Optical/radio local access network
First Claim
1. A communication system comprising:
- a plurality of nodes, each node including an optical switch to controllably route signals from a plurality of in-ports of the optical switch into a plurality of out-ports of the optical switch;
a plurality of point-to-point links between each node and another of the plurality of nodes that interconnect the plurality of nodes into a network, each point-to-point link including a free space optical channel, a first free space optical channel coupling to a first node through a receive path and through a transmit path, the receive path coupling to a respective in-port of the optical switch of the first node, the transmit path coupling to a respective out-port of the optical switch of the first node; and
at least one communication hub comprising;
a plurality of neighborhood links to corresponding users, where each link carries an optical signal having a wavelength assigned to a corresponding user;
an optical switch coupled to the plurality of neighborhood links to route the optical signals to the corresponding users; and
a trunk coupled between the optical switch in the communication hub and a free space optical channel link to at least one node of the network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A communication system includes a plurality of nodes and a plurality of point-to-point links that interconnect the plurality of nodes into a network. Each node includes an optical switch to controllably route a plurality of in-ports of the optical switch into a plurality of out-ports of the optical switch. Each point-to-point link includes a free space optical channel. A first free space optical channel couples to a first node through a receive path and through a transmit path. The receive path couples to a respective in-port of the optical switch of the first node, and the transmit path couples to a respective out-port of the optical switch of the first node. In an alternative embodiment, a communication hub includes a plurality of neighborhood links to corresponding users, an optical switch coupled to the plurality of neighborhood links, and a trunk coupled between the optical switch and a free space optical channel link to the network. A method of communicating in a network having plural links includes sensing the presence of a received signal failure by monitoring channel losses in a first link the received signal failure resulting from at least one of rain and fog. The method further includes sending data in a free space optical channel of the first link when the received signal failure sensed is due to rain and sending the data in an RF channel of the first link when the received signal failure sensed is due to fog.
15 Citations
4 Claims
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1. A communication system comprising:
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a plurality of nodes, each node including an optical switch to controllably route signals from a plurality of in-ports of the optical switch into a plurality of out-ports of the optical switch; a plurality of point-to-point links between each node and another of the plurality of nodes that interconnect the plurality of nodes into a network, each point-to-point link including a free space optical channel, a first free space optical channel coupling to a first node through a receive path and through a transmit path, the receive path coupling to a respective in-port of the optical switch of the first node, the transmit path coupling to a respective out-port of the optical switch of the first node; and at least one communication hub comprising; a plurality of neighborhood links to corresponding users, where each link carries an optical signal having a wavelength assigned to a corresponding user; an optical switch coupled to the plurality of neighborhood links to route the optical signals to the corresponding users; and a trunk coupled between the optical switch in the communication hub and a free space optical channel link to at least one node of the network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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Specification
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- Resources
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Current AssigneeAT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
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Original AssigneeAT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
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InventorsMiller, Robert R., Britz, David M., Lin, Lih-Yuan, Dodley, Jeevan Prakash
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Primary Examiner(s)Leung, Christina Y.
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Application NumberUS10/691,949Time in Patent Office866 DaysField of Search398/45, 398/48, 398/52, 398/55, 398 70- 71, 398/83, 398/96, 398/103, 398/115, 398/116, 398/118, 398/128, 398/49, 398/51, 398/56, 398/57, 398/82, 398/127, 398/72, 385/18, 379/56.2US Class Current398/55CPC Class CodesH04B 10/1125 using a single common optic...
