US Patent 7782765 Distributed protection switching architecture for point-to-point microwave radio systems

A system and method for protecting a received data stream. Active receivers and standby receivers are provided, each adaptable to receive a data stream on a traffic channel. Plural data processing units are operatively in communication with the receivers. At least one of the plural DPUs provides a switching signal to the receivers to switch the state of the active receiver to standby and the state of the standby receiver to active as a function of a quality measurement of the received data stream via the traffic channel.