HYBRID WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM UTILIZING A COMBINATION OF OPTICAL AND NON-OPTICAL CHANNELS

摘要

A hybrid link (Fig. 1) and method for extending the all-weather range of a broadband wireless communication system using a hybrid combination of free-space optical communication channels (12) and non-optical channels (20). Examples of non-optical channels are microwave or millimeter-wave communication channels. Each communication channel in the system is engineered to achieve an optimum channel margin. Channel margins are based on a predetermined percent for channel availability under weather conditions ranging from dense fog or excessive rain to light drizzle. In clear weather, the link is designed to communicate at a data rate equal to the sum of the individual data rates of both channels. Use of the hybrid link increases the range such that the transmitters and receivers of the system may be placed physically farther apart. The hybrid link provides protection for transmitted data using the electromagnetic complementarity of the frequencies used for data transmission in various weather conditions.