Surface-wave communications and methods thereof

• US 10,492,081 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2018
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2013
• 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, Barnickel, Donald J., Barzegar, Farhad, Gerszberg, Irwin, Henry, Paul Shala, Willis, III, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Fayyaz
• Application Number:
  US16/122,124
• Publication Number:
  US 20190075470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• Field of Search: 455 7, 455 14, 455 15
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/46 Electric supply lines or communication lines
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/56 Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/022 Site diversity; Macro-diversity using two or more spaced independent antennas H04B7/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/52 using AGC [Automatic Gain Control] circuits or amplifiers

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system including a frequency mixer that combines a signal and a carrier wave to form a combined signal, and a transmitter that generates a transmission based on the combined signal. The system can also include a coupling device that emits the transmission as an electromagnetic wave guided by an outer surface of a transmission medium. The electromagnetic wave can propagate longitudinally along the surface of the transmission medium and at least partially around the surface of the transmission medium. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a memory that stores executable instructions; and

a processor, coupled to the memory, to execute the executable instructions to facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising;

receiving, via a coupling device, a first electromagnetic wave that propagates along a transmission medium having an outer surface, wherein the first electromagnetic wave conveys first data, and wherein the coupling device has a first longitudinal axis that is not coaxially aligned with a second longitudinal axis of the transmission medium; and

transmitting, by an antenna, a first wireless signal based on the first electromagnetic wave received via the coupling device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first electromagnetic wave comprises one or more propagation wave modes.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first electromagnetic wave comprises a non-fundamental wave mode.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first electromagnetic wave comprises a fundamental wave mode.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein a wavelength of the first electromagnetic wave is less than a circumference of the transmission medium.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmission medium is coupled to the antenna.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmission medium comprises a dielectric transmission medium.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, via the coupling device, a second electromagnetic wave that propagates along the transmission medium, wherein the second electromagnetic wave conveys second data; and

transmitting, by the antenna, a second wireless signal based on the second electromagnetic wave received via the coupling device.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a system including a processor, a first electromagnetic wave via a coupling device, wherein the first electromagnetic wave propagates along a transmission medium having an outer surface, wherein the first electromagnetic wave conveys first data, and wherein the coupling device has a first longitudinal axis that is not coaxially aligned with a second longitudinal axis of the transmission medium; and

transmitting, by the system, a first wireless signal, wherein the first wireless signal is based on the first electromagnetic wave received via the coupling device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first electromagnetic wave comprises one or more propagation wave modes.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first electromagnetic wave comprises a non-fundamental wave mode.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first electromagnetic wave comprises a fundamental wave mode.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein a wavelength of the first electromagnetic wave is less than a circumference of the transmission medium.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising transmitting, by the system via an antenna, the first wireless signal.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the transmission medium comprises a dielectric transmission medium.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, via the coupling device, a second electromagnetic wave from the transmission medium; and

converting, by the system, the second electromagnetic wave to a second wireless signal conveying second data, wherein the converting comprises transmitting the second wireless signal by an antenna.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

an antenna; and

a coupling device in operative communication with the antenna, wherein the coupling device is configured to receive a guided electromagnetic wave that propagates along a transmission medium having an outer surface, wherein the coupling device has a first longitudinal axis that is not coaxially aligned with a second longitudinal axis of the transmission medium, and wherein the antenna is configured to transmit a wireless signal based on the guided electromagnetic wave received by the coupling device.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising the transmission medium, wherein the guided electromagnetic wave comprises one or more propagation wave modes.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the guided electromagnetic wave comprises a non-fundamental wave mode.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the guided electromagnetic wave comprises a fundamental wave mode.