Processing of electromagnetic waves and methods thereof

• US 10,530,647 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2018
• Issued: 01/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2018
• 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: Barzegar, Farhad, Vannucci, Giovanni, Henry, Paul Shala, Willis, III, Thomas M., Gerszberg, Irwin, Bennett, Robert, Barnickel, Donald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Chandrahas B
• Application Number:
  US15/937,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20190296974A1
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/40 Transceivers
• 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: H04L 25/02 Details ; arrangements for supplying electrical power along data transmission lines systems for transmitting signals via power distribution lines H04B3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/0002 analog front ends; means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line duplex arrangements H04L5/143
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/12 Modulator circuits; Transmitter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0895 Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/40 using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/22 using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, a first waveguide system for obtaining instructions that reconfigures operations thereof, receiving first electromagnetic waves propagating along a transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path, where the first electromagnetic waves convey first data. The first waveguide system can further facilitate processing the first electromagnetic waves, according to the instructions, to selectively generate repeated electromagnetic waves for delivery to a second waveguide system, regenerated electromagnetic waves for delivery to the second waveguide system, first signals for delivery to a routing device, or any combinations thereof. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a first waveguide system, configuration instructions, wherein the first waveguide system is reconfigurable according to the configuration instructions to generate repeated electromagnetic waves, regenerated electromagnetic waves, signals, or any combinations thereof, wherein the repeated electromagnetic waves correspond to a retransmission of first electromagnetic waves, wherein the regenerated electromagnetic waves correspond to a regeneration of the first electromagnetic waves and are generated according to an analog-to-digital-to-analog conversion of the first electromagnetic waves, and wherein the signals correspond to a signal conversion of the first electromagnetic waves;

receiving, by the first waveguide system, the first electromagnetic waves propagating along a transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the transmission medium comprises an external surface, and wherein the first electromagnetic waves convey data; and

generating, by the first waveguide system according to the configuration instructions, the repeated electromagnetic waves for delivery to a second waveguide system, the regenerated electromagnetic waves for delivery to the second waveguide system, the signals for delivery to a routing device, or any combinations thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the repeated electromagnetic waves are generated according to analog reconditioning of the first electromagnetic waves.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the analog reconditioning excludes an analog-to-digital conversion.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the signals are provided to the routing device via a wireless interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the signals are generated by frequency-shifting the first electromagnetic waves, demodulating the first electromagnetic waves, or a combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the signals conform to an Ethernet protocol.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the routing device comprises a switch.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the switch facilitates routing channels of the signals to an access point or the second waveguide system.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the access point facilitates generating, according to the channels, a wireless signal that conveys the data, wherein the wireless signal is directed to a communication device within a communication range of the access point.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the wireless signal conforms to a 4G, 5G, or next generation signaling protocol.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the signals are baseband signals.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the signals are provided to the routing device via a tethered interface.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first waveguide system is coupled to a first span of the transmission medium, and wherein the second waveguide system is coupled to a second span of the transmission medium.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first electromagnetic waves propagate along the first span, wherein second electromagnetic waves propagate along the second span, and wherein the first electromagnetic waves propagating along the first span are substantially isolated from the second electromagnetic waves propagating along the second span.

15. A first waveguide system, 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 instructions to configure the first waveguide system to generate repeated electromagnetic waves, regenerated electromagnetic waves, signals, or any combinations thereof, wherein the repeated electromagnetic waves correspond to a retransmission of first electromagnetic waves, wherein the regenerated electromagnetic waves correspond to a regeneration of the first electromagnetic waves and are generated according to an analog-to-digital-to-analog conversion of the first electromagnetic waves, and wherein the signals correspond to a signal conversion of the first electromagnetic waves;

receiving the first electromagnetic waves propagating along a transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the transmission medium comprises an external surface, and wherein the first electromagnetic waves convey data; and

processing the first electromagnetic waves, according to the instructions, to generate the repeated electromagnetic waves for delivery to a second waveguide system, the regenerated electromagnetic waves for delivery to the second waveguide system, the signals for delivery to a routing device, or any combinations thereof.

16. The first waveguide system of claim 15, wherein the signals are generated by frequency-shifting the first electromagnetic waves, demodulating the first electromagnetic waves, or a combination thereof.

17. The first waveguide system of claim 15, wherein the repeated electromagnetic waves are generated according to analog reconditioning of the first electromagnetic waves that excludes an analog-to-digital conversion.

18. A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system of a first waveguide system that includes a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:

obtaining instructions that reconfigure operations of the first waveguide system;

receiving first electromagnetic waves propagating along a transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the transmission medium comprises an external surface, and wherein the first electromagnetic waves convey data; and

processing the first electromagnetic waves, according to the instructions, to selectively generate repeated electromagnetic waves for delivery to a second waveguide system, regenerated electromagnetic waves for delivery to the second waveguide system, signals for delivery to a routing device, or any combinations thereof, wherein the repeated electromagnetic waves correspond to a retransmission of the first electromagnetic waves, wherein the regenerated electromagnetic waves correspond to a regeneration of the first electromagnetic waves, wherein the signals correspond to a signal conversion of the first electromagnetic waves, and wherein the routing device comprises a switch that facilitates routing channels of the signals to an access point or the second waveguide system.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the regenerated electromagnetic waves are generated according to an analog-to-digital-to-analog conversion of the first electromagnetic waves.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the repeated electromagnetic waves are generated according to analog reconditioning of the first electromagnetic waves that excludes an analog-to-digital conversion, and wherein the signals are generated by frequency-shifting the first electromagnetic waves, demodulating the first electromagnetic waves, or a combination thereof.