Patent ID: 8718477

Claim:
A network system comprising: a plurality of sub-node balloons configured as sub-nodes in a balloon network, wherein each of the sub-node balloons comprises a radio-frequency (RF) communication system that is operable for data communications; and a plurality of super-node balloons configured as super-nodes in a balloon network, wherein each super-node balloon comprises a free-space optical communication system that is operable for data communications with one or more other super-node balloons via an optical link, and wherein at least one of the super-node balloons comprises both: (a) the free-space optical communication system that is operable for data communications with one or more other super-node balloons and (b) an RF communication system that is operable for data communications with at least one of the sub-node balloons via an RF link; wherein the RF communication system of the at least one sub-node balloon is operable to transmit the data received from the at least one of the super-node balloons to at least one ground-based station.