Monitoring and mitigating conditions in a communication network

• US 10,361,750 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2018
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2014
• 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: Fuchs, Mitchell Harvey, Gerszberg, Irwin
• Primary Examiner(s): Aziz, Adnan
• Application Number:
  US16/161,280
• Publication Number:
  US 20190052312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 280 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/06 through light guides, e.g. optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/10 Wire waveguides, i.e. with a single solid longitudinal conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/16 Dielectric waveguides, i.e. without a longitudinal conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/087 Transitions to a dielectric waveguide
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/103 Hollow-waveguide/coaxial-line transitions
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/46 Electric supply lines or communication lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/345 Interference values signal-to-interference ratio [SIR] or carrier-to-interference ratio [CIR] H04B17/336
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5458 Monitor sensor; Alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5495 having measurements and testing channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/46 Monitoring; Testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/52 Systems for transmission between fixed stations via waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/546 Combination of signalling, telemetering, protection circuits for remote indication of supply or distribution network condition H02J13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/30 using a wired architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/60 for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system for receiving telemetry information from an apparatus that induces electromagnetic waves on a wire surface of a wire of a power grid for delivery of communication signals to a recipient communication device coupled to the power grid, and detecting a condition from the telemetry information that is adverse to a delivery of the communication signals to the recipient communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a processing system including a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising;

receiving telemetry information from a waveguide system comprising a coupler, wherein the coupler facilitates propagation of electromagnetic waves along a transmission medium without requiring an electrical circuit, wherein the telemetry information is associated with the propagation of the electromagnetic waves, and wherein the electromagnetic waves have an electromagnetic field structure located at least in part above an outer surface of the transmission medium; and

detecting from the telemetry information a condition that is adverse to propagation of the electromagnetic waves along the transmission medium.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic waves are directed to an antenna to transmit first wireless signals.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the condition further adversely affects transmission of the first wireless signals by the antenna.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the coupler further facilitates reception of second electromagnetic waves that propagate along the transmission medium without requiring the electrical circuit, and wherein the second electromagnetic waves are generated by the antenna responsive to the antenna receiving second wireless signals.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the antenna and the transmission medium are components of a distributed antenna system.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining a location in a path of the transmission medium associated with the condition that is detected; and

directing the waveguide system or other waveguide systems to adjust a route for propagation of the electromagnetic waves.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving information indicating the condition has been mitigated; and

directing the waveguide system or the other waveguide systems to restore an original route of propagation of the electromagnetic waves.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise receiving location information from the waveguide system to determine a location of an obstruction in a path of the transmission medium that is causing the condition.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmission medium comprises a dielectric transmission medium, wherein the electromagnetic waves are guided by the dielectric transmission medium, and wherein the apparatus comprises a wireless base station that facilitates network connectivity with a plurality of wireless devices.

10. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:

receiving telemetry information from an apparatus comprising a coupler that facilitates generation of electromagnetic waves that propagate along a transmission medium without requiring an electrical circuit, wherein the telemetry information includes data for detecting a condition that adversely affects a propagation of the electromagnetic waves along the transmission medium, and wherein the electromagnetic waves have an electromagnetic field structure located at least in part above an outer surface of the transmission medium; and

detecting, according to the telemetry information, the condition that is adverse to the propagation of the electromagnetic waves along the transmission medium.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the electromagnetic waves are directed to an antenna to transmit wireless signals to a recipient device.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a maintenance schedule; and

determining from the maintenance schedule that the condition is due to a maintenance activity occurring during the maintenance schedule.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise directing the apparatus or other apparatus to adjust a route for propagation of the electromagnetic waves to avoid a location of the maintenance activity during the maintenance schedule.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise directing the apparatus or the other apparatus to restore an original route of the propagation of the electromagnetic waves after the maintenance activity is completed.

15. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a network element comprising a processing system including a processor, telemetry data generated by a waveguide system comprising a coupler, the coupler facilitating reception of electromagnetic waves that propagate along a transmission medium without requiring an electrical circuit, wherein the telemetry data is generated by the waveguide system based on an analysis of the electromagnetic waves, and wherein the electromagnetic waves have an electromagnetic field structure located at least in part above an outer surface of the transmission medium;

determining, by the network element, from the telemetry data a condition adverse to an operation of the waveguide system; and

transmitting, by the network element, instructions to the waveguide system to adjust a route of the electromagnetic waves to mitigate the condition.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the waveguide system comprises an antenna, the antenna facilitating generation of the electromagnetic waves responsive to the antenna receiving free space wireless signals.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the coupler is positioned with respect to the transmission medium.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising instructing, by the network element, the waveguide system to restore the route of the electromagnetic waves responsive to the condition being mitigated.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the waveguide system is configured for directing the electromagnetic waves to an antenna to transmit wireless signals.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the condition further adversely affects transmission of the wireless signals by the antenna.