Patent ID: 8009989

Claim:
A method for increasing the availability of a communication link, comprising: splitting an optically-modulated source signal into a first optical splitter output and a second optical splitter output; transmitting the first optical splitter output through a first optical switch to an optical transmitter using an optical-only communication path; detecting a degradation of a quality of a received optical signal; in response to the detecting degradation of a quality of a received optical signal: closing the first optical switch to cease transmitting the first optical splitter output to the optical transmitter; and opening a second optical switch to commence transmitting the second optical splitter output to an optical-to-electrical converter for transmission via a radio transmitter; splitting a radio-modulated source signal into a first radio splitter output and a second radio splitter output; transmitting the first radio splitter output through a first electrical switch to the radio transmitter using an electrical-only communication path; detecting a degradation of a quality of a received radio signal; in response to the detecting degradation of a quality of a received radio signal: closing the first electrical switch to cease transmitting the first radio splitter output to the radio transmitter; and opening a second electrical switch to commence transmitting the second radio splitter output to an electrical-to-optical converter for transmission via the optical transmitter.