Integrated sensor networks with optical and wireless links

1. A method for communicating data in an integrated sensor network having one or more nodes coupled to an optical sensor network and a radio frequency wireless sensor network, each node having an optical link and a wireless link, the method comprising:

a. determining a transmission path having one or more hybrid hops for packet transmission over the optical sensor network and the radio frequency wireless sensor network, each hybrid hop including optical and wireless links between two neighboring nodes; and

b. selecting a set of optical and wireless links for the optical sensor network and the radio frequency wireless sensor network to minimize contiguous wireless links;

c. coordinating transmissions over the optical sensor network and the radio frequency wireless sensor network with a quality-aware cross-link optimization;

d. transmitting a packet over both wireless and optical links to improve performance through link diversity; and

e. automatically switching to a good link if a bad link is detected.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising selecting only optical transmission for a pure optical hop and selecting only wireless transmission a pure wireless hop.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising selecting either the optical link or the wireless link for packet transmission if a hop is the only hop from a source to a destination.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising selecting the optical link if a prior hop uses the wireless link.

5. The method of claim 1 , comprising selecting the optical link if a succeeding hop uses the wireless link.

6. The method of claim 1 , comprising selecting either the wireless link or the optical link if neither a prior hop nor a succeeding hop uses the wireless link.

7. The method of claim 1 , comprising selecting the optical link if a prior hop uses the optical link and a succeeding hop is a hybrid hop.

8. The method of claim 1 , comprising checking if a prior or succeeding hop is a hybrid hop if the transmission link of a hybrid hop changes.

9. The method of claim 1 , comprising reselecting a link when a hybrid hop changes its transmission link from an optical link to a wireless link.

10. The method of claim 1 , comprising reselecting a link when a hybrid hop changes its transmission link from the wireless link to the optical link.

11. The method of claim 1 , comprising reselecting a link due to link unavailability and a prior hop or a succeeding hop is a hybrid hop.

12. The method of claim 11 , comprising recursively reselecting link for the prior or succeeding hop if they are hybrid hops.

13. The method of claim 1 , comprising forming an ad hoc topology including tree, linear, or mesh topology with the nodes.

14. The method of claim 1 , comprising communicating with a node having an RF transceiver and an optical transmitter, a node having an RF transceiver and an optical receiver, or a node having an RF transceiver and an optical transceiver.

15. The method of claim 1 , comprising determining a transmission path between nodes to minimize contiguous wireless links.

16. The method of claim 1 , comprising selecting a path based on optical and wireless link availability and quality information.

17. The method of claim 1 , comprising determining a weighted path length, an average optical hops, and a remaining bandwidth determination.

18. The method of claim 1 , comprising determining link quality.

19. The method of claim 18 , comprising selecting candidates with a remaining bandwidth determination and selecting a path with a maximum average optical hop count.

20. The method of claim 1 , comprising transmitting the packet over both an optical media access control (MAC) and a wireless MAC.