System and method for a high-speed, customizible subscriber network using optical wireless links
OwnerKyuman Cho, Young-Wan Choiinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A plurality of short-range optical wireless links are coupled together to form a high-speed, customized subscriber network. Each of the plurality of short-range optical wireless links has a short-range optical transmitter and a short-range optical receiver. These devices are separated by a distance over which fading of received optical power caused by atmospheric turbulence can be neglected. In an embodiment, the subscriber network includes at least one medium-range optical wireless link for communicating over a distance up to 500 meters. In an embodiment, the subscriber network includes at least one long-range optical wireless link for communicating over a distance greater than 500 meters.
Claims43
A system for providing high-speed, customizable subscriber service to individual subscribers in a subscriber region, comprising:
- an optical wireless network having a plurality of short-range optical wireless links,
- wherein said optical wireless network has a range that covers at least one subscriber zone subdivided into at least two sub-subscriber zones,
- each of said plurality of short-range optical wireless links having a short-range optical transmitter and a short-range optical receiver, and
- wherein a distance between said short-range optical transmitter and said short-range optical receiver of each of said plurality of short-range optical wireless links is less than a maximum distance over which fading of received optical power caused by atmospheric turbulence can be neglected;
- and
- at least one subscriber zone node coupled to at least one short-range optical wireless link of said optical wireless network,
- said at least one subscriber zone node having access to a high-speed, major backbone.
The system of claim 11, wherein
- said building is a single-family residential dwelling.
A method for providing high-speed, customizable subscriber service to individual subscribers in a subscriber region, the method comprising the steps of:
- coupling a first short-range optical transmitter to an optical wireless network,
- said optical wireless network comprising a plurality of short-range optical wireless links coupled together, and
- said optical wireless network having at least one subscriber zone subdivided into at least two sub-subscriber zones;
- coupling a short-range optical receiver to a first subscriber's digital communication device;
- and
- transmitting data from the optical wireless network to the first subscriber's digital communication device using the first short-range optical transmitter and the first short-range optical receiver.
A method for providing high-speed, customizable subscriber service to individual subscribers in a subscriber region, the method comprising the steps of:
- offering the subscriber a choice of at least two data rates for connecting to an optical wireless network,
- said optical wireless network comprising a plurality of short-range optical wireless links coupled together, and
- said optical wireless network having at least one subscriber zone subdivided into at least two sub-subscriber zones;
- selecting a short-range optical communication device capable of communicating with the network at the data rate chosen by the subscriber;
- installing the short-range optical communication device at a location indicated by the subscriber so that the subscriber can couple at least one digital communication device to the short-range optical communication device;
- and
- coupling the short-range optical communication device to the optical wireless network so that the digital communication device is capable of exchanging data with the network at the data rate chosen by the subscriber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.