Guided-wave transmission device with non-fundamental mode propagation and methods for use therewith

• US 10,200,126 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2018
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2015
• 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): Sedighian, M. R.
• Application Number:
  US15/860,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20180145756A1
• Time in Patent Office: 399 Days
• Field of Search: 398116
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/26 Surface waveguide constituted by a single conductor, e.g. strip conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25759 Details of the reception of RF signal or the optical conversion before the optical fibre
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/40 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/36 Repeater circuits H04B3/58 takes precedence

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a coupler that includes a tapered collar that surrounds a transmission wire. A coaxial coupler, that surrounds at least a portion of the transmission wire, guides an electromagnetic wave to the tapered collar. The tapered collar couples the electromagnetic wave to propagate along an outer surface of the transmission wire. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating an electromagnetic wave to convey data in accordance with a non-fundamental mode having an electromagnetic (EM) field pattern with a local minimum at an azimuthal orientation; and

coupling the electromagnetic wave to propagate, via the non-fundamental mode and without requiring an electrical return path, along a transmission medium so as to align the azimuthal orientation of the local minimum at a desired orientation with respect to the transmission medium.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-fundamental mode has a cutoff frequency, and wherein a carrier frequency of the electromagnetic wave is selected based on the cutoff frequency.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the desired orientation with respect to the transmission medium corresponds to an expected orientation of water droplet formation on an outer surface of the transmission medium.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the transmission medium includes an insulating jacket and wherein the outer surface of the transmission medium corresponds to an outer surface of the insulating jacket.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmission medium is a single wire transmission medium.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic wave is coupled to propagate on an outer surface of the transmission medium without altering the azimuthal orientation of the local minimum.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic wave is coupled to be guided by the transmission medium without altering the non-fundamental mode of the electromagnetic wave.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic wave is coupled to propagate on an outer surface of the transmission medium without introducing additional propagating electromagnetic modes of the electromagnetic wave.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the azimuthal orientation corresponds to a bottom of the transmission medium.

10. A coupler comprising:

means for generating an electromagnetic wave to convey data in accordance with a non-fundamental mode having an electromagnetic (EM) field pattern with a local minimum at an azimuthal orientation; and

means for coupling the electromagnetic wave to propagate, via the non-fundamental mode and without requiring an electrical return path, along a transmission medium so as to align the azimuthal orientation of the local minimum at a desired orientation with respect to the transmission medium.