The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 20, 1996
Filed:
May. 25, 1994
Peter J De Groot, Middletown, CT (US);
John A McGarvey, Bellevue, WA (US);
The Boeing Company, Seattle, WA (US);
Abstract
The frequency separation between two light signals, one having a first and the other having a second frequency, is determined by first forming three light beams, each including both frequencies; directing the three beams through an interferometer in which they traverse three optical paths having three different known optical path lengths; determining the interferometric phases for each of the three optical paths at both frequencies; and determining the difference between the first and second frequencies from the interferometric phases and known optical path lengths. The light signals may be light from two lasers operating at different frequencies. The optical path lengths can be predetermined by calibration using two light sources of know frequencies. An apparatus for carrying out this method is also disclosed.