US4389093A — Method and apparatus for coherent detection in op…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 125 words

An optical processor apparatus comprising: a light source for providing a coherent source beam, a spatial light modulator for modulating the source beam with an input information signal to produce a modulated beam, said modulated beam diverging into spacially separated frequency components including a zero frequency component from said source beam, reference beam generator means for forming a reference beam from said zero frequency component such that said reference beam appears to diverge from a reference point, an optical detector having an aperture positioned for receiving said reference bean and particular ones of said spatially separated frequency components whereby said particular ones of said spatially separated frequency components are coherently detected to produce an output information signal as a function of the input information signal.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 125 words

An optical processor apparatus comprising: a light source for providing a coherent source beam, a spatial light modulator for modulating the source beam with an input information signal to produce a modulated beam, said modulated beam diverging into spacially separated frequency components including a zero frequency component from said source beam, reference beam generator means for forming a reference beam from said zero frequency component such that said reference beam appears to diverge from a reference point, an optical detector having an aperture positioned for receiving said reference bean and particular ones of said spatially separated frequency components whereby said particular ones of said spatially separated frequency components are coherently detected to produce an output information signal as a function of the input information signal.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 46 words

The apparatus of claim 1 in which said reference beam generator means includes, a transform lens for transforming said frequency components, including said zero frequency component, of said modulated beam, and an optical mask positioned to diffract said zero frequency component to form said reference beam.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 14 words

The apparatus of claim 2 in which said optical mask is a holographic mask.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 30 words

The apparatus of claim 2 in which said optical mask is located between said transform lens and said aperture at a position which optimizes the energy in said reference beam.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 63 words

The apparatus of claim 2 in which said source beam has a wavelength λ L , in which said input information signal has a minimum frequency f min , in which said spatial light modulator propagates signals with a velocity v, and in which said optical mask is displaced from said modulator a displacement distance to insure sufficient energy in said reference beam.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 23 words

The apparatus of claim 5 in which said displacement distance is greater than the quantity v 2 /(λ L f min 2 ).

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 51 words

The apparatus of claim 2 in which said optical mask diffracts the zero frequency component from said transform lens to form said reference beam in a manner such that said reference beam diverges from said mask to cover said aperture and has said reference point located at said spatial light modulator.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 123 words

The apparatus of claim 7 in which said spatial light modulator is oriented to receive said source beam in a first direction through an aperture opening between first and second aperture ends, said aperture extending parallel to an axis of modulation substantially normal to said first direction, said modulator functioning to spatially modulate said source beam by propagating signals from the first end to the second end of said aperture along the axis of modulation, and in which said reference point is located along the axis of modulation between said first and second ends and displaced from said first end by an offset distance whereby the output information signal is delayed from the input information signal an amount proportional to said offset distance.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 90 words

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said zero frequency component is delimited by a converging cone of light converging at a point in a plane extending through said aperture, wherein said reference beam is delimited by a diverging cone originating from said reference point in said spatial light modulator and diverging through said mask to fill said aperture, and wherein said optical mask is located such that the ratio of the width of said diverging cone to the width of said converging cone at said mask is approximately a maximum.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 37 words

The apparatus of claim 2 in which said transform lens has a focal distance, said optical mask is located between said lens and said focal distance and said optical detector is located approximately at said focal distance.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 91 words

The apparatus of claim 1 in which said input information signal has a bandwidth defined by a minimum frequency f min and a maximum frequency f max , in which said spatial light modulator propagates signals with a velocity v, in which said reference beam generator means generates said reference beam which appears to be delimited by a cone of diverging light from said reference point such that the width of said cone at the plane of said spatial light modulator does not exceed said velocity v divided by said bandwidth.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 136 words

An optical processor apparatus comprising: a light source for providing a coherent source beam, a spatial light modulator for modulating the source beam with an input information signal to produce a modulated beam, said modulated beam diverging into spacially separated frequency components including a zero frequency component from said source beam, a transform lens for transforming said frequency components, including said zero frequency component, of said modulated beam, and an optical mask positioned to diffract said zero frequency component from said transform lens to form said reference beam, an optical detector having an aperture positioned for receiving said reference beam and particular ones of said spatially separated frequency components whereby said particular ones of said spatially separated frequency components are coherently detected to produce an output information signal as a function of the input information signal.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 136 words

An optical processor apparatus comprising: a light source for providing a coherent source beam, a spatial light modulator for modulating the source beam with an input information signal to produce a modulated beam, said modulated beam diverging into spacially separated frequency components including a zero frequency component from said source beam, a transform lens for transforming said frequency components, including said zero frequency component, of said modulated beam, and an optical mask positioned to diffract said zero frequency component from said transform lens to form said reference beam, an optical detector having an aperture positioned for receiving said reference beam and particular ones of said spatially separated frequency components whereby said particular ones of said spatially separated frequency components are coherently detected to produce an output information signal as a function of the input information signal.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 14 words

The apparatus of claim 12 in which said optical mask is a holographic mask.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 30 words

The apparatus of claim 12 in which said optical mask is located between said transform lens and said aperture at a position which optimizes the energy in said reference beam.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 63 words

The apparatus of claim 12 in which said source beam has a wavelength λ L , in which said input information signal has a minimum frequency f min , in which said spatial light modulator propagates signals with a velocity v, and in which said optical mask is displaced from said modulator a displacement distance to insure sufficient energy in said reference beam.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 23 words

The apparatus of claim 15 in which said displacement distance is greater than the quantity v 2 /(λ L f min 2 ).

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 53 words

The apparatus of claim 12 in which said optical mask diffracts the zero frequency component from said transform lens to form said reference beam in a manner such that said reference beam diverges from said mask to cover said aperture and has a reference point located at or near said spatial light modulator.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 15 words

The apparatus of claim 17 in which said reference point is a virtual image point.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 123 words

The apparatus of claim 17 in which said spatial light modulator is oriented to receive said source beam in a first direction through an aperture opening between first and second aperture ends, said aperture extending parallel to an axis of modulation substantially normal to said first direction, said modulator functioning to spatially modulate said source beam by propagating signals from the first end to the second end of said aperture along the axis of modulation, and in which said reference point is located along the axis of modulation between said first and second ends and displaced from said first end by an offset distance whereby the output information signal is delayed from the input information signal an amount proportional to said offset distance.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 89 words

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said zero frequency component is delimited by a converging cone of light converging at a point in a plane extending through said aperture, wherein said reference beam is delimited by a diverging cone originating from said reference point in said spatial light modulator and diverging through said mask to fill said aperture, and wherein said optical mask is located such that the ratio of the width of said diverging cone to the width of said converging cone at said mask is a maximum.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 37 words

The apparatus of claim 12 in which said transform lens has a focal distance, said optical mask is located between said lens and said focal distance and said optical detector is located approximately at said focal distance.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 82 words

The apparatus of claim 12 in which said input information signal has a bandwidth defined by a minimum frequency f min and a maximum frequency f max , in which said spatial light modulator propagates signals with a velocity v, in which said reference beam is delimited by a cone of diverging light from said reference point such that the width of said cone at the plane of said spatial light modulator does not exceed said velocity v divided by said bandwidth.

Claim 25

Independent Claim 115 words

A method of optical processing comprising: providing a coherent source beam, modulating the source beam in a spatial light modulator with an input information signal to produce a modulated beam, said modulated beam diverging into spacially separated frequency components including a zero frequency component from said source beam, forming a reference beam from said zero frequency component such that said reference beam appears to diverge from a reference point, receiving said reference beam and particular ones of said spatially separated frequency components in the aperture of an optical detector to coherently detect said particular ones of said spatially separated frequency components and produce an output information signal as a function of the input information signal.

Claim 26

Independent Claim 115 words

A method of optical processing comprising: providing a coherent source beam, modulating the source beam in a spatial light modulator with an input information signal to produce a modulated beam, said modulated beam diverging into spacially separated frequency components including a zero frequency component from said source beam, forming a reference beam from said zero frequency component such that said reference beam appears to diverge from a reference point, receiving said reference beam and particular ones of said spatially separated frequency components in the aperture of an optical detector to coherently detect said particular ones of said spatially separated frequency components and produce an output information signal as a function of the input information signal.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 45 words

The method of claim 23 including the steps of transforming said frequency components, including said zero frequency component, of said modulated beam with a transform lens, and diffracting said zero frequency component from said transform lens with an optical mask to form said reference beam.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method of claim 24 in which said diffracting step is performed in a manner such that said reference beam diverges from said mask to cover said aperture and has said reference point located at said spatial light modulator.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 25 in which said reference point is a virtual image point.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1986-06-20	1986-12-20	1987-06-21	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1990-06-20	1990-12-20	1991-06-21	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1994-06-20	1994-12-20	1995-06-21	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for coherent detection in optical processors

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