Real time OFDM transmission system

1. A device, comprising:

an analog to digital converter, which, in operation, generates a time-multiplexed digital signal based on a received unipolar analog signal;

a demultiplexer, which, in operation, demultiplexes the time-multiplexed digital signal to extract N real components and N imaginary components and combines the extracted real and imaginary components to generate a complex time-varying digital signal having N parallel output values, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 3 and the time-multiplexed digital signal has values alternating in time between a series of N real components and a series of N imaginary components;

a fast Fourier transform (FFT) circuit, which, in operation, performs an N-point transform on the N parallel output values to generate N asymmetrical symbols representing transmitted data based on the complex time-varying digital signal; and

demapping circuitry, which, in operation, generates an output data signal based on the N asymmetrical symbols.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the unipolar analog signal is an analog orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) signal.

3. The device of claim 2 , comprising:

a photosensor coupled to the analog to digital converter, wherein the photosensor, in operation, converts a received optical signal into the analog OFDM signal.

4. The device of claim 1 , comprising:

a photosensor, which, in operation, converts an optical signal into the analog unipolar signal.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having contents that cause a receiver to perform a method, the method comprising:

generating a time-multiplexed digital signal based on a unipolar analog signal;

extracting N real components and N imaginary components of the time-multiplexed digital signal, where N is an integer greater than or equal to three and the time-multiplexed digital signal has values alternating in time between a series of N real components and a series of N imaginary components;

combining the extracted real and imaginary components, generating a complex time-varying digital signal having N parallel output values;

performing an N-point transform on the N parallel output values to generate N asymmetrical symbols representing data based on the complex time-varying digital signal; and

generating an output data signal based on the N asymmetrical symbols.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5 , wherein the unipolar analog signal is an analog orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) signal.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5 , wherein the method comprises converting an optical signal into the unipolar analog signal.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the method comprises generating optical signals.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5 wherein the contents comprise instructions executed by signal processing circuitry of the receiver.

10. A device, comprising:

a memory; and

signal processing circuitry coupled to the memory, wherein the signal processing circuitry, in operation:

generates a time-multiplexed digital signal based on a unipolar analog signal;

extracts N real components and N imaginary components of the time-multiplexed digital signal, where N is an integer greater than or equal to three and the time-multiplexed digital signal has values alternating in time between a series of N real components and a series of N imaginary components;

combines the extracted real and imaginary components, generating a complex time-varying digital signal having N parallel output values;

performs an N-point transform on the N parallel output values to generate N asymmetrical symbols representing data based on the complex time-varying digital signal; and

generates an output data signal based on the N asymmetrical symbols.

11. The device of claim 10 , comprising:

a photosensor coupled to the signal processing circuitry, wherein the photosensor, in operation, converts an optical signal into the analog unipolar signal.

12. The device of claim 10 , wherein the unipolar analog signal is an analog orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) signal.

13. The device of claim 10 , comprising an integrated circuit including the memory and the signal processing circuitry.

14. A system, comprising:

a sensor, which, in operation, converts intensity modulated signals into analog unipolar signals; and

signal processing circuitry coupled to the sensor, wherein the signal processing circuitry, in operation:

generates a time-multiplexed digital signal based on a unipolar analog signal;

extracts N real components and N imaginary components of the time-multiplexed digital signal, where N is an integer greater than or equal to three and the time-multiplexed digital signal has values alternating in time between a series of N real components and a series of N imaginary components;

combines the extracted real and imaginary components, generating a complex time-varying digital signal having N parallel output values;

performs an N-point transform on the N parallel output values to generate N asymmetrical symbols representing data based on the complex time-varying digital signal; and

generates an output data signal based on the N asymmetrical symbols.

15. The system of claim 14 , comprising:

a receiver including the sensor and the signal processing circuitry; and

a transmitter, which, in operation, transmits intensity modulated signals.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the transmitter, in operation:

generates N input symbols from a digital input signal, without imposing symmetry conditions on the generated N input symbols;

performs an N-point transform on the N input symbols to generate a complex time-varying digital signal having real and imaginary components;

time-multiplexes N of the real components with N of the imaginary components of the complex time-varying digital signal, generating a time-multiplexed digital signal having values alternating in time between a series of N real components and a series of N imaginary components;

converts the time-multiplexed digital signal into a time-multiplexed analog signal;

renders positive the time-multiplexed analog signal to generate a unipolar analog signal; and

transmits an intensity modulated signal based on the unipolar analog signal.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the transmitter, in operation, transmits the intensity modulated signal to the receiver.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the sensor is a photosensor and the intensity modulated signal is an optical signal.

19. The system of claim 18 , comprising:

an optical transmission channel coupled between the transmitter and the receiver.