492 IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics, Vol. 40, No.

3, AUGUST 1994

OPTICAL FIBER TWO-WAY FM VIDEO SIGNAL TRANSMISSION FOR VIDEO

CONFERENCING APPLICATIONS
Nabil Abd Rabou, Hiroaki Ikeda, and Hirofumi Yoshida
Shizuoka University
3-5-1 Johoku, Hamamatsu 432, Japan

ABSTRACT be greater than that of the

This paper describes an optical transmission system operating at
fiber transmission system to a wavelength of 0 . 8 5 pm.
transmit two-way multi-channel FM The wavelength division multi-
video signals for video plexing technique is generally
conferencing applications. A two- used for two-way optical signal
way optical fiber signal trans- transmission [6],[7]. However,
mission system is built using a two-way signals transmitted
pair of optical distributors and through an optical fiber at
a single optical fiber of lkm for different wavelengths have
bidirectional communications. A different transmission l o s s . In
pair of LEDs were used as light order to overcome the defect of
sources at 1.3 pm and the band- the two-way signal transmission
width of the optical fiber at different wavelengths, a pair
transmission system was 300 MHz. of signals can concurrently be
transmitted in the opposite
1- INTRODUCTION directions at the same wavelength
The transmission of the wideband through an optical distributors
signal through an optical fiber and a single optical fiber [ 8 ] .
by using a LED(s) is attractive This paper describes the trans-
due to its high reliability and mission of two-way signals using
low cost. The optical trans- a pair of LEDs both operating at
mission system can be fabricated 1.3 pm through the optical dis-
at lower cost than the coaxial tributors and single graded-index
cable and it can improve the (GI) optical fiber for video
performance of the signal trans- conferencing applications.
mission line [11-[31.
The bandwidth of the optical 2- SYSTEM OUTLINE
transmission system constructed The schematic diagram of the opt-
using an LED at 0 . 8 5 pm is ical fiber two-way signal trans-
approximately 100 MHz [ 4 ] . In mission is shown in Figure 1. The
this type of system, only short FM audio and video signals from
length of transmission can be each camera are used to modulate
achieved using LEDs at 0 . 8 5 um. the carriers to obtain narrow-
In the 1.3 um wavelength region, band FM signals at 60, 8 0 , and
the bandwidth of the optical 1 0 0 MHz. The respective FM
transmission system is appro- modulators are built using
ximately 300 MHz [ 5 ] . In this varactor diodes. Three narrow-
system, the transmission l o s s of band FM signals are frequency
the optical fiber is less than division multiplexed (FDM) and
that of the LEDs at 0 . 8 5 vm, and then converted into an optical
thus the transmission length will signal using a wideband optical

Manuscript received June 27, 1994 0098 3063/94 $04.00 1994 IEEE
Rabou, Ikeda and Yoshida: Optical Fiber Two-way FM Video Signal Transmission for Video Conferencing Applications 493

i Optical

Fig.1. Schematic diagram of the optical fiber two-way

signal transmission for video conferencing
applications.

transmitter 1 consisting of an optical transmission system in

LED operating at a wavelength of one direction is shown in Figure
1.3 um. The FM optical signals 2. The bandwidth of the system
are transmitted simultaneously to was approximately 300 MHz. The
the receiver Rxl through a pair frequency response did not change
of optical distributors and a when the other FDM-FM signal was
GI optical fiber of lkm. sent from the other direction.
The received optical signal is The linearity of the optical
detected and converted into the transmission system was tested.
corresponding electrical signal
using a wideband optical receiver
1 consisting of a PIN photodiode
and another wideband amplifier.
Distribution of the FM signals to
the respective terminal devices
can be accomplished using three
bandpass filters at 60, 80, and
100 MHz. The transmitter Tx2 and
receiver Rx2 are connected to the
this pair of optical distributors
so that the transmitter Tx2 is
installed in the same side as the
receiver Rxl and vice versa. The
LED used in the Tx2 emits the
optical signal at the same
wavelength. Fig.2. Frequency response of the
optical transmission sys-
3- PERFORMANCE tem in case of one-way
3.1 Electrical Performance communication.
The frequency response of the
494 IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics, Vol. 40, No. 3, AUGUST 1994

The result of the experiment for

checking the linearity of the
system is shown in Figure 3 . When
the input signal level to the
wideband optical transmitter was
of -20 dBm or less, the system
was acceptable for linear
operation.
When the NTSC TV signal was
sent from the transmitter Txl or
Tx2 to the receiver Rxl or Rx2,
the differential gain and phase
were respectively less than 5%
and 5', and the frequency
response was good enough to
reproduce the color signal.
Figure 4 shows the frequency o 11 22 33 44 55 66 77 88 99 110

spectra of the 3.58 MHz chroma FREQUENCY (MHz)

signals modulating the carrier
frequencies at approximately 6 0 ,
80, and 1 0 0 MHz, respectively. Fig.4. Frequency spectra of the
3.58 MHz chroma signals
3.2 Optical Performance modulating the carrier
The output power level from each frequencies at 6 0 , 80, and
transmitter was -17 dBm at 1 . 3 100 MHz.
pm, and the minimum threshold
power level at the input of each
receiver was -27 dBm when a pair
of distributors were connected in
series with the optical fibers. Figure 5 shows the spectral power
of the transmitter Txl output
when a single optical distributor
and an optical fiber of 1 km long
are connected in series to the
optical spectrum analyzer. The
leakage of the received optical
h power from the transmitter Txl to
m
E
U
the receiver Rx2 was eppro-
v

-1
ximately 20 dBm low compared with
w
>
the optical power transmitted
w
-1
from the transmitter Txl. The
c leakage optical power from the
3
a
c
transmitter Txl to the receiver
J
0
Rx2 is shown in Figure 6.
The power l o s s of a single
distributor at 1.3 pm was 4 dB.
-50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 The power margin from the
INPUT L E V E L (dam) transmitter to the receiver was
10 dB. The optical fiber which is
lkm long can thus be connected
between the transmitters and
Fig.3. Linearity of the optical receivers for two-way communica-
transmission system. tions even though the power l o s s
of the distributor is great.
Rabou, Ikeda and Yoshida: Optical Fiber Two-way FM Video Signal Transmission for Video Conferencing Applications 495

1
4- CONCLUSION
- -10 Two-way optical fiber signal
e, transmission has been achieved by
B -20 the use of LEDs and narrow-band
- FM scheme. This transmission
K
-30 system is considered to be
0
effective for sending multimedia
E -40 audio and video signals in the FM
5 scheme, and t o be useful for
U

-50 sending these signals online in

both directions simultaneously.
-60
1.06 1.12 1.18 1.24 1.30 1.36 1.42 1.48 1.54 REFERENCES
WAVELENGTII ( u m ) [l] H.Ikeda, N.A.Rabou et al.,
"New Type of DBS Receiver Utiliz-
ing Optical Fiber as IF Trans-
mission Line," IEEE Transactions
Fig.5. Optical power spectrum of on Consumer Electronics, Vo1.38,
the transmitter Txl output pp.790-794, (November 1992).
when a single distributor [2] N.A.Rabou, H.Ikeda et. al.,
and an optical fiber are "70 MHz Fiber Optic Transmission
connected in series to the From Satellite DBS Receiving
optical spectrum analyzer. Antenna," IEEE, 34th Midwest
Symposium on Circuits and
Systems, vol.2, pp.662-665,
(May 1991).
[3] H.Ikeda, J.Li, N.A.Rabou et.
al., "DBS Program Distribution
Network in Local Area Through
Optical Fiber," IEEE Transactions
on Consumer Electronics, vo1.37,
No.3, pp.372-378, ( August 1991).
1
7 [4] N.A.Rabou, H.Ikeda et al.,
"Optical Fiber Transmission of
Multi-Channel FM Audio and Video
Signals," IEEE Transactions on
Consumer Electronics, Vo1.39,
pp.593-597, (August 1993).
[5] N.A.Rabou, H.Ikeda et al.,
"Optical Fiber Wideband RF Signal
Transmission System for Remote
Data Sensing," IEEE Instrumen-
tation and Measurement Technology
Conference, pp.777-780, (May
1.06 1.12 1.18 1.24 1.30 1.36 1.42 1.48 1.54 1993).
WAVELENGTH ( u m ) [6] K. Nosu and H. Ishio, " A
Design of Optical Multi/Demulti-
plexers for Optical Wavelength-
Fig.6. Optical power leakage from Division Multiplexing Trans-
mission, " Trans. IECE, Vo1.62-B,
the transmitter Txl to the pp.1030-1036, (November 1979).
receiver Rx2.
496 IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics, Vol. 40, No. 3, AUGUST 1994

171 T.Kanada, Y.Okano, K.Aoyama, H i r o a k i Zkeda (M'86) was

and T.Kitami, "Design and born in Japan in 1935.
Performance of WDM transmission He received the B.S.
degree in electronic
System at 6.3 MB/s," IEEE Trans. engineering from
Commun., Vol. COM-31, pp.1095- Shizuoka University in
1102, (September. 1983). 1957, and the Ph.D.
[ 8 ] N.A.Rabou, H.Ikeda et., al., degree in electronic
" Optical Fiber DBS Program engineering from the
University of Tokyo in
Transmission System with Remote 1975.
Control of Channels," ISCOM-91, In 1957, he
joined the
1991 International Symposium on Japan Broadcasting
Communications Proceeding, Vol.1 Corporation, where he was in charge of
OF 2, pp.193-196, Taiwan, R.O.C. development of integrated circuit
(December 1991) television studio facilities, flate-
panel television display, and solid-
state broadcast transmitters. During
this period, he worked for the MOSFET
circuit design, performance
evaluation, and fabrication process,
and he proposed new methods for
measuring the MOSFET circuit
parameters. In 1980, he developed a
new type of AM radio transmitter using
hlgh-frequency power MOSFETs. In 1987,
he was appointed a professor at
Shizuoka University. He is currently
interested in the development of
optoelectronic communication systems,
and MOSFET RF power inverters.
He received an award from the
Governor of the Metropolis of Tokyo
NabiZ Abd Rabou was born due to contribution to the development
in Cairo, Egypt in 1954. of the semiconductor broadcast
He received the B.S. and facilities, and received the Ohm and
M.S. degrees in Tele- TAKAYANAGI Awards due to contribution
communication & Electro- to the development of MOSFET radio
nic Engineering from transmitter. Dr. Ikeda is a member of
Faculty of Engineering the IEEE, IEE of Japan, and IEICE,
& Technology, University Japan.
of Helwan, Cairo in 1978
and 1986 respectively. Hirofumi
Yoshida was
He joined the same Uni- born in Japan in 1948.
versity as a demons- He graduated from Nagoya
trator in 1978 and a lecture assistant
in 1986. Telecommunication Co-
In 1989, he came to Japan as a Ph.D. llege in 1968. He joined
student to complete his study. He the Faculty of Engineer-
received the Ph.D in Electronic ing, Shizuoka University
Engineering at the Graduate School of as a technical officer
Electronic Science and Technology, in 1968. He has been
Shizuoka University, Japan in 1994. concerned with experi-
His current research interest is on ment and educational
the optical fiber high frequency training. He is current-
transmission using a light emitting ly interested in the
diode (LED), and he published many. research in optoelectronic instrumen-
international papers on this field. tation and circuits.
Now he is involved, for CATV He received an award from the
research program, in the laboratory of Governor of Shizuoka Prefecture due to
the Electronic Systems and " Ideas Involved in Engineering
Applications, Shizuoka University. Models" in 1988. Mr. Yoshida is a
member of IEICE, Japan.