Hybrid network to carry synchronous and asynchronous traffic over symmetric and asymmetric links
View Patent ↗The versatility provided by network nodes in accordance with the present invention allows the formation of networks using different types of links, links with differing bandwidth, data rates, and bit error rates, as well as both asymmetric and symmetric links. For example, a network can include a first network node coupled to a second network node with a wireless link. The network can include a third network node coupled to the second network node an optical link and coupled to the first network node by a wireless link. A fourth network node can be easily inserted between the third network node and the third network node using wireless links. The optical link between the second and third network nodes can operate at one bandwidth and the various wireless links would operate at other bandwidths depending on the environmental conditions between each pair of nodes.
1. A network configured to transfer data using time-division multiplexing comprising:
a first wireless interface including
a physical layer interface,
an optical transceiver coupled to the physical layer interface and configured to convert an outgoing data stream from an outgoing electrical signal to an outgoing optical signal, and
a media abstraction unit coupled to the optical transceiver and configured to reframe the outgoing data stream from the outgoing optical signal to a second outgoing electrical signal suited for wireless transmission, wherein the media abstraction unit comprises a link quality management unit configured to adapt one or more parameters of the first wireless interface to provide more reliable data transmission, the link quality management unit including
an error correction code encoding unit configured to add redundancy to an outgoing data stream, and
an error correction code level control unit coupled to the error correction code encoding unit;
a second wireless interface;
a first network node including the first wireless interface and a second wireless interface;
a cross connect switch coupled to the physical layer interface of the first wireless interface and the second wireless interface;
a second network node having a third wireless interface coupled to the first wireless interface of the first network node; and
a third network node coupled to the first network node and the second network node.
2. The network of claim 1 , wherein the ECC level control unit controls the amount of redundancy added by the error correction code encoding unit.