Arrangement for overlaying optical (such as FSO) and radio frequency (such as WiMAX) communications networks

Abstract

An integrated communications network includes a free space optics network and a radio frequency network. A first method provides Classes of Service (CoS) to a subscriber located among regions defined by respective transmission bandwidth capabilities. The first method involves monitoring in which region the subscriber is located, and determining at least one possible CoS that can be provided using at least one of the FSO and RF networks, based on a transmission bandwidth capability of the region in which the subscriber is located. Another method involves comparing projected costs of possible CoSs, and selecting a CoS to provide to the subscriber. A load balancing and resource sharing method involves determining whether or not to provide additional bandwidth capacity in, or to re allocate bandwidth capacity among, transceivers in FSO and RF networks, in clusters of the transceivers, or in aggregates of the clusters of the transceivers.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.