phase locked to the modulation carried by the light energy. The invention allows optical injection phase locking to be achieved not only at the fundamental frequency of the modulating signal, but also at various harmonics thereof; and "on-off" switching of the microwave oscillator can be controlled simultaneously with phase locking.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert G. Hunsperger
- 👤 Michael K. Barnoski
- 👤 Huan-Wun Yen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 04:14
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03L; H03L7/00; H03L7/24; G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/42; G02B6/4295; H03B; H03B5/00; H03B5/18; H03B5/1817; H03B5/1823; H03B9/00; H03B9/12; H03B9/14; H03B9/145; H03B2009/126; H03B2200/00; H03B2200/006; H03B2200/0074; H03B5/1829; H03C; H03C7/00; H03C7/02; H03C7/025; H03C7/027
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
69 words
A system for producing phase synchronized output signals, comprising: means for producing a modulated light signal which is sinusoidally modulated at a preselected frequency; a first oscillator having an active solid state component; and means for applying said light signal to said active solid state component so as to cause the output energy from said first oscillator to be phase synchronized with the modulation component of said light signal.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
69 words
A system for producing phase synchronized output signals, comprising: means for producing a modulated light signal which is sinusoidally modulated at a preselected frequency; a first oscillator having an active solid state component; and means for applying said light signal to said active solid state component so as to cause the output energy from said first oscillator to be phase synchronized with the modulation component of said light signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said means for applying said light signal comprises an optical fiber coupled between said means for producing a modulated light signal and said active solid state component.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said active solid state component is an IMPATT diode, said means for producing a modulated light signal includes a laser diode and said means for applying said light signal comprises an optical fiber coupled between said IMPATT diode and said laser diode.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said oscillator includes means for biasing said solid state component below the oscillation threshold in the absence of the application of said light signal but so that said oscillator oscillates when illuminated by said light signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said means for producing a modulated light signal includes a second oscillator selectively coupled to a laser diode whereby the output light signal from said laser diode is modulated at the frequency of the output signal from said second oscillator.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said active solid state component is an IMPATT diode.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said active solid state component is a diode and said means for applying said light signal includes means for applying said light signal to the junction region of said diode.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said active solid state component is a transistor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
118 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said means for producing a modulated light signal includes a second oscillator and a direct current source both of which are selectively coupled to a laser diode so that the light signal selectively produced by said laser diode includes a dc component, and a modulation component at the frequency of the output signal from said second oscillator and wherein said first oscillator includes means for biasing said solid state component below the oscillation threshold in the absence of the application of said light signal to said solid state component but so that said oscillator oscillates in phase with said modulation component when said solid state component is illuminated by said light signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
87 words
An optically synchronized microwave oscillator system, comprising: means for producing a light signal whose intensity is sinusoidally modulated at a microwave frequency; a first microwave oscillator comprising an active solid state component in a microwave cavity structure; and an optical fiber waveguide, coupled between said means for producing a light signal and said active solid state component, for applying said light signal to said active solid state component; whereby the output energy from said microwave oscillator is phase synchronized with the modulation component of said light signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
87 words
An optically synchronized microwave oscillator system, comprising: means for producing a light signal whose intensity is sinusoidally modulated at a microwave frequency; a first microwave oscillator comprising an active solid state component in a microwave cavity structure; and an optical fiber waveguide, coupled between said means for producing a light signal and said active solid state component, for applying said light signal to said active solid state component; whereby the output energy from said microwave oscillator is phase synchronized with the modulation component of said light signal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system of claim 10 wherein said active solid state component is an IMPATT diode, said means for producing a light signal includes a laser diode and said optical fiber waveguide is coupled between said IMPATT diode and said laser diode.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system of claim 10 wherein said means for producing a light signal includes a second microwave oscillator selectively coupled to a laser diode whereby the output light signal from said laser diode is modulated at the frequency of the output signal from said second oscillator.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 10 wherein said active solid state component is an IMPATT diode.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 10 wherein said active solid state component is a transistor.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
155 words
A microwave oscillator system adapted for being optically phase locked and switched, comprising: means for selectively producing a light signal which has a modulation component which is sinusoidally modulated at a preselected frequency and a dc component; a microwave oscillator comprising an active solid state component in a microwave cavity structure having a port formed therein and means for biasing said solid state component below the oscillation threshold in the absence of the application of said light signal to said solid state component but so that said oscillator oscillates when illuminated by said light signal; and an optical fiber waveguide coupled from said means for producing a light signal and through said port to said active solid state component so as to apply said light signal to said active solid state component so as to cause the output energy from said microwave oscillator to be phase synchronized with the modulation component of said light signal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
155 words
A microwave oscillator system adapted for being optically phase locked and switched, comprising: means for selectively producing a light signal which has a modulation component which is sinusoidally modulated at a preselected frequency and a dc component; a microwave oscillator comprising an active solid state component in a microwave cavity structure having a port formed therein and means for biasing said solid state component below the oscillation threshold in the absence of the application of said light signal to said solid state component but so that said oscillator oscillates when illuminated by said light signal; and an optical fiber waveguide coupled from said means for producing a light signal and through said port to said active solid state component so as to apply said light signal to said active solid state component so as to cause the output energy from said microwave oscillator to be phase synchronized with the modulation component of said light signal.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 15 wherein said active solid state component is a diode.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 15 wherein said active solid state component is an IMPATT diode.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
91 words
An optically synchronized microwave oscillator system, comprising: means for producing a light signal whose intensity is modulated so as to have a modulation component which varies sinusoidally at a microwave frequency; a first microwave oscillator comprising an active solid state component in a microwave cavity structure; and means for applying said light signal to said active solid state component so as to cause the output energy from said first oscillator to be in phase synchronization with said sinusoidally varying modulation component of said light signal or with one of its harmonics.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
91 words
An optically synchronized microwave oscillator system, comprising: means for producing a light signal whose intensity is modulated so as to have a modulation component which varies sinusoidally at a microwave frequency; a first microwave oscillator comprising an active solid state component in a microwave cavity structure; and means for applying said light signal to said active solid state component so as to cause the output energy from said first oscillator to be in phase synchronization with said sinusoidally varying modulation component of said light signal or with one of its harmonics.
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1984-04-27 | 1984-10-27 | 1985-04-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
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