Wireless fiber-coupled telecommunication systems based on atmospheric transmission of laser signals

• US 6,348,986 B1
• Filed: 06/29/1998
• Issued: 02/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seafort International Trading, S.r.l.
• Original Assignee: Dominion Lasercom, Inc., A Nevada Corporation
• Inventors: Panak, David L., Doucet, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): NEGASH, KINFE MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US09/106,826
• Time in Patent Office: 1,331 Days
• Field of Search: 359/152, 359/145, 359/173, 359/172, 379/56.1, 379/56.2
• US Class Current: 398/128
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4405 with longitudinally spaced waveguide clamping G02B6/4429, G02B6/4439, G02B6/4479 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4411 Matrix structure
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4416 Heterogeneous cables
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44265 Fibre-to-antenna cables; Auxiliary devices thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4459 Ducts; Conduits; Hollow tubes for air blown fibres
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 11/22 Cables including at least one electrical conductor together with optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1121 One-way transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1125 using a single common optical path
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1127 using two distinct parallel optical paths
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/16 Half-duplex systems; Simplex/duplex switching; Transmission of break signals non-automatically inverting the direction of transmission

Abstract

A wireless optical transceiver system which includes a passive optical antenna coupled by optical fiber to an active electronics module. The transceiver system receives and transmits light beams from/to the atmosphere,.and thereby communicates optically with a second optical transceiver. Receivers, transmitters, repeaters, switches, routers, etc., may be similarly organized, i.e. by coupling one or more passive optical antennas and an active electronics module with fiber-optic cable. Furthermore, various network toplogies and organizations may be arranged using one or more of the fiber-coupled transceivers, receivers, transmitters, repeaters, switches, routers, etc. Such components are admirably suited for use in various network configurations such as broadcast networks, point-to-multipoint networks, etc due to their low cost, ease of installation and antenna sighting, modularity, and upgradability. An optical router for establishing wireless channels to a number of subscribers may be configured based on demodulation and remodulation of light beams, or alternatively by redirecting light beams by adjustable deflections mirrors. A communications network infrastructure based on atmospheric light beam propagation is contemplated.

Claims

1. A system for light-based wireless communication through the atmosphere, comprising:

an optical fiber;

a passive optical antenna coupled to the optical fiber, wherein the passive optical antenna is configured (a) to decouple a first light beam from the optical fiber and transmit the first light beam into the atmosphere, and (b) to receive a second light beam from the atmosphere and couple the second light beam onto the optical fiber;

a transceiver unit coupled to the optical fiber, wherein the transceiver unit includes;

a transmitter for generating the first light beam and modulating a first data signal onto the first light beam;

a receiver for demodulating a second data signal from the second light beam;

a coupling interface for coupling the modulated first light beam onto the optical fiber, and for decoupling the second light beam from the optical fiber and providing the second light beam to the receiver;

a data interface configured to couple to a communication bus, wherein the data interface is configured to receive the first data signal from the communication bus and provide the first data signal to the transmitter, and further configured to receive the second data signal from the receiver and transmit the second data signal onto the communication bus.

2. A system for wireless light-based transmission of information, comprising:

an optical fiber;

a passive optical antenna coupled to the optical fiber, wherein the passive optical antenna is configured to decouple a first light beam from the optical fiber and transmit the first light beam into the atmosphere;

a transmitter unit coupled to the optical fiber, wherein the transmitter unit includes;

a transmitter subsystem for generating the first light beam and modulating a first data signal onto the first light beam;

a coupling unit for coupling the modulated first light beam onto the optical fiber;

a data interface configured to couple to a communication bus, wherein the data interface is configured to receive the first data signal from the communication bus and provide the first data signal to the transmitter.

3. A system for receiving atmospheric light-beam transmissions, comprising:

an optical fiber;

a passive optical antenna coupled to the optical fiber, wherein the passive optical antenna is configured to receive a first light beam from the atmosphere and couple the first light beam onto the optical fiber;

a receiver unit coupled to the optical fiber, wherein the receiver unit includes;

a receiver subsystem for demodulating a first data signal from the first light beam;

a coupling interface for decoupling the first light beam from the optical fiber and providing the first light beam to the receiver subsystem;

a data interface configured to couple to a communication bus, wherein the data interface is configured to receive the first data signal from the receiver subsystem and transmit the first data signal onto the communication-bus.

4. A system for wireless light-based communication through the atmosphere, comprising:

a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber;

a first passive optical antenna coupled to the first optical fiber, wherein the first passive optical antenna is configured to decouple a first light beam from the first optical fiber and transmit the first light beam into the atmosphere;

a second passive optical antenna coupled to the second optical fiber, wherein the second passive optical antenna is configured to receive a second light beam from the atmosphere and couple the second light beam onto the second optical fiber;

a transceiver unit coupled to the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber, wherein the transceiver unit includes;

a transmitter for generating the first light beam and modulating a first data signal onto the first light beam;

a receiver for demodulating a second data signal from the second light beam;

a fiber coupler for coupling the modulated first light beam supplied by the transmitter onto the first optical fiber;

a fiber decoupler for decoupling the second light beam from the second optical fiber and providing the second light beam to the receiver;

a data interface configured to couple to a communication bus, wherein the data interface is configured to receive the first data signal from the communication bus and provide the first data signal to the transmitter, and further configured to receive the second data signal from the receiver and transmit the second data signal onto the communication bus.

5. A system for receiving light-beam transmissions from the atmosphere, comprising:

a plurality of optical fibers;

a corresponding plurality of passive optical antennas, wherein each of the passive optical antennas is coupled to a corresponding one of the optical fibers, wherein each of the passive optical antennas receives a portion of a first light beam from the atmosphere and couples the received portion of the first light onto the corresponding optical fiber;

an active electronics unit which includes;

a fiber coupling unit coupled to the plurality of optical fibers, and configured to combine the multiple portions of the first light beam provided by the plurality of optical fibers;

a receiver coupled to receive the combined portions of the first light beam from the fiber coupling unit and configured to demodulate a first data signal from the combined portions of the first light beam;

a data interface configured to couple to a communication bus, wherein the data interface is configured to receive the first data signal from the receiver and transmit the second data signal onto the communication bus.

6. A network for wireless information broadcast based on light-beam transmission, comprising:

a transmission system which transmits a first light beam into the atmosphere, wherein the first light beam carries via modulation a first data signal;

a plurality of receivers, wherein each of the receivers includes;

an optical fiber;

a passive optical antenna coupled to the optical fiber, wherein the passive optical antenna is configured to receive a portion of the first light beam and couple said portion of the first light beam onto the optical fiber;

an active electronics unit which includes;

a receiver for demodulating the first data signal from said portion of the first light beam;

a fiber decoupler for decoupling said portion of the first light beam from the optical fiber and providing said portion of the first light beam to the receiver;

wherein said active electronics unit is configured to provide the first data signal to a corresponding digital device.

7. The network of claim 6, wherein the transmission system comprises:

a transmit optical fiber;

a transmit optical antenna coupled to the transmit optical fiber;

a transmitter unit coupled to the transmit optical fiber and configured to modulate the first data signal onto the first light beam and to couple the modulated first light beam onto the transmit optical fiber;

wherein the transmit optical antenna is configured to decouple the first light beam from the transmit optical fiber and transmit the first light beam into the atmosphere.

8. The network of claim 7, wherein the transmitter unit is situated at a first location internal to a first building, wherein the transmit optical antenna is situated at a second location external to the first building.

9. The network of claim 6, wherein a first passive optical antenna corresponding to a first of said receivers is situated at a third location external to a second building, wherein a first active electronics unit corresponding to the first receiver is situated at a fourth location internal to the second building.

10. A system for light-beam transmission of multiple independent data streams to multiple destinations, comprising:

a laser for generating a first laser beam;

an active electronics unit configured to receive the first laser beam, wherein the active electronics unit includes;

a beam spitting device for splitting the first laser beam into a plurality of beam components;

a plurality of modulators for modulating a corresponding plurality of data signals on the plurality of beam components, wherein each of the modulators modulates a corresponding one of the data signals on a corresponding one of the beam components;

a coupling device for coupling the modulated beam components onto a corresponding plurality of optical fibers, wherein each of the modulated beam components is coupled onto a corresponding one of the optical fibers;

a data interface configured to couple to a communication bus, wherein the data interface is configured to receive a data stream from the communication bus, and further configured to supply the corresponding data signals to the plurality of modulators;

a plurality of passive optical antennas, wherein each of the passive optical antennas is coupled to a corresponding one of the optical fibers, wherein each of the passive optical antennas decouples the modulated beam component from the corresponding optical fiber, and transmits the modulated beam component into the atmosphere.

11. A system for wireless light-beam transmission of information to multiple destinations, comprising:

a laser for generating a first laser beam;

a plurality of optical fibers;

an active electronics unit coupled to the plurality of optical fibers and configured to receive the first laser beam, wherein the active electronics unit includes;

a modulator for modulating a first data signal onto the first laser beam;

a power splitting unit for splitting the modulated first laser beam into a plurality of beam components;

a fiber coupler for coupling each of the beam components onto a corresponding one of the optical fibers;

a data interface configured to couple to a communication bus, wherein the data interface is configured to receive the first data signal from the communication bus and supply the first data signal to the modulator;

a plurality of optical antenna, wherein each of the optical antennas is coupled to a corresponding one of the optical fibers, wherein each of the optical antennas is configured decouple a corresponding beam component from the corresponding optical fiber and transmit the corresponding beam component into the atmosphere.

12. A switching system for establishing wireless inter-connectivty for a number of subscribers based on the atmospheric transmission of light beams, comprising:

a plurality of optical fibers;

a corresponding plurality of passive optical antennas, wherein each of the passive optical antennas is coupled to a corresponding one of the optical fibers, wherein each of the passive optical antennas is configured (a) to receive a first light beam from the atmosphere and couple the first light beam onto the corresponding optical fiber, and (b) to decouple a second light beam from the corresponding optical fiber and transmit the second light beam into the atmophere;

a plurality of transceivers, wherein each of the transceivers is coupled to a corresponding one of the optical fibers, wherein each of the transceivers is configured (a) to receive the first light beam from the corresponding optical fiber, (b) to demodulate a first data signal from the first light beam, (c) to generate the second light beam, (d) to modulate a second data signal onto the second light beam, and (e) to couple the second light beam onto the corresponding optical fiber;

an electronic switching system for exchanging data signal between the transceivers, wherein the electronic switching system is configured to transmit the second data signal generated by a first transceiver to a second transceiver, and further configured to transmit the second data signal generated by the second transciever to the first transceiver.

13. A method for providing an optical communication capacity to a building, the method comprising:

mounting a passive optical antenna at a first location external to the building;

situating an active electronics unit at a second location internal to the building, wherein said second location is equipped with a power outlet;

coupling the active electronics unit to the power outlet;

coupling the passive optical antenna at the first location and the active electronics unit at the second location with an optical fiber;

coupling a digital device to the active electronics unit through a communication bus;

the passive optical antenna receiving a light beam containing digital data from the atmosphere and coupling the light beam onto the optical fiber;

the optical fiber transferring the light beam between the passive optical antenna and the active electronics unit;

transferring said digital data between the active electronics module and the digital device through the communication bus.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the passive optical antenna is mounted at a first location external to a building.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the transceiver unit is situated at a second location internal to the building.

16. A method for providing an optical communication capacity to a building, the method comprising:

mounting a passive optical antenna at a first location external to the building;

situating an active electronics unit at a second location internal to the building, wherein said second location is equipped with a power outlet;

coupling the active electronics unit to the power outlet;

coupling the passive optical antenna at the first location and the active electronics unit at the second location with an optical fiber;

coupling a digital device to the active electronics unit through a communication bus;

transferring digital data between the digital device and the active electronics module through the communication bus;

the optical fiber transferring a light beam containing the digital data between the active electronics unit and the passive optical antenna;

the passive optical antenna transferring the light beam between the optical fiber and the atmosphere.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the passive optical antenna is mounted at a first location external to a building.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the transceiver unit is situated at a second location internal to the building.

19. A system for light-based communication comprising:

one or more optical fibers;

one or more passive optical antennas each coupled to a corresponding one of the optical fibers;

a transmitter subsystem for modulating one or more data signals onto one or more light beams;

a coupling unit for coupling the one or more modulated light beams onto the one or more optical fibers;

a data interface configured to couple to a communication bus, wherein the data interface is configured to redeive the one or more data signals from the communication bus and provide the one or more data signals to the transmitter subsystem;

wherein the one or more passive optical antennas are configured to decouple the one or more modulated light beams from the one or moree optical antennas and transmit the one or more modulated light beams into the atmosphere.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the transmitter subsystem, coupling unit and data interface are contained in a single package, wherein the single package is situated at a first location internal to a first building, wherein the one or more passive optical antennas are situated at one or more second locations external to the first building.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the transmitter subsystem, coupling unit and data interface are contained in a single package, wherein the single package is configured for coupling to a host computer through the communication bus.

22. A system for light-based communication comprising:

one or more optical fibers;

one or more passive optical antennas for receiving one or more light beams from the atmosphere, wherein each of the one or more passive optical antennas is coupled to a corresponding one of the optical fibers;

a receiver subsystem;

a coupling interface for decoupling the one or more light beams from the one or more optical fibers and providing the one or more light beams to the receiver subsystem, wherein the receiver subsystem is configured to demodulate one or more data signals from the one or more light beams;

a data interface configured to couple to a communication bus, wherein the data interface is configured to receive the one or more data signals from the receiver subsystem and transmit the one or more data signals onto the communication bus.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the receiver subsystem, coupling interface and data interface are contained in a single package, wherein the single package is situated at a first location internal to a first building, wherein the one or more passive optical antennas are situated at one or more second locations external to the first building.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the receiver subsystem, coupling interface and data interface are contained in a single package, wherein the single package is configured for coupling to a host computer through the communication bus.