Method and apparatus for managing wireless communications based on communication paths and network device positions

• US 10,382,976 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2016
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2016
• 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: Bennett, Robert, Gerszberg, Irwin, Barnickel, Donald J., Willis, III, Thomas M., Barzegar, Farhad, Henry, Paul Shala
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hannan, B M M
• Application Number:
  US15/370,539
• Publication Number:
  US 20180160315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: 455446
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/02 Waveguide horns
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/20 Non-resonant leaky-waveguide or transmission-line antennas; Equivalent structures causing radiation along the transmission path of a guided wave
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5425 improving S/N by matching impedance, noise reduction, gain control
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5479 using repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5483 using coupling circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5495 having measurements and testing channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/52 Systems for transmission between fixed stations via waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/56 Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/58 Repeater circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/32 Hierarchical cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, different groups of network devices mounted on utility poles. The different groups of network devices can be arranged along different paths. A communication path for transmitting wireless signals can alternate between the different groups of network devices. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a first group of network devices mounted on first utility poles, wherein the first utility poles are arranged along a first path, wherein the first utility poles support first segments of a first transmission medium, and wherein the first group of network devices comprises a first network device associated with the first transmission medium and a third network device associated with the first transmission medium; and

a second group of network devices mounted on second utility poles, wherein the second utility poles are arranged along a second path, wherein the second utility poles support second segments of a second transmission medium, and wherein the second group of network devices comprises a second network device associated with the second transmission medium,

wherein each network device of the first and second groups of network devices includes a respective dielectric antenna for transmitting and receiving wireless communications, wherein each dielectric antenna has at least substantially no conductive external surfaces, and wherein each dielectric antenna has a respective composition that is at least substantially devoid of conductive materials, and

wherein wireless signals are sent, responsive to a determination of an undesired condition adversely affecting propagation of electromagnetic waves along the first transmission medium, over a communication path that alternates between network devices in the first group of network devices and a network device in the second group of network devices such that the communication path goes from the first network device associated with the first transmission medium to the second network device associated with the second transmission medium and then to the third network device associated with the first transmission medium.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each network device of the first group of network devices includes a respective cable coupled to a respective feed point of the respective dielectric antenna, wherein the wireless signals, sent by the first network device of the first group of network devices, are based on the electromagnetic waves that propagate without requiring an electrical return path, and wherein the electromagnetic waves are guided by a respective dielectric core of the respective cable coupled to the respective feed point of the respective dielectric antenna.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second paths are substantially parallel and located along opposing sides of a road, and wherein the first transmission medium and the second transmission medium are power lines.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication path for the wireless signals utilizes only a first subset of the first and second groups of network devices.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein another communication path for other wireless signals alternates between the first and second groups of network devices, wherein the another communication path for the other wireless signals utilizes only a second subset of the first and second groups of network devices, and wherein the first and second subsets of the first and second groups of network devices are different.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein each network device of the first group of network devices is physically connected with the first transmission medium, wherein another communication path utilizing the first group of network devices is by other electromagnetic waves, at a physical interface of the first transmission medium, that propagate without requiring an electrical return path, and wherein the other electromagnetic waves are guided by the first transmission medium.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first network device of the first group of network devices receives signals by the electromagnetic waves, at a physical interface of the first transmission medium, that propagate without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the electromagnetic waves are guided by the first transmission medium, and wherein the wireless signals of the communication path alternating between the first and second groups of network devices are generated based on the signals received by the first network device of the first group of network devices.

8. A method comprising:

receiving, by a first network device from a second network device, wireless signals, wherein the first network device is one of a first group of network devices that are associated with a first transmission medium and that are mounted on first utility poles, wherein the first utility poles are arranged along a first path, wherein the second network device is one of a second group of network devices that are associated with a second transmission medium and that are mounted on second utility poles, wherein the second utility poles are arranged along a second path, wherein each network device of the first and second groups of network devices includes a respective dielectric antenna for transmitting and receiving wireless communications, wherein each dielectric antenna has at least substantially no conductive external surfaces, wherein each dielectric antenna has a respective composition that is at least substantially devoid of conductive materials, and wherein the receiving is responsive to a first determination of an undesired condition adversely affecting propagation of electromagnetic waves along the second transmission medium; and

transmitting responsive to the first determination of the undesired condition adversely affecting the propagation of the electromagnetic waves along the second transmission medium, by the first network device to a third network device, the wireless signals, wherein the third network device is one of the second group of network devices that are associated with the second transmission medium;

wherein the receiving and the transmitting form a communication path that alternates between network devices in the second group of network devices and a network device in the first group of network devices such that the communication path goes from the second network device associated with the second transmission medium to the first network device associated with the first transmission medium and then to the third network device associated with the second transmission medium.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the electromagnetic waves propagate without requiring an electrical return path.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first and second paths are substantially parallel and located along opposing sides of a road.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the communication path for the wireless signals utilizes only a subset of the first and second groups of network devices.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the second utility poles connect segments of the second transmission medium, wherein the second network device of the second group of network devices receives signals by the electromagnetic waves at a physical interface of the second transmission medium, that propagate without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the electromagnetic waves are guided by the second transmission medium, and wherein the wireless signals received by the first network device are representative of the signals received by the second network device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first transmission medium and the second transmission medium are power lines.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

ceasing the transmitting of the wireless signals, by the first network device to the third network device, responsive to a second determination that the undesired condition is no longer detected.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the first utility poles connect first segments of the first transmission medium, and wherein the second utility poles connect second segments of the second transmission medium.

16. 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 signals, by a first network device from a second network device, via electromagnetic waves that propagate without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the electromagnetic waves are guided by a first transmission medium, wherein the first and second network devices are part of a first group of network devices mounted on first utility poles, wherein the first utility poles connect first segments of the first transmission medium, wherein each network device of the first group of network devices and of a second group of network devices includes a respective dielectric antenna for transmitting and receiving wireless communications, wherein each dielectric antenna has at least substantially no conductive external surfaces, wherein each dielectric antenna has a respective composition that is at least substantially devoid of conductive materials;

wherein the second group of network devices comprises a third network device, wherein the second group of network devices is mounted on second utility poles, and wherein the second utility poles connect second segments of a second transmission medium; and

sending wireless signals, responsive to a determination of an undesired condition adversely affecting propagation of other electromagnetic waves along the first transmission medium, over a communication path that alternates between network devices in the first group of network devices and a network device in the second group of network devices such that the communication path goes from the first network device associated with the first transmission medium to the third network device of the second group of network devices that is associated with the second transmission medium and then to a fourth network device of the first group of network devices that is associated with the first transmission medium.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first utility poles are arranged along a first path, and wherein the second utility poles are arranged along a second path.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first and second paths are substantially parallel and located along opposing sides of a road.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

the first transmission medium and the second transmission medium are power lines.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

responsive to another determination that the undesired condition is no longer associated with the first transmission medium, transmitting, to a fifth network device, other signals received from the second network device, wherein the transmitting the other signals to the fifth network device utilizes the first transmission medium as a guide, and wherein the fifth network device is part of the first group of network devices.