QUASI-OPTICAL COUPLER
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- emitting, by a transmitter, a first focused transmission; and
reflecting, by a reflector, the first focused transmission from a focal plane of the reflector to induce a first guided wave bound to a surface of a first transmission medium, wherein the first focused transmission is directed to the focal plane of the reflector, and wherein the reflector is positioned with respect to the first transmission medium to facilitate the reflecting of the first focused transmission to the surface of the first transmission medium.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A quasi-optical coupling system launches and extracts surface wave communication transmissions from a wire. At millimeter-wave frequencies, where the wavelength is small compared to the macroscopic size of the equipment, the millimeter-wave transmissions can be transported from one place to another and diverted via lenses and reflectors, much like visible light. Transmitters and receivers can be positioned near telephone and power lines and reflectors placed on or near the cables can reflect transmissions onto or off of the cables. The lenses on the transmitters are focused, and the reflectors positioned such that the reflected transmissions are guided waves on the surface of the cables. The reflectors can be polarization sensitive, where one or more of a set of guided wave modes can be reflected off the wire based on the polarization of the guided wave modes and polarization and orientation of the reflector.
171 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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emitting, by a transmitter, a first focused transmission; and reflecting, by a reflector, the first focused transmission from a focal plane of the reflector to induce a first guided wave bound to a surface of a first transmission medium, wherein the first focused transmission is directed to the focal plane of the reflector, and wherein the reflector is positioned with respect to the first transmission medium to facilitate the reflecting of the first focused transmission to the surface of the first transmission medium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus, comprising:
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means for emitting a focused transmission; and means for reflecting the focused transmission from a focal plane of the means for reflecting to induce a guided wave bound to a surface of a transmission medium, wherein the focused transmission is directed to the focal plane of the means for reflecting, and wherein the means for reflecting is positioned with respect to the transmission medium to facilitate the reflecting of the focused transmission to the surface of the transmission medium.
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13. An apparatus, comprising:
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a first reflector, positioned with respect to a first transmission medium, that facilitates reflecting from a focal plane of the first reflector a first component of a first guided wave bound to a surface of the first transmission medium, wherein the first component of the first guided wave is reflected away from the first transmission medium, and wherein the first component of the first guided wave comprises a focused reflection; and a receiver that facilitates receiving the focused reflection. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification