OPTICAL/RADIO LOCAL ACCESS NETWORK

• US 20160329959A1
• Filed: 07/15/2016
• Published: 11/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: DODLEY, JEEVAN, LIN, LIH-YUAN, MILLER, ROBERT R., Britz, David M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,122,446 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/0795 Performance monitoring; Measurement of transmission parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/11 Arrangements specific to free-space transmission, i.e. transmission through air or vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1123 Bidirectional transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1125 using a single common optical path
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/02 Wavelength-division multiplex systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0067 Provisions for optical access or distribution networks, e.g. Gigabit Ethernet Passive Optical Network (GE-PON), ATM-based Passive Optical Network (A-PON), PON-Ring
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0026 using free space propagation (e.g. lenses, mirrors)
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0081 Fault tolerance; Redundancy; Recovery; Reconfigurability

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a central controller that executes instructions facilitating performance of operations including monitoring multiple network nodes, at least some of the network nodes being in communication with others through respective point-to-point links. Each point-to-point link includes a respective free space optical channel. The central controller detects optical received signal strength of a free space optical channel falling below a certain level and provides control signals to reconfigure the multiple network nodes. Signals are re-routed along one of the respective point-to-point links through other network nodes responsive to detecting the optical received signal strength falling below the certain level Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A communication node comprising:

a free space communication device to selectively communicate with a first network node of a plurality of network nodes by way of a free space optical channel;

a radio frequency communication device to selectively communicate with the first network node by way of a radio frequency channel;

a signal monitor; and

a switch in communication with the free space communication device, the radio frequency communication device and the signal monitor, wherein the switch selects between reception from the free space optical channel and the radio frequency channel; and

wherein the signal monitor is in communication with each of the free space communication device and the radio frequency communication device to monitor a first signal strength of the free space optical channel and a second signal strength of the radio frequency channel, wherein the signal monitor issues commands to the switch to select the free space communication device if the first signal strength is greater than the second signal strength, and command the switch to select the radio frequency communication device if the second signal strength is greater than the first signal strength.

2. The communication node of claim 1, further comprising a wireless transceiver in communication with a central controller, to receive commands from the central controller.

3. The communication node of claim 2, wherein the wireless transceiver is a radio telephone transceiver.

4. The communication node of claim 1, further comprising a second switch that directs an exchange of data between the first network node and a second network node of the plurality of network nodes, wherein operation of the second switch is responsive to commands received from a central controller.

5. The communication node of claim 4, wherein the second switch comprises a plurality of in-ports and a plurality of out-ports, wherein the second switch performs routing of signals from the plurality of in-ports into the plurality of out-ports.

6. The communication node of claim 1, further comprising an optical receiver in communication between the free space communication device and the signal monitor, to generate an alarm responsive to a signal strength of the optical receiver falling below a threshold level.

7. The communication node of claim 1, wherein detecting an optical received signal strength of the free space optical channel falling below a threshold level is indicative of adverse link conditions along a point-to-point link between the communication node and the first network node of the plurality of network nodes.

8. A method, comprising:

detecting, by a controller within a wireless network, an optical received signal strength of a free space optical channel of a network route falling below a threshold level, wherein the network route comprises a first group of nodes of a plurality of nodes of the wireless network; and

initiating, by the controller in communication with the plurality of nodes of the wireless network, a reconfiguration of the plurality of nodes of the wireless network according to an alternative network route responsive to the detecting of the optical received signal strength falling below the threshold level, wherein the initiating of the reconfiguration of the plurality of nodes comprises sending commands by way of a land line link.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the optical received signal strength falling below the threshold level is a result of an adverse environmental condition, and further comprising selecting of the alternative network route for bypassing the adverse environmental condition.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising communicating with the first group of nodes of the plurality of nodes of the wireless network by way of cellular radio telephone communication.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

generating an alarm responsive to the optical received signal strength falling below the threshold level; and

transmitting the alarm to the controller by way of the land line link.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of nodes is in communication via respective point-to-point links, and wherein each of the respective point-to-point links includes a first channel for coupling to a first network node of the plurality of nodes through a receive path and a second channel for coupling to a second network node of the plurality of nodes through a transmit path.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of nodes performs routing of signals from a plurality of in-ports of a switch into a plurality of out-ports of the switch.

14. A method, comprising:

detecting, by a controller, an optical received signal strength of a first free space optical channel falling below a certain level, wherein the first free space optical channel provides a communications link by pointing an optical data unit in a first network node in a direction from the first network node to a second network node in a plurality of network nodes; and

providing, by the controller, control signals to repoint the optical data unit in the first network node to a third network node in the plurality of network nodes, thereby establishing a second free space optical channel responsive to detecting the optical received signal strength falling below the certain level.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the control signals are sent by way of radio telephone communication.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the controller is a central controller, and the method further comprises coupling each of the network nodes over a radio telephone system.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein each of the network nodes performs routing of signals from a plurality of in-ports of a switch into a plurality of out-ports of the switch.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein each of the network nodes is in communication via respective point-to-point links, and wherein each of the respective point-to-point links includes a first channel for coupling to a first network node of the network nodes through a receive path and a second channel for coupling to a second network node of the network nodes through a transmit path.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the detecting of the optical received signal strength of the first free space optical channel falling below a level is indicative of adverse link conditions along a respective point-to-point link that provides the communication link between the first network node and the second network node.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein re-routing of signals for the network nodes along the second free space optical channel comprises causing a switch to direct signals between one of a plurality of input ports to one of a plurality of output ports.