Free space optical broadband access system
AssigneeLucent Technologies Inc.
InventorsCharles Calvin Byers, Stephen Joseph Hinterlong, Robert Allen Novotny, Robert E. Richardson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The scanning free space optical broadband access network uses LASERs to carry high-speed data streams between a central location and a number of subscribers served from that location. High-speed digital data modulates the LASERs in both directions, allowing a virtual MAN to be created. A few dozen subscribers share a single virtual pipe with several hundred Mbps band-width available. Beam scanning techniques at a central hub permit a single LASER and optical assembly to serve many customers.
Claims33
In a free space optical broadband access system apparatus for communicating between a source and a plurality of destinations, comprising:
- means for steering a LASER beam at the source to each of said plurality of destinations;
- means, coupled to said means for steering, for receiving a modulated LASER beam from each of said plurality of destinations;
- means for receiving communication signals from, and transmitting communication signals to a communication network;
- means, coupled to said means for steering, and said means for receiving communication signals from said communication network for modulating the steered LASER beam with the signals received from the network, toward each of said plurality of destinations;
- and
- means, coupled to said means for transmitting communication signals to said network for demodulating the received LASER beam, thereby transmitting the received signals to the network;
- wherein said means for steering comprises:
- means for steering said transmitted modulated LASER beam to each active one of said plurality of destinations during a cycle;
- wherein said cycle is limited to an acceptable upper limit of latency for data being exchanged between said apparatus for communicating, and each of said plurality of active destinations.
In a free space optical broadband access system, apparatus for communicating between a source and a plurality of destinations, comprising:
- means, for steering a LASER beam at the source to each of said plurality of destinations;
- means, coupled to said means for steering, for receiving a modulated LASER beam from each of said plurality of destinations;
- means for receiving communication signals from, and transmitting communication signals to a communication network;
- means, coupled to said means for steering, and said means for receiving communication signals from said communication network for modulating the steered LASER beam with the signals received from the network, toward each of said plurality of destinations;
- and
- means, coupled to said means for transmitting communication signal to said network for demodulating the received LASER beam, thereby transmitting the received signals to the network;
- means, coupled to said means for steering, for compensating for deflections of said source;
- wherein said means for compensating comprises means for detecting slow changes in deflection of a tower for mounting said LASER beam;
- and
- wherein said slow deflections are caused by unequal heating of said tower and sensed by temperature sensors on all sides.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.