Laser based telecommunication network and router

• US 6,701,092 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2002
• Issued: 03/02/2004
• 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:
  US10/055,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20020122232A1
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 359/152, 359/172, 359/118, 359/125, 379/56.1, 379/56.2, 398/71, 398/115, 398/118, 398/128, 398/135, 398/45
• 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 point-to-multipoint bi-directional wide area telecommunications network employing atmospheric optical communication. The network comprises a primary transceiver unit, a plurality of subscriber transceiver units and an optical router. The primary transceiver unit may send data destined for the subscriber transceiver units through the optical router, and the subscriber transceiver units may send data destined for the primary transceiver unit through the optical router. The primary transceiver unit and optical router communicate by means of light beams which are transmitted through the atmosphere. Similarly, the optical router and the subscriber transceiver units communicate by means of light beams which are transmitted through the atmosphere.

Claims

1. A point-to-multipoint bi-directional wide area communications network employing atmospheric optical communication, comprising:

a primary transceiver unit comprising a primary light source configured to generate a first light beam, wherein said primary transceiver unit is configured to modulate first data on said first light beam, wherein said primary transceiver unit atmospherically transmits said first light beam including said first data;

an optical router configured to atmospherically receive said first light beam including said first data from said primary transceiver unit; and

a plurality of subscriber transceiver units;

wherein said optical router atmospherically transmits a plurality of second light beams including said first data, wherein each of said plurality of second light beams is transmitted to one of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units;

wherein each of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units is configured to atmospherically receive one of said plurality of second light beams including said first data from said optical router, wherein each of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units is configured to demodulate at least a portion of said first data from said second light beam;

wherein each of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units is configured to modulate respective second data on a third light beam, wherein each of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units atmospherically transmits said third light beam including said respective second data to said optical router;

wherein said optical router is configured to atmospherically receive a plurality of said third light beams each including said respective second data from said plurality of subscriber transceiver units, wherein said optical router atmospherically transmits a fourth light beam including said respective second data to said primary transceiver unit; and

wherein said primary transceiver unit atmospherically receives said fourth light beam including said respective second data, wherein said primary transceiver unit is configured to demodulate said respective second data from said fourth light beam;

wherein said primary transceiver unit, said optical router and said plurality of subscriber transceiver units comprise a wide area optical telecommunications network.

2. The network of claim 1, wherein said optical router is configured to demodulate said first data from said first light beam, wherein said optical router comprises a plurality of optical router light sources configured to generate said plurality of second light beams, wherein said optical router is configured to modulate said first data on said plurality of second light beams.

3. The network of claim 1, wherein said optical router is configured to demodulate said respective second data from each of said plurality of third light beams, wherein said optical router comprises an optical router light source configured to generate said fourth light beam, wherein said optical router is configured to modulate said respective second data from each of said plurality of third light beams on said fourth light beam.

4. The network of claim 1, wherein said optical router is configured to atmospherically transmit said plurality of second light beams including said first data to respective ones of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units and atmospherically receive said plurality of third light beams each including said respective second data from said respective ones of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units during respective time periods.

5. The network of claim 1, wherein said optical router is configured to route said first data from said primary transceiver unit to respective ones of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units and to route said respective second data from said respective ones of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units to said primary transceiver unit during respective time periods.

6. The network of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of said optical routers configured to route a plurality of said first and second data between said primary transceiver unit and a plurality of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units.

7. The network of claim 6, wherein each of said plurality of optical routers has an associated range of accessibility to one or more of said plurality of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units, wherein said plurality of optical routers and said one or more of said plurality of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units are spatially located whereby said one or more of said plurality of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units are within said associated range of accessibility of at least two of said plurality of optical routers.

8. The network of claim 1, wherein said first light beam and said fourth light beam are substantially collinear.

9. The network of claim 1, wherein said plurality of second light beams and corresponding ones of said plurality of third light beams are substantially collinear.

10. The network of claim 1, wherein said first light beam and said fourth light beam have different wavelengths or polarities.

11. The network of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of second light beams and corresponding ones of said plurality of third light beams have different wavelengths or polarities.

12. The network of claim 1, wherein said optical router comprises:

one or more transceiver modules, wherein said one or more transceiver modules atmospherically receive said plurality of third light beams each including said respective second data, wherein said one or more transceiver modules atmospherically transmit said plurality of second light beams each including said first data;

a secondary transceiver unit, wherein said secondary transceiver unit atmospherically receives said first light beam including said first data, wherein said secondary transceiver unit atmospherically transmits said fourth light beam including said respective second data; and

an electronic router electronically coupling said secondary transceiver unit to said one or more transceiver modules, wherein said electronic router routes said first data and said respective second data between said secondary transceiver unit and said one or more transceiver modules.

13. The network of claim 1,

wherein said optical router comprises an active optics beam control system;

wherein said primary transceiver unit comprises an active optics beam control system;

wherein said optical router active optics beam control system and said primary transceiver unit active optics beam control system cooperate to maintain optical stabilization of said first light beam from said primary transceiver unit to said optical router.

14. The network of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units comprises an active optics beam control system;

wherein said optical router comprises an active optics beam control system;

wherein each of said plurality of subscriber transceiver unit active optics beam control systems and said optical router active optics beam control system cooperate to maintain optical stabilization of said third light beam from each of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units to said optical router.

15. The network of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units includes a subscriber light source configured to generate one of said plurality of third light beams.

16. The network of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units is configured to remove said first data from a received one of said second light beams after demodulating at least a portion of said first data from said received second light beam and before modulating said respective second data on said third light beam, wherein said received second light beam is said third light beam.

17. The network of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units includes a subscriber optical antenna coupled to an input/output device by a transmission medium, wherein at least a portion of said first data and said respective second data are communicated between said subscriber optical antenna and said input/output device along said transmission medium.

18. The network of claim 17, wherein said transmission medium is a fiber optic cable, wherein said subscriber optical antenna is configured to couple a received one of said second light beams including at least a portion of said first data into said fiber optic cable to said input/output device, wherein said input/output device is configured to demodulate at least a portion of said first data from said received second light beam, wherein said input/output device further comprises a subscriber light source which generates said third light beam, wherein said input/output device is configured to modulate said respective second data on said third light beam, wherein said subscriber optical antenna is configured to decouple said third light beam including said respective second data from said fiber optic cable and atmospherically transmit said third light beam including said respective second data to said optical router.

19. The network of claim 17, wherein said transmission medium is a fiber optic cable, wherein said subscriber optical antenna is configured to couple a received one of said second light beams including at least a portion of said first data into said fiber optic cable to said input/output device, wherein said input/output device is configured to demodulate at least a portion of said first data from said received second light beam, wherein said input/output device is configured to modulate said respective second data on said third light beam, wherein said input/output device is configured to remove said first data from said received second light beam after demodulating said at least a portion of said first data from said received second light beam and before modulating said respective second data on said third light beam, wherein said received second light beam is said third light beam, wherein said subscriber optical antenna is configured to decouple said third light beam including said respective second data from said fiber optic cable and atmospherically transmit said third light beam including said respective second data to said optical router.

20. The network of claim 1, wherein said primary transceiver unit transmits timing control information to said plurality of subscriber transceiver units, wherein said plurality of subscriber transceiver units utilize said timing control information to determine when to transmit said third light beams including said respective second data.

21. The network of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units comprises a rotatably mounted optical antenna, wherein each of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units is configured to rotate said optical antenna to detect the location of said optical router.

22. The network of claim 21 further comprising a plurality of optical routers, wherein said plurality of subscriber transceiver units rotate said optical antenna to detect an alternate one of said plurality of optical routers upon losing reception of said second light beam.

23. The network of claim 1, wherein said first light beam, said plurality of second light beams, said plurality of third light beams, and said fourth light beam have adjustable power levels to achieve a proper fade margin according to varying atmospheric conditions.

24. The network of claim 1, wherein said optical router is configured to transmit each of one or more of said plurality of second light beams to two or more of said subscriber transceiver units.

25. A point-to-multipoint bi-directional wide area communications network employing atmospheric optical communication comprising:

a primary transceiver unit comprising a primary light source configured to generate a first light beam, wherein said primary transceiver unit is configured to modulate respective first data on said first light beam, wherein said primary transceiver unit atmospherically transmits said first light beam including said respective first data, wherein said primary transceiver unit atmospherically receives a second light beam including respective second data, wherein said primary transceiver unit is configured to demodulate said respective second data from said second light beam;

a plurality of subscriber transceiver units, wherein each of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units atmospherically receives a third light beam including said respective first data, wherein each of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units is configured to demodulate said respective first data from said third light beam, wherein each of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units is configured to modulate said respective second data on a fourth light beam, wherein each of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units atmospherically transmits said fourth light beam including said respective second data; and

an optical router configured to atmospherically receive said first light beam including said respective first data from said primary transceiver unit, wherein said optical router atmospherically transmits a plurality of said third light beams including said respective first data to respective ones of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units, wherein said optical router is configured to receive a plurality of said fourth light beams including said respective second data, wherein said optical router atmospherically transmits said second light beam including said respective second data to said primary transceiver unit;

wherein said primary transceiver unit, said optical router and said plurality of subscriber transceiver units comprise a wide area optical telecommunications network.

26. The network of claim 25, wherein said optical router is configured to demodulate said respective first data from said first light beam, wherein said optical router comprises a plurality of optical router light sources each configured to generate one of said plurality of third light beams, wherein said optical router is configured to modulate said respective first data on each of said plurality of third light beams.

27. The network of claim 25, wherein said optical router is configured to demodulate said respective second data from said fourth light beams, wherein said optical router comprises a second optical router light source configured to generate said second light beam, wherein said optical router is configured to modulate said respective second data on said second light beam.

28. The network of claim 25, wherein said optical router is configured to atmospherically transmit said plurality of third light beams each including said respective first data to said respective ones of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units and atmospherically receive said plurality of fourth light beams each including said respective second data from said respective ones of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units during respective time periods.

29. The network of claim 25, wherein said optical router is configured to route said respective first data from said primary transceiver unit to said respective ones of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units and to route said respective second data from said respective ones of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units to said primary transceiver unit during respective time periods.

30. The network of claim 25, further comprising a plurality of said optical routers configured to route a plurality of said respective first and second data between said primary transceiver unit and a plurality of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units.

31. The network of claim 30, wherein each of said plurality of optical routers has an associated range of accessibility to one or more of said plurality of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units, wherein said plurality of optical routers and said one or more of said plurality of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units are spatially located whereby said one or more of said plurality of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units are within said associated range of accessibility of at least two of said plurality of optical routers.

32. The network of claim 25, wherein said optical router comprises:

one or more transceiver modules, wherein said one or more transceiver modules atmospherically receive said plurality of fourth light beams including said respective second data, wherein said one or more transceiver modules atmospherically transmit said plurality of third light beams including said respective first data;

a secondary transceiver unit, wherein said secondary transceiver unit atmospherically receives said first light beam including said respective first data, wherein said secondary transceiver unit atmospherically transmits said second light beam including said respective second data; and

an electronic router electronically coupling said secondary transceiver unit to said one or more transceiver modules, wherein said electronic router routes said respective first data and said respective second data between said secondary transceiver unit and said one or more transceiver modules.

33. The network of claim 25, wherein each of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units comprises a subscriber light source configured to generate a corresponding one of said fourth light beams.

34. The network of claim 25, wherein each of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units comprises a subscriber optical antenna coupled to an input/output device by a transmission medium, wherein at least a portion of said respective first data and said respective second data are communicated between said subscriber optical antenna and said input/output device along said transmission medium.

35. The network of claim 25, wherein the optical router is configured to transmit each of one or more of said third light beams to two or more of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units.

36. A broadcast wide area communications network employing atmospheric optical communication, comprising:

a primary transceiver unit comprising a primary light source configured to generate a first light beam, wherein said primary transceiver unit is configured to modulate first data on said first light beam, wherein said primary transceiver unit atmospherically transmits said first light beam including said first data;

an optical router configured to atmospherically receive said first light beam including said first data from said primary transceiver unit; and

a plurality of subscriber transceiver units;

wherein said optical router is configured to atmospherically receive said first light beam including said first data from said primary transceiver unit, wherein said optical router atmospherically transmits a plurality of second light beams including said first data, wherein each of said plurality of second light beams is transmitted to one of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units;

wherein each of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units is configured to atmospherically receive a respective one of said plurality of second light beams including said first data from said optical router, wherein each of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units is configured to demodulate at least a portion of said first data from said respective one of said plurality of second light beams;

wherein said primary transceiver unit, said optical router and said plurality of subscriber transceiver units comprise a wide area optical telecommunications network.

37. The network of claim 36, wherein said optical router is configured to demodulate said first data from said first light beam, wherein said optical router comprises a plurality of optical router light sources each configured to generate a corresponding one of said second light beams, wherein said optical router is configured to modulate said first data on said plurality of second light beams.

38. The network of claim 36, wherein said optical router is configured to atmospherically transmit said plurality of second light beams including said first data to respective ones of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units during respective time periods.

39. The network of claim 36, wherein said optical router is configured to route said first data from said primary transceiver unit to respective ones of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units during respective time periods.

40. The network of claim 36, further comprising a plurality of said optical routers configured to route a plurality of said first data between said primary transceiver unit and a plurality of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units.

41. The network of claim 40, wherein each of said plurality of optical routers has an associated range of accessibility to one or more of said plurality of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units, wherein said plurality of optical routers and said one or more of said plurality of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units are spatially located whereby said one or more of said plurality of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units are within said associated range of accessibility of at least two of said plurality of optical routers.

42. The network of claim 36, wherein said optical router comprises:

one or more transceiver modules, wherein said one or more transceiver modules atmospherically transmit said plurality of second light beams including said first data;

a secondary transceiver unit, wherein said secondary transceiver unit atmospherically receives said first light beam including said first data; and

an electronic router electronically coupling said secondary transceiver unit to said one or more transceiver modules, wherein said electronic router routes said first data from said secondary transceiver unit to said one or more transceiver modules.

43. The network of claim 36, wherein each of said plurality of subscriber transceiver units comprises a subscriber optical antenna coupled to an input/output device by a transmission medium, wherein at least a portion of said first data is communicated between said subscriber optical antenna and said input/output device along said transmission medium.

44. An optical router for routing data, comprising:

one or more transceiver modules, wherein said one or more transceiver modules atmospherically receive a plurality of first light beams including respective first data, wherein said one or more transceiver modules atmospherically transmit a plurality of second light beams including respective second data;

a secondary transceiver unit, wherein said secondary transceiver unit atmospherically receives a third light beam including said respective second data, wherein said secondary transceiver unit atmospherically transmits a fourth light beam including said respective second data; and

an electronic router electronically coupling said secondary transceiver unit to said one or more transceiver modules, wherein said electronic router routes said respective first data and said respective second data between said secondary transceiver unit and said one or more transceiver modules,

wherein each of said one or more transceiver modules comprises;

a beam demodulator;

an X-Y beam deflector configured to receive one or more of said first light beams including said respective first data from one or more subscriber transceiver units and deflect said one or more of said first light beams to the beam demodulator, wherein the beam demodulator is configured to demodulate said respective first data from said one or more of said first light beams;

a light source configured to generate a corresponding one of said second light beams, wherein said X-Y beam deflector is further configured to receive said corresponding second light beam from said light source and deflect said corresponding second light beam including said respective second data to said subscriber transceiver unit.

45. The optical router of claim 44, wherein said one or more transceiver modules are configured to demodulate said respective first data from said plurality of first light beams, wherein each of said one or more transceiver modules comprise a transceiver module light source configured to generate a corresponding one of said plurality of second light beams, wherein said one or more transceiver modules are configured to modulate said respective second data on said plurality of second light beams.

46. The optical router of claim 44, wherein said secondary transceiver unit is configured to demodulate said respective second data from said third light beam, wherein said secondary transceiver unit comprises a secondary transceiver unit light source configured to generate said fourth light beam, wherein said secondary transceiver unit is configured to modulate said respective first data on said fourth light beam.

47. The optical router of claim 44, wherein said one or more transceiver modules are configured to atmospherically transmit said plurality of second light beams including said respective second data and atmospherically receive said plurality of first light beams including said respective first data during respective time periods.

48. The optical router of claim 44, wherein said electronic router is configured to route said respective first data and to route said respective second data between said one or more transceiver modules and said secondary transceiver unit during respective time periods.

49. The optical router of claim 44, wherein said optical router receives routing control information from a primary transceiver unit, wherein said electronic router is configured to route said respective first data between said secondary transceiver unit and said one or more transceiver modules based on said routing control information.

50. The optical router of claim 44, wherein said secondary transceiver unit comprises an optical antenna which atmospherically receives said third light beam including said respective second data and atmospherically transmits said fourth light beam including said respective first data.