RF frequency multiplexed fiber optic data bus

Claim 1

A fiber optic data bus for multiplexing, transmitting, and demultiplexing a plurality of input RF signals as a corresponding plurality of output RF signals comprising: a plurality of modulated light sources, each having an input adapted to receive a respective one of a plurality of input electrical RF signals each at a different RF carrier frequency wherein each modulated light source provides in response to a respective one of said input RF signals at an output a corresponding intensity modulated optical signal; signal collection means for combining said plurality of intensity modulated optical signals into a combined optical signal, said signal collection means comprising an input star coupler having an output and a plurality of inputs with each input of said input star coupler connected to a respective output of said plurality of modulated light sources; conducting means conncted to said signal collection means for conducting said combined optical signal, said conducting means comprising an optical fiber having a pair of ends with one end connected to said input star coupler output; signal distribution means connected to said conducting means for output distribution of said combined optical signal, said signal distribution means comprising an output star coupler having an input and a plurality of outputs with said input of said output star coupler connected to the other end of said optical fiber; a plurality of optical bandpass filters each having an input and an output, each optical bandpass filter input connected to a different output of said output star coupler, said optical bandpass filter comprising: a segment of multimode optical fiber of a predetermined length, L,; an input mirror on one end of said fiber segment; means for directing intensity modulated light into said fiber segment; and said fiber segment having a length substantially equal to half the wavelength of the modulation frequency in said fiber segment, with said fiber segment functioning as a resonant cavity and filtered output light exiting through said output mirror; a plurality of optical detectors each having an input and an output, each optical detector input connected to a different optical bandpass filter output; and wherein each of said optical filters extracts a predetermined portion of the distributed combined optical signal as an output optical signal which has a frequency corresponding to the modulation frequency of a respective one of said input RF signals and wherein each one of said optical detectors converts a respective output optical signal to an output electrical RF signal.