Claims
- 1. A method for providing a communications link from an aircraft to a target, comprising:releasing a first end of a fiber optic cable from the aircraft; lowering the first end of the fiber optic cable to the target; and connecting the first end of the fiber optic cable to a first device at the target, while the aircraft is in flight.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the target is at least one of a land-based target and a sea-based target.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device includes at least one of a node in a network, a network interface device, a communications interface device, a router, a server, and a computer.
- 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:connecting a second end of the fiber optic cable, located in the aircraft, to at least a second device; and transmitting information from the second device to the first device via the fiber optic cable.
- 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second device includes at least one of radar equipment, video equipment, weather observation equipment and communications equipment.
- 6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:flying the aircraft in a figure eight-type pattern to prevent twisting of the fiber optic cable.
- 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:connecting a second end of the fiber optic cable, located in the aircraft, to at least a second device; placing the second device in an aerostat; releasing the aerostat from the aircraft; and transmitting information from the second device to the first device via the fiber optic cable.
- 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:connecting a second fiber optic cable from the aerostat to at least a third device on the aircraft; and transmitting information from the third device to the first device via the second device.
- 9. In a network including at least one airborne node and at least one other node, a method for connecting the airborne node to the other node, comprising:releasing a fiber optic cable from an aircraft; lowering the fiber optic cable to a target near the other node; connecting a first end of the fiber optic cable to the other node; attaching at least one device to a second end of the fiber optic cable; placing the at least one device in an aerostat; and releasing the aerostat from the aircraft.
- 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one device comprises the airborne node and includes equipment for obtaining information, the method further comprising:transmitting the information from the equipment to the other node via the fiber optic cable.
- 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:transmitting control messages from the other node to the equipment via the fiber optic cable.
- 12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:connecting a second fiber optic cable to the aerostat; flying the airplane to a second location; obtaining information at the second location; and transmitting the information from the second location to the aerostat via the second fiber optic cable.
- 13. A method for providing a communication link from a first location to a second location, comprising:releasing a first end of a fiber optic cable from an aircraft; lowering the first end of the fiber optic cable to the first location; flying the aircraft to an area near the second location; and releasing the second end of the fiber optic cable from the aircraft at the area near the second location.
- 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the releasing includes:attaching a parachute to the second end of the fiber optic cable, and releasing the parachute.
- 15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:connecting the first end of the fiber optic cable to a node in a network; and connecting the second end of the fiber optic cable to another node in the network.
- 16. A system comprising:an airborne node; at least one other node, the at least one other node being at least one of a land-based node and a sea-based node; a fiber optic cable configured to connect the airborne node and the at least one other node to allow for communication between the nodes; and a connector configured to connect the fiber optic cable to the at least one other node while the airborne node is in flight.
- 17. A system comprising:airborne communications means; land-based communications means; optical connection means for linking the airborne communications means and the land-based communications means; and connector means for connecting the optical communication means to the land-based communication means while the airborne communication means is in flight.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is related to the following commonly assigned, copending application U.S. Ser. No. 09/615,267 filed Jul. 13, 2000, entitled: METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COUPLING FIBER OPTIC CABLES.
US Referenced Citations (15)