Claims
- 1. An infrared transceiver node, comprising:
a support assembly; at least two infrared transceivers connected to said support assembly, each of said infrared transceivers including
an infrared transmitter including a light-emitting diode and a transmitter lens for generating an infrared beam having a beam divergence of in the range of about 0.5 to 1 degree, an infrared receiver including a receiver lens and a photo detector for receiving an infrared beam and converting said infrared beam to an electronic signal, a first drive assembly for adjusting the elevation of said infrared transceiver, a second drive assembly for adjusting the azimuth of said infrared transceiver, and a processor connected to each of said first and second drive assemblies for controlling the azimuth and elevation of said infrared transceiver; a connector for connecting said infrared transceiver node to a user computer; and a switching engine connected to said connector and to each of said at least two infrared transceivers for switching data between said user computer and said at least two infrared transceivers.
- 2. An infrared transceiver node in accordance with claim 1 wherein said photo detector comprises an avalanche photo diode; and
said receiver further includes a dome lens for focusing infrared signals on said avalanche photo diode.
- 3. An infrared transceiver node in accordance with claim 1 and further including a weatherproof housing containing said support assembly, and wherein:
said weatherproof housing contains an indicator for positioning said weatherproof housing relative to a compass direction; and said at least two infrared transceivers positioned relative to said indicator.
- 4. An infrared transceiver node in accordance with claim 3 wherein:
said support assembly includes a shaft; each of said at least two infrared transceivers positioned with the infrared transceiver and the infrared receiver generally perpendicular to said shaft.
- 5. An infrared transceiver node in accordance with claim 4 wherein said infrared transceiver node includes four infrared transceivers.
- 6. An infrared transceiver node in accordance with claim 1 and further including means for connecting each of said at least two infrared transceivers to a network system server.
- 7. An infrared transceiver node in accordance with claim 6 wherein said means for connecting each of said at least two infrared transceivers to a network system server is selected from the group comprising a modem contained in said infrared transceiver node and a wireless radio frequency transceiver contained in said infrared transceiver node.
- 8. An infrared transceiver node in accordance with claim 1 wherein said data comprises IP data; and
said infrared transceiver node further including means for managing said incoming and outgoing data in accordance with IP protocols.
- 9. An infrared transceiver node in accordance with claim 1 and further including:
a system control board contained in said infrared transceiver node including said switching engine; a transceiver control board positioned on each of said at least two infrared transceivers; and said system control board connected to each of the transceiver control boards.
- 10. A network of infrared transceiver nodes, comprising:
a network controller; a plurality of infrared transceiver nodes, each of said infrared transceiver nodes including
a support assembly; at least two infrared transceivers connected to said support assembly, each of said infrared transceivers including
an infrared transmitter including a light-emitting diode and a transmitter lens for generating an infrared beam having a beam divergence of in the range of about 0.5-1.0 degrees, an infrared receiver including a receiver lens and a photo detector for receiving an infrared beam and converting said infrared beam to an electronic signal, a first drive assembly for adjusting the elevation of said infrared transceiver, a second drive assembly for adjusting the azimuth of said infrared transceiver, and a processor connected to each of said first and second drive assemblies for controlling the azimuth and elevation of said infrared transceiver; a connector for connecting said infrared transceiver node to a user computer; a switching engine connected to said connector and to each of said at least two infrared transceivers for switching data between said user computer and said at least two infrared transceivers; each of said plurality of infrared transceiver nodes positioned outdoors on the surface of a support structure; said plurality of infrared transceiver nodes relatively positioned so that each infrared transceiver node has a line-of-sight to at least one other infrared transceiver; and means for connecting at least one of said plurality of infrared transceiver nodes to said network controller.
- 11. A network of infrared transceiver nodes in accordance with claim 10 wherein:
at least one of the support structures comprises the outer surface of a residential home; and at least one of the user computers comprises a computer within said residential home.
- 12. A network of infrared transceiver nodes in accordance with claim 10 wherein said photo detector comprises an avalanche photo diode; and
said infrared receiver further includes a dome lens positioned surrounding said avalanche photo diode to focus infrared light onto said photo diode.
- 13. A network of infrared transceiver nodes in accordance with claim 10 wherein each of said plurality of infrared transceiver nodes further includes a weatherproof housing containing said support assembly and said at least two infrared transceivers, and wherein:
said weatherproof housing contains an indicator for positioning said weatherproof housing relative to compass direction upon an initial installation of said weatherproof housing; and said at least two infrared transceivers positioned relative to said indicator prior to said initial installation.
- 14. An infrared transceiver node in accordance with claim 13 wherein:
said support assembly includes a shaft; each of said at least two infrared transceivers positioned with said infrared transceiver and said infrared receiver generally perpendicular to said shaft.
- 15. A network of infrared transceiver nodes in accordance with claim 14 wherein said infrared transceiver node comprises four infrared transceivers.
- 16. A network of infrared transceiver nodes in accordance with claim 15 wherein said means for connecting at least one of said at least two infrared transceivers to said network system server is selected from the group including a modem positioned in each of said plurality of infrared transceiver nodes and a wireless radio frequency transceiver positioned in each of said plurality of infrared transceiver nodes.
- 17. A network of infrared transceiver nodes in accordance with claim 10 wherein said data comprises IP data; and
said infrared transceiver node further including means for managing said data in accordance with IP protocols.
- 18. A point-to-point transceiver, comprising:
a transmitter for generating a beam having a beam divergence of in the range of about 0.5 to 1 degree; a receiver having a visible window smaller than said beam divergence for receiving a beam; a first drive assembly for adjusting the elevation of said transceiver; a second drive assembly for adjusting the azimuth of said transceiver; a connector for connecting said transceiver node to a user computer; and a processor connected to each of said first and second drive assemblies for controlling the azimuth and elevation of said infrared transceiver.
- 19. The point-to-point transceiver of claim 18 wherein said transceiver is an infrared transceiver and wherein:
said transmitter is an infrared transmitter including a light-emitting diode and a transmitter lens for generating an infrared beam having a beam divergence of in the range of about 0.5 to 1 degree; said receiver is an infrared receiver including a receiver lens, an avalanche photo diode having an active area of about 500 microns for receiving an infrared beam and converting said infrared beam to an electronic signal, and a dome lens adjoining said photo diode for focusing said infrared beam onto said photo diode.
- 20. A transimpedance amplifier circuit, comprising:
a first differential amplifier; a second differential amplifier having its inputs connected to the outputs of said first differential amplifier; a third differential amplifier having its inputs connected to the outputs of said second differential amplifier; a first resistor connected between the input of said first differential amplifier and the output of said second differential amplifier; and a second resistor connected between the input of said first differential amplifier and the output of said third differential amplifier.
- 21. A transimpedance amplifier in accordance with claim 20 wherein the first, second and third differential amplifiers are unmatched differential amplifiers.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is related to U.S. application Ser. No. ______ titled: METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ALIGNING AND MAINTAINING ALIGNMENT OF POINT-TO-POINT TRANSCEIVERS IN A NETWORK by Moursund, C. M., and Ulmer, C. T., filed on same date herewith.