Patent ID: 6314163
Filing Date: 2001-11-06
Classification: H04B,H04W

Abstract:
A telecommunications apparatus comprising:a communications switch;a first transceiver, electrically connected to the communications switch, for first wirelessly telecommunicating externally to the apparatus by first signals over a plurality of first paths;a second, optical, transceiver, also electrically connected to the communications switch, for wirelessly telecommunicating externally to the apparatus by second, optical, signals over a plurality of second, free-space optical, paths; anda controllerfor causing the communications switch to route telecommunications traffic between the first transceiver and the second transceiver, and, further,for causing the second, optical, transceivers to route an optical signal received upon some one of the plurality of second, free-space optical, paths to be transmitted upon another one of the plurality of second, free-space optical, paths, serving thus as an optical signal repeater;wherein wireless telecommunications are routed between the first paths and the second, free-space optical, paths; andwherein second signals upon the second, free-space-optical paths are routed between the free-space optical paths.