Communication system providing hybrid optical/wireless communications and related methods

An optical-wireless device to be coupled to a longitudinal side of an optical fiber, the optical fiber comprising a core and a cladding surrounding the core, and a fiber bench having a groove retaining the optical fiber therein, the optical fiber having a portion of the cladding removed to define an exposed core portion flush with adjacent portions of the fiber bench, the optical-wireless device comprising:

• a substrate for coupling to the longitudinal side of the optical fiber adjacent the exposed core portion;
• an optical fiber power unit carried by said substrate to be coupled to said exposed core portion for converting optical power therein into electrical power;
• and
• a wireless communication unit carried by said substrate, solely electrically powered by said optical fiber power unit, and to be coupled to the exposed core portion and comprising an ultra-wideband transmitter and a signal optical grating coupling said ultra-wideband transmitter to the longitudinal side of said optical fiber
• said ultra-wideband transmitter comprising
• an optical detector having an input coupled to said signal optical grating and having an output,
• an amplifier having an input connected to the output of said optical detector and having an output,
• a pseudorandom code generator having an output,
• a multiplier having inputs connected to the outputs of said amplifier and pseudorandom code generator, and having an output,
• a pulse generator having an input connected to the output of said multiplier, and having an output, and
• an antenna connected to the output of said pulse generator.

An optical-wireless device to be coupled to an optical fiber and comprising:

• a substrate to be directly coupled to the optical fiber;
• a signal optical grating;
• and
• an ultra-wideband wireless communication unit carried by said substrate and to be coupled to the optical fiber, the ultra-wideband wireless communications unit comprising
• an ultra-wideband transmitter comprising
• an optical detector having an input coupled to said signal optical grating and having an output,
• an amplifier having an input connected to the output of said optical detector and having an output,
• a pseudorandom code generator having an output;
• a multiplier having inputs connected to the outputs of said amplifier and said pseudorandom code generator, said multiplier also having an output,
• a pulse generator having an input connected to the output of said multiplier, and having an output, and
• an antenna to be carried by the optical fiber and connected to the output of said pulse generator;
• said signal optical grating for coupling said ultra-wideband transmitter to the optical fiber.

A communication system comprising:

• an optical fiber;
• at least one optical-wireless device coupled to a longitudinal side of said optical fiber and comprising
• an optical fiber power unit coupled to said optical fiber for converting optical power therein into electrical power, and
• a wireless communication unit electrically operating at a first optical wavelength powered by said optical fiber power unit and coupled to said optical fiber;
• and
• an optical power source coupled to said optical fiber for powering said optical fiber power unit and operating at a second wavelength different than the first optical wavelength.

An optical-wireless device to be coupled to an optical fiber and comprising:

• a substrate to be coupled to the optical fiber;
• and
• an ultra-wideband transmitter and a signal optical grating both carried by said substrate, said optical grating for coupling said ultra-wideband transmitter to the optical fiber, said ultra-wideband transmitter comprising
• an optical detector having an input coupled to said signal optical grating and having an output,
• an amplifier having an input connected to the output of said optical detector and having an output,
• a pseudorandom code generator having an output,
• a multiplier having inputs connected to the outputs of said amplifier and said pseudorandom code generator, said multiplier also having an output,
• a pulse generator having an input connected to the output of said multiplier, and having an output, and
• an antenna to be carried by the optical fiber and connected to the output of said pulse generator.

A method for optical-wireless communication via an optical fiber comprising a core and a cladding surrounding the core, the method comprising:

• coupling at least one optical-wireless device to a longitudinal side of the optical fiber by the cladding, the at least one optical-wireless device comprising an optical fiber power unit and a wireless communication unit connected thereto, the wireless communication unit operating at a first optical wavelength;
• supplying optical power at a second wavelength different than the first optical wavelength into the optical fiber using an optical power source;
• converting the optical power in the optical fiber into electrical power using the optical fiber power unit;
• and
• electrically powering the wireless communication unit for optical-wireless communication using the electrical power converted from the optical power.