Guided wave couplers for coupling electromagnetic waves to an outer surface of a transmission medium
First Claim
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1. A waveguide system, comprising:
- a coupling device that facilitates coupling a first guided electromagnetic wave onto an outer surface of a transmission medium, the coupling device positioned with respect to the transmission medium, the coupling device having a central axis that is not coaxially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the transmission medium, the first guided electromagnetic wave at least partially surrounding the outer surface of the transmission medium, the first guided electromagnetic wave propagating along the outer surface of the transmission medium without requiring an electrical circuit, wherein at least a portion of the first guided electromagnetic wave has an electromagnetic field structure that is external to the outer surface of the transmission medium, and the first guided electromagnetic wave having a wave propagation mode; and
an antenna that facilitates transmission of a first wireless signal responsive to receiving the first guided electromagnetic wave from the outer surface of the transmission medium.
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Abstract
A dielectric waveguide coupling system for launching and extracting guided wave communication transmissions from a wire. At millimeter-wave frequencies, wherein the wavelength is small compared to the macroscopic size of the equipment, transmissions can propagate as guided waves guided by a strip of dielectric material. Unlike conventional waveguides, the electromagnetic field associated with the dielectric waveguide is primarily outside of the waveguide. When this dielectric waveguide strip is brought into close proximity to a wire, the guided waves decouple from the dielectric waveguide and couple to the wire, and continue to propagate as guided waves about the surface of the wire.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A waveguide system, comprising:
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a coupling device that facilitates coupling a first guided electromagnetic wave onto an outer surface of a transmission medium, the coupling device positioned with respect to the transmission medium, the coupling device having a central axis that is not coaxially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the transmission medium, the first guided electromagnetic wave at least partially surrounding the outer surface of the transmission medium, the first guided electromagnetic wave propagating along the outer surface of the transmission medium without requiring an electrical circuit, wherein at least a portion of the first guided electromagnetic wave has an electromagnetic field structure that is external to the outer surface of the transmission medium, and the first guided electromagnetic wave having a wave propagation mode; and an antenna that facilitates transmission of a first wireless signal responsive to receiving the first guided electromagnetic wave from the outer surface of the transmission medium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method, comprising:
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inducing, by a coupling device, a first guided electromagnetic wave on an outer surface of a transmission medium, the coupling device having a central axis that is not coaxially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the transmission medium, the first guided electromagnetic wave propagating along the outer surface of the transmission medium without requiring an electrical circuit, wherein at least a portion of the first guided electromagnetic wave has an electromagnetic field that is external to the outer surface of the transmission medium, and the first guided electromagnetic wave having a wave propagation mode; and responsive to receiving the first guided electromagnetic wave from the transmission medium, transmitting, by an antenna, a first wireless signal to facilitate network connectivity with a communication device. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A waveguide system, comprising:
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a coupling device that facilitates coupling an electromagnetic wave onto an outer surface of a transmission medium, a portion of the coupling device being parallel to the outer surface of the transmission medium, the coupling device not being coaxially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the transmission medium, the electromagnetic wave propagating along the outer surface of the transmission medium without requiring an electrical circuit, wherein at least a portion of the electromagnetic wave has an electromagnetic field that is external to the outer surface of the transmission medium and the electromagnetic wave having a wave propagation mode; and an antenna that facilitates conversion of the electromagnetic wave to a wireless signal directed to a recipient communication device, wherein the wireless signal is in a non-cellular frequency band. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification