Wavelength division multiplexing using a tunable acousto-optic filter

Claim 1

A communication system, comprising: a plurality of light emitting sources emitting light at respective ones of a plurality of optical wavelengths; a plurality of data sources impressing data signals upon respective ones of said light emitting sources; at least one optical fiber receiving said light emitted from all of said plurality of light emitting sources to form a combined optical signal; and at least one receiving station receiving said combined optical signal from said at least one optical fiber, said receiving station comprising a tunable acousto-optical filter performing conversion between TE and TM modes in an optical beam containing said combined optical signal and passing at least two selected wavelength components of said combined optical signal, an electrical generator simultaneously driving said acousto-optical filter at a plurality of selected electrical frequencies, said filter thereby passing a plurality of selected wavelength components of said combined optical signal, wherein said wavelength components are selected by said selected electrical frequencies in correspondence to selected ones of said data sources and an optical detector receiving said selected wavelength components.