Abstract: A dynamic instrument measures the state of optical phase of light and provides an output signal having a magnitude that varies linearly relative to the state of optical phase of a first light beam. It comprises means for generating an optical signal, means for generating a radio frequency (RF) signal that is responsive to the optical signal and the RF signal and provides a first light beam and a second light beam, at least one of which is shifted in frequency by an amount corresponding to the RF, an optical interferometer that allows the state of optical phase of the first beam to be changed and that interferometrically combines and heterodynes the changed first light beam and the second light beam, means responsive to the heterodyne signal and operative to produce an electrical signal at the optical beat frequency corresponding to the RF, and means responsive to the RF signal and the electrical signal for providing the linear output signal.

Abstract: A high speed differential optoelectronic receiver comprises a first photodetector responsive to a first incident amplitude modulated optical signal and operative to develop a first electrical signal, a second photodetector responsive to a second incident amplitude modulated optical signal that is complementary to the first optical signal and operative to develop a second electrical signal, and an amplifier having a first input that is responsive to the first electrical signal and a second input that is responsive to the second electrical signal and is operative to provide a differential output signal that is proportional to the difference between the first and the second electrical signals. Also, a method for transforming complementary amplitude modulated optical signals into a complementary electrical output signal is invented.

Abstract: A free-space passively star-coupled optical data bus uses uniform uncollimated transmission light communicating data among a plurality of transmitter and receiver paired transceiver nodes of respective communication subsystems for communicating data from one transmitting node simultaneously to each of all of the remaining receiving nodes, the data bus being defined by a transmission volume having peripheral optical ports for optically interfacing the transceivers nodes to the free-space communication transmission medium having a distribution means to distribute the light and provide a variety of data bus configurations each supported by protocol addressing and optical modulation for connectorless communications for improved reliability and reduced costs especially well-suited for conference room, office, and spacecraft applications.