AN INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR FREE-SPACE OPTICLE COMMUNICATION SYSYEMS

摘要

A method of managing a free-space optical network includes monitoring environmental and weather conditions in the vicinity of one or more free-space optical links (104) in the network. Data is gathered by environmental condition instruments (112), such as visibility meters, and is used to assess whether atmospheric conditions have deteriorated to the point where operation of one or more free-space links (104) might be in jeopardy. If data from an environmental condition instrument (112) falls below a predetermined level, network data traffic is routed over an alternate communication path, which may include radio frequency (RF) paths (200), fiber optic cables (220), wire cables (218), or other free-space links (224, 228).