METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING OR RECEIVING SIGNALS IN A TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

• US 20160105218A1
• Filed: 10/14/2014
• Published: 04/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2014
• 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: Henry, Paul Shala, Bennett, Robert, Gerszberg, Irwin, Barzegar, Farhad, Barnickel, Donald J., Willis, Thomas M. III
• Granted Patent: US 9,762,289 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/70 Details of trackside communication
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/46 Electric supply lines or communication lines
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/20 Non-resonant leaky-waveguide or transmission-line antennas; Equivalent structures causing radiation along the transmission path of a guided wave
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5466 using three phases conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/28 using the near field of leaky cables, e.g. of leaky coaxial cables

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system for transmitting first electromagnetic waves that propagate on a surface of a component of a transit system, and receiving second electromagnetic waves that propagate on the surface of the component of the transit system. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

transmitting, by a waveguide system, first electromagnetic waves on a surface of a transmission medium via a communications interface of the waveguide system, wherein the transmission medium comprises a component of a passenger transportation system that enables transport of a vehicle of the passenger transportation system; and

receiving, by the waveguide system, second electromagnetic waves propagating on the surface of the transmission medium.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the passenger transportation system comprises a railway system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the component of the passenger transportation system comprises a conductor that facilitates delivery of electrical energy to the vehicle of the passenger transportation system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the component of the passenger transportation system comprises a portion of a rail of a track for guiding the vehicle of the passenger transportation system.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the surface of the transmission medium comprises a surface of the portion of the rail of the track that does not make physical contact with the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications interface comprises an optical interface or a radio frequency interface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electromagnetic waves comprise first data, and wherein the second electromagnetic waves include second data.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first electromagnetic waves and the second electromagnetic waves facilitate communication services between a first device located in the vehicle of the passenger transportation system and a second device remotely located from the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the communication services comprise voice services or data services.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electromagnetic waves operate at a first operating frequency, wherein the second electromagnetic waves operate at a second operating frequency, and wherein other electromagnetic waves that propagate on the surface of the transmission medium have an operating frequency that differs from the first operating frequency and the second operating frequency to reduce signal interference.

11. A waveguide system, comprising:

a waveguide that facilitates transmission or reception of electromagnetic waves that propagate along a surface of a component of a passenger transportation system that enables transport of a vehicle of the passenger transportation system;

a memory that stores instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein responsive to executing the instructions, the processor performs operations comprising transmitting, via the waveguide, first electromagnetic waves that propagate on the surface of the component of the passenger transportation system.

12. The waveguide system of claim 11, wherein the passenger transportation system comprises a railway system.

13. The waveguide system of claim 11, wherein the component of the passenger transportation system comprises a conductor that facilitates delivery of electrical energy to the vehicle of the passenger transportation system, or a portion of a track for guiding the vehicle.

14. The waveguide system of claim 13, wherein the surface of the component of the passenger transportation system comprises a surface of the track that does not make physical contact with the vehicle.

15. The waveguide system of claim 11, wherein the waveguide comprises an optical interface for coupling the waveguide system to the component of the passenger transportation system.

16. The waveguide system of claim 11, wherein the first electromagnetic waves comprise data that facilitates communication services between a first device located in the vehicle of the passenger transportation system and a second device remotely located from the vehicle.

17. The waveguide system of claim 16, wherein the communication services comprise voice services or data services.

18. The waveguide system of claim 11, wherein another waveguide system transmits second electromagnetic waves that propagate on the surface of the component of the passenger transportation system, wherein the first electromagnetic waves transmitted by the waveguide system operate at a first operating frequency, wherein the second electromagnetic transmitted by the another waveguide system operate at a second operating frequency, and wherein the first operating frequency differs from the second operating frequency to reduce signal interference between the first electromagnetic waves and the second electromagnetic waves.

19. A machine-readable device, comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor of a waveguide system, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

transmitting first electromagnetic waves that propagate on a surface of a component of a transit system that enables transport of a vehicle of the transit system; and

receiving second electromagnetic waves that propagate on the surface of the component of the transit system.

20. The machine-readable device of claim 19, wherein the transit system comprises a railway system.

21. The machine-readable device of claim 19, wherein the component of the transit system guides or powers the vehicle of the transit system.

22. The machine-readable device of claim 21, wherein the component of the transit system comprises a track that guides the vehicle of the transit system, and wherein the surface of the component of the transit system comprises a surface of the track that does not make physical contact with the vehicle.

23. The machine-readable device of claim 19, wherein the component of the transit system comprises a first subcomponent and a second subcomponent of the transit system, and wherein the first subcomponent and the second subcomponent enable diversity or multiple-input and multiple-output communication services.

24. The machine-readable device of claim 23, wherein the first subcomponent and the second subcomponent comprise any paired combination of a first conductor for delivery of energy to the vehicle of the transit system, a second conductor for delivery of energy to the vehicle, a first rail for guiding the vehicle, or a second rail for guiding the vehicle.