US 8,942,562 B2 · Integrated commercial communications network using radio frequency and free space optical data communication

Abstract

A stabilized ultra-high bandwidth capacity transceiver system that combines an E-band (71-76 GHz, 81-86 GHz) millimeter wave RF transceiver with an eye-safe adaptive optics Free Space Optical (FSO) transceiver as a combined apparatus for simultaneous point-to-point commercial communications. The apparatus has a high degree of assured carrier availability under stressing environmental conditions. The apparatus establishes and maintains pointing and stabilization of mmW RF and FSO optical beams between adjacent line of sight apparatuses. The apparatus can rapidly acquire and reacquire the FSO optical carrier link in the event the optical carrier link is impaired due to adverse weather.

Claims26

Dependent claims

An integrated apparatus for free space data transmission comprising:

an E-band millimeter wave (mmW) Radio Frequency (RF) transceiver comprising RF antenna, the E-band mmW RF transceiver forming a RF link with a remote apparatus;
a free space optical (FSO) transceiver comprising an optical source and an FSO telescope, the FSO telescope pointed in substantially the same direction as the RF antenna, the FSO transceiver forming a FSO link with the remote apparatus, the RF antenna and the FSO telescope having physically separate transmission axes located a distance greater than zero centimeters apart;
and
a gimbal assembly coupled to both the E-band mmW RF transceiver and the FSO transceiver, wherein motion of the gimbal assembly re-orients both the RF antenna and the FSO telescope towards the remote apparatus.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Integrated commercial communications network using radio frequency and free space optical data communication

Life of this patent

Integrated commercial communications network using radio frequency and free space optical data communication

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26