Apparatus for the Transmission of Electromagnetic Waves

• US 20130064311A1
• Filed: 09/10/2012
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ROKE Manor Research Limited (Chemring Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: ROKE Manor Research Limited (Chemring Group PLC)
• Inventors: Turner, Janice Emily, Jessup, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,337,895 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/259
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/00 Waveguides; Transmission lines of the waveguide type
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/10 Wire waveguides, i.e. with a single solid longitudinal conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/52 Systems for transmission between fixed stations via waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers

Abstract

An apparatus for radio communication using surface waves, the apparatus comprising: a guiding medium having a first surface suitable for the propagation of surface waves, the first surface having a reactive impedance; at least one communication node, the node having a transmitter and/or receiver coupled to a transducer, the transducer positioned on or adjacent the first surface of said guiding medium; wherein the at least one communication node is arranged to launch and/or receive surface waves, over the first surface of said guiding medium.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a guiding medium having a first surface, the first surface having an electrical reactive impedance suitable for propagation of electromagnetic surface waves; and

at least two wave coupling nodes, the wave coupling nodes each having a transmitter and/or receiver coupled to a transducer, the transducer positioned on or adjacent the first surface of said guiding medium, wherein the at least two wave coupling nodes are arranged to launch and/or receive surface waves over the first surface of said guiding medium, and wherein the wave coupling nodes may be placed at arbitrary locations on the first surface of the guiding medium.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said guiding medium includes a dielectric layer and a conductive layer, a first surface of the dielectric layer being the first surface of the guiding medium and a second surface of the dielectric layer being positioned on or adjacent a first surface of the conductive layer.

3. A system according to claims 2, wherein the wave coupling nodes include a dielectric layer having a first surface arranged to be positioned, in use, on or adjacent the first surface of the dielectric layer of the guiding medium.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the wave coupling nodes include a conductive layer positioned on or adjacent a second surface of the dielectric layer of the wave coupling nodes.

5. A system according to any of claims 2, wherein the guiding medium is flexible.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein the dielectric layer is a flexible dielectric and the conductive layer is a conductive woven mesh.

7. A system according to claim 1, further comprising an adhesive layer, positioned over said first surface of the guiding medium, wherein said wave coupling nodes include an adhesive layer, such that each wave coupling node may be adhered to said adhesive layer.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein said system is adapted to propagate radio communication using the electromagnetic surface waves and said wave coupling nodes are communications nodes.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein said electromagnetic surface waves are Zenneck surface waves, said guiding medium has a reactive impedance suitable for propagation of the Zenneck surface waves, and each wave coupling node is arranged to launch and/or receive Zenneck surface waves over the first surface of said guiding medium.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein surface reactance of the first surface is greater than a resistive part of the electrical reactive impedance of the first surface.

11. A system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor, coupled to at least one of said wave coupling nodes.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said wave coupling nodes is incorporated within a computing device.

13. A system according to claim 1, wherein said guiding medium is a corrugated conductor.

14. An article of clothing incorporating the system of claim 1.

15. An article of furniture incorporating the system of claim 1.

16. A building, vehicle or other vessel incorporating the system of claim 1.

17. An comprising:

a transmitter and/or receiver;

a dielectric layer having first surface constituting a first surface of the node;

a conductive layer, having a first surface positioned on or adjacent a second surface of the dielectric layer;

a metallic plate, positioned on the first surface of the dielectric layer; and

a feed line, coupling the transmitter and/or receiver to the metallic plate.

18. A method comprising:

transmitting an electromagnetic surface wave along an electrically reactive first surface of a guiding medium from a first wave coupling node to a second wave coupling node;

wherein the electromagnetic surface wave includes data modulated thereon, and wherein the guiding medium is a flexible medium.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the guiding medium is included in an article of clothing.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the guiding medium is included in an article of furniture.