Method and apparatus for conditioning a transmission path for free-space optical wireless data communications

A communication apparatus comprising:

• a conditioning wave transmitter for forming a conditioning envelope, the conditioning wave having a radio-frequency wavelength, where the conditioning wave creates a convection pattern;
• an electro-magnetic data transmitter for transmitting a signal wave, wherein the signal wave is transmitted within at least a portion of the conditioning envelope;
• and
• a data receiver for receiving the signal wave, wherein the data transmitter and the data receiver define a communication link, whereby atmospheric particles are removed from the communication link by the convection pattern;
• and
• further comprising a conditioning wave receiver, and wherein the conditioning wave transmitter transmits a conditioning wave that is received by the conditioning wave receiver, where the conditioning wave includes data, whereby the conditioning wave transmitter and the conditioning wave receiver act as a second additional data channel.

A method for conditioning a wireless data communication path for the transmission of a signal wave, the method comprising acts of:

• forming a conditioning envelope from a conditioning wave having a radio-frequency wavelength, the conditioning wave creating a convection pattern;
• transmitting a signal wave within at least a portion of the conditioning envelope, whereby atmospheric particles are removed from around the signal wave by the convection pattern;
• detecting characteristics of the signal wave at a receive point;
• and
• adjusting the wavelength of the conditioning wave at a transmission point of the signal wave based on the characteristics of the signal wave at the receive point, wherein the transmission point and the receive point define a communication link.

A method for conditioning a wireless data communication path for the transmission of a signal wave, the method comprising acts of:

• forming a conditioning envelope from a conditioning wave having a radio-frequency wavelength, the conditioning wave creating a convection pattern;
• and
• transmitting a signal wave within at least a portion of the conditioning envelope, whereby atmospheric particles are removed from around the signal wave by the convection pattern;
• and
• further comprising an act of utilizing the conditioning wave to send data.