Transmission device with mode division multiplexing and methods for use therewith

• US 10,079,652 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2018
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Henry, Paul Shala, Bennett, Robert, Gerszberg, Irwin, Barzegar, Farhad, Barnickel, Donald J, Willis, III, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Fayyaz
• Application Number:
  US15/877,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20180152262A1
• Time in Patent Office: 238 Days
• Field of Search: 455 7, 455 14, 455 15
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/46 Electric supply lines or communication lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/2581 Multimode transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/40 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/52 Systems for transmission between fixed stations via waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/04 Mode multiplex systems

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a transmission device that includes at least one transceiver configured to modulate data to generate a plurality of first electromagnetic waves. A plurality of couplers are configured to couple at least a portion of the plurality of first electromagnetic waves to a transmission medium, wherein the plurality of couplers generate a plurality of mode division multiplexed second electromagnetic waves that propagate along the outer surface of the transmission medium. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. An antenna system comprising:

at least one transceiver that generates a plurality of first electromagnetic waves conveying data; and

a plurality of couplers configured to generate a plurality of second electromagnetic waves on a transmission medium in response to at least a portion of the plurality of first electromagnetic waves, wherein the plurality of second electromagnetic waves propagates along the transmission medium in accordance with a mode division multiplexing of the data, wherein one of the plurality of second electromagnetic waves has a first electromagnetic field pattern having a plurality of lobes at a first azimuthal orientation to a longitudinal axis of the transmission medium and wherein another one of the plurality of second electromagnetic waves has a second electromagnetic field pattern having a plurality of lobes at a second azimuthal orientation to the longitudinal axis of the transmission medium.

2. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of second electromagnetic waves propagates along the transmission medium via a non-fundamental mode.

3. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the first azimuthal orientation differs from the second azimuthal orientation.

4. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the first azimuthal orientation is perpendicular to second azimuthal orientation.

5. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the plurality of first electromagnetic waves propagates within the plurality of couplers and a second portion of the plurality of first electromagnetic waves propagates outside the plurality of couplers.

6. The antenna system of claim 5, wherein a first portion of the plurality of second electromagnetic waves propagates within the transmission medium and a second portion of the plurality of second electromagnetic waves propagates outside the transmission medium.

7. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the transmission medium facilitates the wireless network connectivity to a mobile device.

8. A method, comprising:

generating, by at least one transceiver, a plurality of first electromagnetic waves that conveys data; and

generating a plurality of second electromagnetic waves onto a transmission medium by a plurality of couplers and responsive to at least a portion of each of the plurality of first electromagnetic waves, wherein the plurality of second electromagnetic waves propagates along the transmission medium in accordance with a mode division multiplexing of the data, wherein one of the plurality of second electromagnetic waves has a first electromagnetic field pattern having a plurality of first lobes aligned with a first azimuthal axis and wherein another one of the plurality of second electromagnetic waves has a second electromagnetic field pattern having a plurality of second lobes aligned with a second azimuthal axis.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of second electromagnetic waves propagates along the transmission medium via a non-fundamental mode.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first azimuthal axis has an angular deviation from the second azimuthal axis.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the first azimuthal axis is perpendicular to the second azimuthal axis.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a first portion of the first electromagnetic field pattern is within the transmission medium and a second portion of the first electromagnetic field pattern is outside the transmission medium.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of first lobes consists of two lobes on opposing sides of the transmission medium.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of second lobes consists of two lobes on opposing sides of the transmission medium.

15. A transmission device comprising:

transceiver means for generating a plurality of first electromagnetic waves that conveys data; and

coupling means for coupling at least a portion of the plurality of first electromagnetic waves to a transmission medium that facilitates wireless network connectivity via a distributed antenna system, wherein the coupling means generates, responsive to the portion of the plurality of first electromagnetic waves, a plurality of mode division multiplexed second electromagnetic waves that propagates along the transmission medium via guided wave modes with dipole field patterns.

16. The transmission device of claim 15, wherein the plurality of mode division multiplexed second electromagnetic waves propagates along the transmission medium via at least one non-fundamental mode.

17. The transmission device of claim 16, wherein one of the dipole field patterns includes a first dipole field pattern at a first azimuthal orientation and a second dipole field pattern at a second azimuthal orientation.

18. The transmission device of claim 16, wherein the dipole field patterns each have two lobes.

19. The transmission device of claim 15, wherein free space wireless signals provide the wireless network connectivity.

20. The transmission device of claim 15, wherein the transmission medium comprises a dielectric.