US 7,321,731 B2
Optical pulse position modulation discriminator
Stanislav I. Ionov, Calabasas, Calif. (US); Thomas W. Ball, Torrance, Calif. (US); Peter Chu, Torrance, Calif. (US); and William S. Hoult, Jr., Redondo Beach, Calif. (US)
Assigned to The Boeing Company, Chicago, Ill. (US)
Filed on Apr. 07, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/820,915.
Prior Publication US 2005/0226624 A1, Oct. 13, 2005
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04J 4/00 (2006.01); H04J 14/00 (2006.01); G08C 19/16 (2006.01); H03M 1/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 398—75  [398/102; 398/148; 340/870.21; 341/137; 341/157] 33 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A pulse position modulation discriminator comprising:
a fiber assembly adapted to provide self-phase modulation and dispersion to a first optical signal;
an optical switch adapted to receive the first optical signal from the fiber assembly and a second optical signal and provide a third optical signal, wherein the third optical signal has a wavelength based on a delay associated with the first optical signal relative to the second optical signal;
a demultiplexer adapted to receive the third optical signal and provide the third optical signal to one of a plurality of channels based on the wavelength;
a plurality of photodetectors corresponding to the plurality of channels and adapted to convert the third optical signal into an electrical signal; and
a discriminating circuit coupled to the photodetectors and adapted to receive the electrical signal and determine which of the plurality of channels provided the electrical signal, wherein the discriminating circuit provides a digital output signal.