US 12,068,843 B1
Wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) approach to phase lock distributed digital and RF electronics over fiber
Kyle Charron, Vergennes, VT (US); Jesslyn Coghlan, North Liberty, IA (US); Phillip J. Nadolny, Cedar Rapids, IA (US); Brishty Som, Cedar Rapids, IA (US); and Joseph T. Graf, Center Point, IA (US)
Assigned to Rockwell Collins, Inc., Cedar Rapids, IA (US)
Filed by Rockwell Collins, Inc., Cedar Rapids, IA (US)
Filed on Sep. 28, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/955,297.
Int. Cl. H04J 14/02 (2006.01)
CPC H04J 14/0227 (2013.01) 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
a plurality of line-replaceable units including:
at least one multi-function processor (MFP) comprising:
at least one digital waveform configured to send and receive communications data via baseband in phase and quadrature (I/Q) modulations;
at least one oscillator configured to generate a standard frequency reference signal with an amplitude;
at least one time processor configured to:
receive a serial time data stream signal from a global positioning system (GPS) unit;
generate a pulse per second (PPS) signal; and
transmit the serial time data stream signal and the PPS signal to at least one time-at-the-tone amplitude modulation (TATT AM) modulator;
the at least one TATT AM modulator configured to modulate the amplitude of the standard frequency reference signal in proportion to the amplitude of the serial time data stream signal to produce a complex wave signal;
at least one multi-mode fiber modulator configured to receive and transmit the complex wave and the baseband I/Q modulations; and
at least one multi-function aperture (MFA) comprising:
at least one multi-mode fiber demodulator configured to:
receive the complex wave and the baseband I/Q modulations;
transmit the complex wave signal to a TATT AM demodulator; and
transmit the baseband I/Q modulations to a radio frequency (RF) processor;
the TATT AM demodulator configured to:
receive the complex wave;
separate the complex wave into the serial time data stream signal, the PPS signal, and the standard frequency reference signal;
transmit the serial time stream signal and the PPS signal to a sequencer; and
transmit the standard frequency reference signal to the RF processor; and
at least one sequencer configured to transmit control/status data to the RF processor; and
the RF processor configured to send the baseband I/Q modulations, the serial time stream, the PPS signal, and the standard frequency reference signal to at least one antenna;
at least two optical transceivers configured to convert digital signals to optical signals; and
at least one fiber optic cable configured to transmit signals between the at least one MFP and the at least one MFA.