METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MITIGATING INTERFERENCE AFFECTING A PROPAGATION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES GUIDED BY A TRANSMISSION MEDIUM

• US 20160221039A1
• Filed: 01/30/2015
• Published: 08/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2015
• 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: Fuchs, Mitchell Harvey, Bennett, Robert, Gerszberg, Irwin, Reichmann, Kenneth C.
• Granted Patent: US 10,144,036 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/18 wherein the vibrator is actuated by pressure fluid B06B1/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 3/00 Methods or apparatus specially adapted for transmitting mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/00 Arrangements for testing electric properties; Arrangements for locating electric faults; Arrangements for electrical testing characterised by what is being tested not provided for elsewhere measuring superconductive properties G01R33/1238; testing or measuring semiconductors or solid state devices during manufacture H01L22/00; testing line transmission systems H04B3/46
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/06 through light guides, e.g. optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5425 improving S/N by matching impedance, noise reduction, gain control
• 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: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system for detecting an accumulation of a liquid on a transmission medium that may interfere with the propagation of guided electromagnetic waves on a surface of the transmission medium, and directing a device to remove at least a portion of the liquid accumulating on the surface of the transmission medium to mitigate the interference. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting, by a mitigation system comprising a processing circuit, a condition associated with an accumulation of a liquid on a transmission medium used for transmitting or receiving guided electromagnetic waves propagating along a surface of the transmission medium; and

enabling, by the mitigation system, a device to remove a portion of the accumulation of the liquid on the transmission medium.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a mechanism that generates a vibration on the transmission medium to remove the portion of the accumulation of the liquid.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the mitigation system is an integral part of a waveguide system serving mitigate an attenuation of the guided electromagnetic waves caused by the accumulation of the liquid.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting comprises measuring humidity in a vicinity of the transmission medium.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting comprises performing a barometer reading in a vicinity of the transmission medium.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the guided electromagnetic waves are transmitted or received by a waveguide system, and wherein the mitigation system and the waveguide system are separate devices.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

measuring a vibration on the transmission medium produced by the device; and

directing the device to adjust the vibration.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining information associated with a physical characteristic of the transmission medium; and

initializing the device to produce a vibration on the transmission medium according to the information associated with the physical characteristic.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a deterioration of the device according to a vibration measured on the transmission medium.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid comprises water.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the device generates a sonic signal for removing the portion of the accumulation of the liquid on the transmission medium.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting comprises predicting the accumulation of the liquid prior to its occurrence.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring a vibration produced by the device with an accelerometer.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmission medium comprises a wire.

15. A device, comprising:

a sensor that facilitates detection of a condition associated with an accumulation of a liquid on a surface of a transmission medium;

a mitigation system that facilitates removing a portion of the liquid accumulating on the surface of the transmission medium; and

a processor coupled to a memory that facilitates storage of executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising detecting the accumulation of the liquid according to signals provided by the sensor, and directing the mitigation system to remove the portion of the liquid accumulating on the surface of the transmission medium, wherein the portion of the liquid accumulating interferes with a propagation of guided electromagnetic waves on the surface of the transmission medium.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the mitigation system comprises an electromechanical device that generates a vibration on the transmission medium to remove the portion of the accumulation of the liquid.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the device is a component of a waveguide system that transmits or receives the guided electromagnetic waves.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein the sensor comprises a barometer, a humidity detector, or a rain sensor.

19. The device of claim 15, wherein the detecting comprises predicting the accumulation of the liquid prior to its occurrence.

20. A machine-readable storage device, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:

detecting an accumulation of a liquid on a transmission medium; and

directing a system to remove at least a portion of the liquid accumulating on a surface of the transmission medium, wherein the portion of the liquid accumulating interferes with a propagation of guided electromagnetic waves on the surface of the transmission medium.

21. The machine-readable storage device of claim 20, wherein the system comprises an electromechanical device that generates a vibration on the transmission medium to remove the portion of the accumulation of the liquid.

22. The machine-readable storage device of claim 20, wherein the system is a component of a waveguide system that transmits or receives the guided electromagnetic waves.

23. The machine-readable storage device of claim 20, wherein the accumulation of the liquid is detected by a sensor that indicates a condition associated with the accumulation of the liquid.

24. The machine-readable storage device of claim 20, wherein the detecting comprises predicting the accumulation of the liquid prior to its occurrence.