Method and apparatus for switching of data channels provided in electromagnetic waves

• US 10,547,545 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2018
• Issued: 01/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2018
• 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, Gerszberg, Irwin, Henry, Paul Shala, Willis, III, Thomas M., Barnickel, Donald J., Bennett, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Abelson, Ronald B
• Application Number:
  US15/941,238
• Publication Number:
  US 20190306057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• 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: H04L 45/74 Address processing for routing

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, a first waveguide system that receives first electromagnetic waves that propagate along a transmission medium where the transmission medium comprises an external surface where the first electromagnetic waves propagate along the transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path, and where the first electromagnetic waves convey data. The first waveguide system can generate, according to the first electromagnetic waves, first signals, where the first signals convey the data. The first waveguide system can provide the first signals to a switching device that facilitates generating and providing, according to the first signals and routing information conveyed by the first signals, second signals to a second waveguide system selected from among a group of waveguide systems communicatively coupled to the switching device, where the second signals convey at least a first portion of the data. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a switching device from a first waveguide system, first signals that convey data;

selecting, by the switching device according to routing information, a second waveguide system from among a group of waveguide systems that are communicatively coupled to the switching device;

routing, by the switching device, second signals to the second waveguide system, the second signals conveying at least a portion of the data, the routing of the second signals facilitating generating of electromagnetic waves by the second waveguide system that propagate along a transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the electromagnetic waves convey at least a first portion of the data.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

selecting, according to the routing information, a third waveguide system from among the group of waveguide systems;

generating and providing, by the switching device according to the first signals and the routing information, third signals to the third waveguide system, wherein the third signals convey a second portion of the data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the switching device comprises an Ethernet switch, and wherein the first signals conform to an Ethernet protocol.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising connecting the switching device to at least one of the first waveguide system or the group of waveguide systems by a tethered interface.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the connecting the switching device to the at least one of the first waveguide system or the group of waveguide systems comprises connecting the switching device to the at least one of the first waveguide system or the group of waveguide systems by an optical fiber.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the first signals by the switching device, the routing the second signals by the switching device, or a combination thereof is via a wireless interface.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modulating or demodulating, by the switching device, the first signals to generate the second signals.

8. 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 first electromagnetic waves that propagate along a transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the first electromagnetic waves convey data and routing information;

generating, according to the first electromagnetic waves, first signals, wherein the first signals convey the data and the routing information; and

providing the first signals to a switching device, the first signals suitable to cause the switching device to generate and provide, according to the first signals and the routing information, second signals to a second waveguide system selected-from among a group of waveguide systems communicatively coupled to the switching device, wherein the second signals convey at least a first portion of the data.

9. The first waveguide system of claim 8, wherein the first signals are suitable to cause the switching device to generate and provide, according to the first signals, third signals to a third waveguide system selected from among the group of waveguide systems, wherein the third signals convey a second portion of the data.

10. The first waveguide system of claim 8, wherein the first waveguide system and the group of waveguide systems are connected to different spans of the transmission medium that provide different communication paths.

11. The first waveguide system of claim 8, wherein the providing the first signals to a switching device comprises providing the first signals to an Ethernet switch, and wherein the first signals conform to an Ethernet protocol.

12. The first waveguide system of claim 8, wherein a tethered interface communicatively couples the switching device to at least one of the first waveguide system or the group of waveguide systems.

13. The first waveguide system of claim 12, wherein the tethered interface comprises an optical fiber.

14. The first waveguide system of claim 8, wherein the providing the first signals, the providing the second signals, or a combination thereof is via a wireless interface.

15. The first waveguide system of claim 8, wherein generating the first signals comprises generating the first signals according to frequency-shifting, modulating, demodulating, or a combination thereof.

16. A non-transitory, machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a switching device including a processing system comprising a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:

receiving, from a first waveguide system, first signals that convey data;

selecting, according to routing information, a second waveguide system from among a group of communication devices comprising a plurality of waveguide systems, the group of communication devices being communicatively coupled to the switching device;

generating, according to the first signals, second signals, wherein the second signals convey at least a first portion of the data, and wherein the generating the second signals comprises generating the signals to facilitate generating by the second waveguide system of electromagnetic waves that propagate along a transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path; and

providing the second signals to the second waveguide system.

17. The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the routing information is conveyed by the first signals and by the electromagnetic waves.

18. The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the plurality of waveguide systems is connected to different spans of the transmission medium that provide different communication paths, and wherein the operations further comprise:

selecting, according to the routing information, a third waveguide system from among the group of communication devices;

generating, according to the first signals, third signals, wherein the third signals convey a second portion of the data; and

providing the third signals to the third waveguide system.

19. The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the switching device comprises an Ethernet switch, and wherein the first signals conform to an Ethernet protocol.

20. The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising:

modulating or demodulating, by the switching device, the first signals to generate the second signals.