Patent ID: 7359639

Claim:
Apparatus for communicating data in free space comprising: first and second communication terminals, each of said communication terminals further comprising: an RF transmission module for receiving multiple data channels from a data source and processing said data channels to combine said data channels into an aggregate radio frequency subcarrier signal; an optical transmission module for receiving said aggregate radio frequency subcarrier signal, impressing said subcarrier signal onto a laser optical carrier signal, and transmitting said laser carrier signal in free space; an optical reception module for receiving a laser carrier signal from free space and extracting an aggregate radio frequency subcarrier signal therefrom; an RF reception module for receiving said aggregate radio frequency subcarrier signal and separating said data channels therefrom; and wherein said optical transmission and reception modules have means to acquire and track a remote communication terminal; and a terminal controller connected to said RF transmission module and said RF reception module to control the processing of signals through said modules.