Method and system for optical spectrum analysis with a depolarized local oscillator signal
Patent 6671056 Issued on December 30, 2003. Estimated Expiration Date: 
January 11, 2021. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
January 11, 2021. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.Patent ReferencesOptical heterodyne homodyne detection apparatus Polarization independent optical coherence-domain reflectometry Optical-hybrid etalons for simultaneous phase- and polarization-diversity operations Fading-free optical phase rate receiver Patent #: 6043921 InventorApplicationNo. 09/759004 filed on 01/11/2001US Classes:356/484, Having light beams of different frequencies (e.g., heterodyning)356/477Using fiber or waveguide interferometerExaminersPrimary: Turner, Samuel A.Assistant: Connolly, Patrick International ClassesG01J 9/04 (20060101)G01J 9/00 (20060101) AbstractAn optical spectrum analyzer involves a swept local oscillator signal that is depolarized before the swept local oscillator signal is combined with an input signal. An embodiment of a system for optical spectrum analysis includes a depolarizer, an optical coupler, and a heterodyne receiver. The depolarizer has an input to receive a swept local oscillator signal and an output for outputting a depolarized swept local oscillator signal. The optical coupler has a first input and a second input, the first input receiving an input signal, the second input being optically connected to the depolarizer to receive the depolarized swept local oscillator signal. The optical coupler also has an output for outputting a combined optical signal that includes the input signal and the depolarized swept local oscillator signal. The heterodyne receiver has an input for receiving the combined optical signal from the optical coupler and an output for outputting an electrical signal representative of the combined optical signal. In an embodiment, the swept local oscillator signal is depolarized such that the average polarization state of the swept local oscillator signal contains no preferential polarization state.Field of SearchUsing fiber or waveguide interferometer | |
