Using surface wave propagation to communicate an information-bearing signal through a barrier

• US 20110132658A1
• Filed: 12/08/2009
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2009
• 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: Miller, Robert R. II, Worstell, Harry R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,269,583 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/70.R
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40013 Details regarding a bus controller

Abstract

The RF signal generated by a ZigBee radio on the outside of a building structure is conveyed to the interior of the building by guiding it along an electric cable bundle that passes through the building'"'"'s wall to supply domestic electric power to the interior of the structure. The RF signal is launched by a unique coupler comprising a pair of insulated foil conductors.

Claims

1. In combination,

an electrical power cable installed through a wall having an exterior side and an interior side, the electrical power cable having a portion extending between an electric power meter at the exterior side of the wall a circuit breaker panel at the interior side of the wall, the electrical power cable comprising conductors which are one of a) 4 AWG copper conductors or larger and b) 2 AWG aluminum conductors or larger, and

a coupler installed on said portion of said cable, the coupler being configured to launch electromagnetic waves along the electrical power cable.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein the coupler launches transverse-magnetic surface waves along the electrical power cable.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein the coupler launches Goubau propagation mode waves along the electrical power cable.

6. The combination of claim 1 further comprising

a repeater node, and

a second coupler installed on a second portion of the electrical power cable at the interior side of the wall, the coupler being configured to couple electromagnetic waves propagating along the electrical power cable into metallic RF signals and to apply the metallic RF signals to the repeater node.

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

7. In combination,

an electrical power cable installed through a wall having an exterior side and an interior side, the electrical power cable having a portion extending between an electric power meter at the exterior side of the wall and a circuit breaker panel at the interior side of the wall, the electrical power cable having a current rating of at least 100 amperes, and

a coupler installed on said portion of said cable, the coupler being configured to launch electromagnetic waves along the electrical power cable.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein the coupler launches transverse-magnetic surface waves along the electrical power cable.

9. The combination of claim 7 wherein the launched electromagnetic waves propagate in a Goubau propagation mode.

10. The combination of claim 7 further comprising

a repeater node, and

a second coupler installed on a second portion of the electrical power cable at the interior side of the wall, the coupler being configured to couple electromagnetic waves propagating along the electrical power cable into metallic RF signals and to apply the metallic RF signals to the repeater node.

11. In combination,

an electrical power cable,

an electrical meter box having installed therein a meter for measuring and indicating an amount of power conveyed over the electrical power cable, and

a coupler installed on the electrical power cable, the coupler being configured to launch electromagnetic waves along the electrical power cable.

12. The combination of claim 11 wherein the coupler launches transverse-magnetic surface waves along the electrical power cable.

13. The combination of claim 11 wherein the launched electromagnetic waves propagate in a Goubau propagation mode.

14. The combination of claim 11 wherein the electrical meter box is installed at a first side of a building wall and wherein the combination further comprises

an electrical breaker panel installed at a second side of the building wall,

a repeater node installed at the second side of the building wall, and

a second coupler installed on the electrical power cable at the second side of the wall, the coupler being configured to couple electromagnetic waves propagating along the electrical power cable into metallic RF signals and to apply the metallic RF signals to the repeater node.