SAN DIEGO -- LightPointe, a manufacturer and designer of carrier-class transmission equipment using Free-Space Optics (FSO) technology, today announced that the United States Patent & Trademark Office has granted the company a new patent related to its ground-breaking 2001 patent on all-optical FSO networking and products. The new "continuation" patent goes to the heart of all-optical FSO product design and communication between FSO link heads. LightPointe first applied for its all-optical FSO patent in early 1998 that did not require any electro-optic conversion between FSO link heads and fiber-optic networking equipment. It was granted last year and laid the foundation for the new patent, which further strengthens LightPointe's ability to protect its intellectual property. The new patent includes 10 independent claims on fundamental aspects of all-optical FSO products and networks. LightPointe's all-optical FSO patents allow for the cost-effective development of ultra-high bandwidth all-optical networks using FSO without the need for electro-optical (E-O) conversion between fiber-optic cable and FSO link heads. All-optical FSO systems will enable LightPointe to significantly reduce the costs of network deployments. The LightPointe patents are the work of research by Dr. Heinz A. Willebrand, the company's Founder and Chief Technology Officer who is also credited with inventing fiber-optic wavelength division multiplexing technologies for ultra high-speed local-loop access. "This newest LightPointe patent reflects Dr. Heinz Willebrand's visionary research on FSO technologies," said John Griffin, LightPointe President and Chief Executive Officer. "Combined, the two patents underscore LightPointe's work in product development and applications for the future, in addition to the company's leadership in FSO global market share, carrier customers, product performance, range of equipment and customer options." LightPointe Communications Inc.