Patent ID: 7590404
Filing Date: 2009-09-15
Classification: H01Q,H04W

Abstract:
1. A communication system comprising: a first antenna located at a first site and configured to exchange first user communications with first wireless communication devices in a wireless communication format and to exchange the first user communications over a first communication link; a first base station located at the first site and configured to exchange the first user communications with the first antenna over the first communication link and to exchange the first user communications over a second communication link; a service node configured to exchange the first user communications with the first base station over the second communication link and to process the first user communications to provide a communication service to the first wireless communication devices; a second antenna located at a second site and configured to exchange second user communications with second wireless communication devices in the wireless communication format and to exchange the second user communications over a third communication link; a first surface wave communication interface located at the second site and configured to exchange the second user communications with the second antenna over the third communication link and to exchange the second user communications over a fourth communication link that comprises a surface wave communication link that transmits communication signals external to and around the surface of an electrical power line as a guided Radio Frequency (RF) wave; a second surface wave communication interface located at the first site and configured to exchange the second user communications with the first surface wave interface over the surface wave communication link and to exchange the second user communications over a fifth communication link; a second base station located at the first site and configured to exchange the second user communications with the second surface wave communication interface over the fifth communication link and to exchange the second user communications over the second communication link or a sixth communication link; and wherein the service node is configured to exchange the second user communications with the second base station over the second communication link or the sixth communication link and to process the second user communications to provide the communication service to the second wireless communication devices.