TERRESTRIAL OPTICAL COMMUNICATION NETWORK OF INTEGRATED FIBER AND FREE-SPACE LINKS WHICH REQUIRES NO ELECTRO-OPTICAL CONVERSION BETWEEN LINKS

摘要

Optical signals are received from a free-space link by directing received light onto a plurality of microlenses and then into respective single mode optical fibers (SMF). Light beams form the SMFs are combined into a single light bean in one SMF. The single light beam is amplified with a multi-wavelenght fiber amplifier, attenuated with a variable optical attenuator, and directed into a fiber optic communication system without using electro-optical conversion. Optical signals are optically coupled between free-space and fiber optic links of an optical communication network. The optical gain of transmitting and receiving multi-wavelength fiber amplifiers is controlled in response to signals received at the transmitting and receiving ends of the links. Control, status and management information may be communicated optically between link head stations.