Wireless communications systems employing free-space optical communications links

摘要

The cells of a wireless communications system can be subdivided into smaller subcells, in each of which the available radio frequencies can be re-used to allow denser use of the system. To avoid having to run hard-wired communications links to broadcast antennas of the subcells, substantially unguided, free-space, optical communication is used between the antenna that formerly served the cell and the subcell antennas. The existing hard-wired connection from the central antenna to the remainder of the wireless communications system infrastructure continues to be used for communication to and from the cell. IMAGE