System and method for launching scattering electromagnetic waves

• US 10,516,197 B1
• Filed: 10/18/2018
• Issued: 12/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2018
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rappaport, Harold Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hai V
• Application Number:
  US16/163,903
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• Field of Search: 455 14
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/16 Dielectric waveguides, i.e. without a longitudinal conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/107 Hollow-waveguide/strip-line transitions
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/24 constituted by a dielectric or ferromagnetic rod or pipe H01Q13/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 17/00 Devices for absorbing waves radiated from an antenna; Combinations of such devices with active antenna elements or systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/06 using refracting or diffracting devices, e.g. lens radome H01Q1/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/52 Systems for transmission between fixed stations via waveguides
• 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

In accordance with one or more embodiments, a system includes a transceiver configured to generate an electromagnetic signal conveying first data. A coupler is configured to generate, responsive to the electromagnetic signal, an electromagnetic wave along a surface of a transmission medium, wherein the electromagnetic wave is within a non-optical frequency band, wherein the electromagnetic wave propagates via a cylindrical scattering wave mode along the surface of the transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a transceiver configured to generate a first electromagnetic signal conveying first data; and

a coupler configured to generate, responsive to the first electromagnetic signal, a first electromagnetic wave along a surface of a transmission medium, wherein the first electromagnetic wave is within a non-optical frequency band, wherein the first electromagnetic wave propagates via a cylindrical scattering wave mode along the surface of the transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical scattering wave mode has a superluminal phase velocity.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the coupler generates the cylindrical scattering wave mode along the transmission medium by generating an incident electromagnetic wave.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the incident electromagnetic wave is a cylindrical wave.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the cylindrical wave azimuthally surrounds the transmission medium.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the transmission medium is a wire and the surface of the transmission medium reflects the incident electromagnetic wave to form a reflected electromagnetic wave.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the reflected electromagnetic wave is a cylindrical wave.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein the incident electromagnetic wave has a phase propagation constant in a direction of propagation along the transmission medium that is less than a ratio of a radian frequency of the first electromagnetic wave to speed of light in a vacuum.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the coupler is an antenna.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the coupler is further configured to generate, responsive to a second electromagnetic wave along the surface of the transmission medium, a second electromagnetic signal conveying second data, wherein the second electromagnetic wave propagates via the cylindrical scattering wave mode along the surface of the transmission medium without requiring the electrical return path;

and

wherein the transceiver is further configured to receive the second electromagnetic signal and to recover the second data.

11. A method, comprising:

generating a first electromagnetic signal conveying first data; and

generating, via a coupler and responsive to the first electromagnetic signal, a first electromagnetic wave along a surface of a transmission medium, wherein the first electromagnetic wave is within a non-optical frequency band, wherein the first electromagnetic wave propagates via a cylindrical scattering wave mode along the surface of the transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the cylindrical scattering wave mode has a superluminal phase velocity.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the coupler generates the cylindrical scattering wave mode along the transmission medium by generating an incident electromagnetic wave.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the incident electromagnetic wave is a cylindrical wave.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the cylindrical wave azimuthally surrounds the transmission medium.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the transmission medium is a wire and the surface of the transmission medium reflects the incident electromagnetic wave to form a reflected electromagnetic wave.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the reflected electromagnetic wave is a cylindrical wave.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the incident electromagnetic wave has a phase propagation constant in a direction of propagation along the transmission medium that is less than a ratio of a radian frequency of the first electromagnetic wave to speed of light in a vacuum.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

generating, responsive to a second electromagnetic wave along the surface of the transmission medium, a second electromagnetic signal conveying second data, wherein the second electromagnetic wave propagates via the cylindrical scattering wave mode along the surface of the transmission medium without requiring the electrical return path; and

receiving the second electromagnetic signal to recover the second data.

20. A system, comprising:

means for generating an electromagnetic signal conveying data; and

means for generating, responsive to the electromagnetic signal, an electromagnetic wave along a surface of a transmission medium, wherein the electromagnetic wave is within a non-optical frequency band, wherein the electromagnetic wave propagates via a cylindrical scattering wave mode along the surface of the transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path.