Integrated environmental control and management system for free-space optical communication systems
First Claim
1. A method of managing a free-space optical network, comprising the steps of:
- directing network data traffic over one or more free-space optical links in the free-space optical network;
monitoring one or more environmental conditions in a vicinity of at least one of the one or more free-space optical links; and
routing the network data traffic though an alternate communication path in response to data indicative of at least one of the one or more environmental conditions falling below a predetermined level.
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Abstract
A method of managing a free-space optical network includes monitoring environmental and weather conditions in the vicinity of one or more free-space optical links in the network. Data is gathered by environmental condition instruments, such as visibility meters, and is used to assess whether atmospheric conditions have deteriorated to the point where operation of one or more free-space links might be in jeopardy. If data from an environmental condition instrument falls below a predetermined level, network data traffic is routed over an alternate communication path, which may include radio frequency (RF) paths, fiber optic cables, wire cables, or other free-space links.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of managing a free-space optical network, comprising the steps of:
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directing network data traffic over one or more free-space optical links in the free-space optical network;
monitoring one or more environmental conditions in a vicinity of at least one of the one or more free-space optical links; and
routing the network data traffic though an alternate communication path in response to data indicative of at least one of the one or more environmental conditions falling below a predetermined level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 28, 30)
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15. A method of managing a free-space optical network, comprising the steps of:
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directing network data traffic over one or more free-space optical links in the free-space optical network;
monitoring one or more environmental conditions in a vicinity of at least one of the one or more free-space optical links;
attempting to adjust one or both of a transmission power and receive sensitivity of one or more of the free-space optical links in response to data indicative of at least one of the one or more environmental conditions falling below a predetermined level; and
routing the network data traffic through an alternate communication path in response to a failure in the step of attempting to adjust.
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23. A system for managing a free-space optical network, comprising:
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means for monitoring one or more environmental conditions in a vicinity of at least one of one or more free-space optical links in the free-space optical network;
means for routing network data traffic over an alternate communication path in response to data indicative of at least one of the one or more environmental conditions falling below a predetermined level; and
means for rerouting the network data traffic over the one or more free-space optical links in the free-space optical network in response to data indicative of at least one of the one or more environmental conditions rising above the predetermined level.
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27. A method of managing a free-space optical network, comprising the steps of:
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directing network data traffic over one or more free-space optical links in the free-space optical network;
monitoring one or more environmental conditions in a vicinity of at least one of the one or more free-space optical links;
sending an alarm over the free-space optical network in response to data indicative of at least one of the one or more environmental conditions falling below a predetermined level;
routing the network data traffic though an alternate communication path in response to the alarm; and
rerouting the network data traffic over the one or more free-space optical links in the free-space optical network in response to data indicative of at least one of the one or more environmental conditions rising above the predetermined level.
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29. A method of managing a free-space optical network, comprising the steps of:
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directing network data traffic over one or more free-space optical links in the free-space optical network;
monitoring one or more environmental conditions in a vicinity of at least one of the one or more free-space optical links;
sending an alarm over the free-space optical network in response to data indicative of at least one of the one or more environmental conditions falling below a predetermined level;
selecting an alternate communication path for the network data traffic in response to the alarm;
routing the network data traffic though the alternate communication path;
re-evaluating the alternate communication path selection; and
rerouting the network data traffic over the one or more free-space optical links in the free-space optical network in response to data indicative of at least one of the one or more environmental conditions rising above the predetermined level.
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Specification