Method and apparatus for transmitting electromagnetic waves

• US 10,411,757 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2018
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2014
• 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): Rachedine, Mohammed
• Application Number:
  US16/002,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20180287661A1
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/46 Electric supply lines or communication lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/36 Repeater circuits H04B3/58 takes precedence
• 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: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, an apparatus including a waveguide, an antenna, and a transmitter. The transmitter can facilitate transmission of first electromagnetic waves via the antenna, the first electromagnetic waves having a fundamental mode. The waveguide can facilitate propagation of the first electromagnetic waves at least in part on a surface of the waveguide. The waveguide can be positioned at a location that enables the first electromagnetic waves to induce second electromagnetic waves having fundamental and non-fundamental modes that propagate on a surface of a transmission medium. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A waveguide system, comprising:

a circuit that facilitates modulation of a signal for emitting, by a first antenna, first electromagnetic waves, wherein the circuit receives power inductively via a physical transmission medium, and wherein at least a portion of the circuit surrounds an outer surface of the physical transmission medium; and

a dielectric coupler that facilitates receiving a portion of the first electromagnetic waves emitted by the first antenna, wherein the dielectric coupler is in proximity to the physical transmission medium thereby forming a junction for generating, from the portion of the first electromagnetic waves, second electromagnetic waves that propagate along the physical transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the dielectric coupler is not coaxially aligned with the physical transmission medium.

2. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein a first outer surface of the dielectric coupler is proximity to a second outer surface of the physical transmission medium to form the junction for generating the second electromagnetic waves.

3. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the first electromagnetic waves propagate along a first outer surface of the dielectric coupler.

4. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the second electromagnetic waves are generated on a second outer surface of the physical transmission medium.

5. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the circuit facilitates communicating with a communications device.

6. The waveguide system of claim 5, further comprising a second antenna coupled to the circuit for wireless communication with the communications device.

7. The waveguide system of claim 1, further comprising a coil to receive the power from the physical transmission medium.

8. The waveguide system of claim 7, further comprising:

a printed circuit board,

wherein the coil, the circuit, and the first antenna are disposed on the printed circuit board,

wherein the physical transmission medium comprises a power line, and

wherein the printed circuit board is disposed on an outer surface of the power line.

9. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the dielectric coupler is configured to reduce reflection of the second electromagnetic waves generated on an outer surface of the physical transmission medium.

10. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the junction includes an air gap between the dielectric coupler and the physical transmission medium.

11. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the junction does not include an air gap between the dielectric coupler and the physical transmission medium.

12. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the first antenna is disposed on an outer surface of the dielectric coupler.

13. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the first antenna is embedded in a material of the dielectric coupler.

14. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the first antenna comprises a hollow conductor that surrounds a first portion of an outer surface of the dielectric coupler.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a transmitter that facilitates modulation of a signal for emitting first electromagnetic waves via an antenna; and

a dielectric coupler that facilitates receiving a portion of the first electromagnetic waves emitted by the antenna, wherein the dielectric coupler and a physical transmission medium form a junction for generating, from the portion of the first electromagnetic waves, second electromagnetic waves that propagate along the physical transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path,

wherein the transmitter receives power inductively via the physical transmission medium, and

wherein at least a portion of the transmitter surrounds an outer surface of the physical transmission medium.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the dielectric coupler is not coaxially aligned with the physical transmission medium.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first electromagnetic waves have a first propagation mode, wherein the second electromagnetic waves have a second propagation mode, and wherein the first propagation mode differs from the second propagation mode.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first propagation mode comprises symmetric electromagnetic waves, and wherein the second propagation mode comprises symmetric electromagnetic waves and asymmetric electromagnetic waves.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

a dielectric coupler that facilitates propagation of at least a portion of first electromagnetic waves, wherein the dielectric coupler is positioned at a location that enables the first electromagnetic waves to induce second electromagnetic waves that propagate along a physical transmission medium without an electrical circuit;

a first antenna that facilitates coupling of the portion of the first electromagnetic waves onto the dielectric coupler; and

a transmitter that facilitates transmission of the first electromagnetic waves by the first antenna,

wherein the transmitter receives power inductively via the physical transmission medium, and

wherein at least a portion of the transmitter surrounds an outer surface of the physical transmission medium.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the location enables the first electromagnetic waves to induce the second electromagnetic waves to propagate along the physical transmission medium in a first direction, wherein the dielectric coupler facilitates propagation of at least a portion of third electromagnetic waves, and wherein the location enables the third electromagnetic waves to induce fourth electromagnetic waves to propagate along the physical transmission medium in a second direction that is different from the first direction.