METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LAUNCHING A WAVE MODE THAT MITIGATES INTERFERENCE

• US 20170018832A1
• Filed: 07/14/2015
• Published: 01/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2015
• 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: HENRY, PAUL SHALA, BENNETT, ROBERT, BARZEGAR, FARHAD, GERSZBERG, IRWIN, BARNICKEL, DONALD J., WILLIS, THOMAS M. III
• Granted Patent: US 9,882,257 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/06 Coaxial lines
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/127 with a circular, elliptic, or parabolic cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/08 for linking dissimilar lines or devices H01P1/16, H01P5/04 take precedence; linking lines of the same kind but with different dimensions H01P5/02
• 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

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system that performs operations including receiving first electromagnetic waves on an outer surface of a transmission medium, detecting a degradation of a signal quality of the first electromagnetic waves due to first electric fields of the first electromagnetic waves inducing first currents in an obstruction disposed on the outer surface of the transmission medium, and generating second electromagnetic waves having second electric fields that induce second currents in the obstruction that are lower in magnitude than the first currents, the electromagnetic waves having a cutoff frequency. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A waveguide system, comprising:

a launcher that facilitates generation of electromagnetic waves; and

a processor coupled to the launcher, wherein the processor facilitates performance of operations, comprising;

obtaining one or more operational parameters for configuring the launcher to generate electromagnetic waves having electric fields that are not longitudinally aligned with an obstruction disposed on an outer surface of a transmission medium and that extend outside the obstruction, the electromagnetic waves having a cutoff frequency, and the cutoff frequency comprising a non-optical frequency; and

directing the launcher to launch the electromagnetic waves according to the one or more operational parameters, and to induce the electromagnetic waves on the outer surface of the transmission medium.

2. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the launcher further comprises a waveguide structure for directing the electromagnetic waves to the outer surface of the transmission medium.

3. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein a substantial portion of the electric fields are approximately perpendicular to the obstruction.

4. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic waves have a transverse wave mode.

5. The waveguide system of claim 4, wherein the transverse wave mode comprises a transverse electric wave mode, a transverse magnetic wave mode, a transverse electromagnetic wave mode, or any combinations thereof.

6. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the launcher comprises a slotted waveguide.

7. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the launcher comprises a plurality of microwave circuits, each having a radiating element.

8. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the obtaining comprises obtaining the one or more operational parameters from a look-up table, the look-up table comprising sets of operational parameters for each of a plurality of electromagnetic waveforms launchable by the launcher.

9. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the obstruction is disposed on the outer surface of the transmission medium at one portion of the transmission medium and not another different portion of the transmission medium.

10. The waveguide system of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise determining a type of the obstruction on the outer surface of the transmission medium, and wherein the obtaining comprises obtaining the one or more operational parameters according to the type of the obstruction.

11. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the transmission medium does not comprise an optical fiber for guiding the electromagnetic waves.

12. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic waves experience less propagation losses at or near the cutoff frequency, and wherein the cutoff frequency is substantially greater than zero.

13. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the transmission medium comprises an insulator.

14. A method, comprising:

determining, by a waveguide system, one or more operational parameters for generating electromagnetic waves having electric fields that are not polarized longitudinally in a first region above an outer surface of a transmission medium, and that extend into a second region located above the first region;

generating, by the waveguide system, the electromagnetic waves according to the one or more operational parameters, the electromagnetic waves having a cutoff frequency; and

inducing, by the waveguide system, the electromagnetic waves on the outer surface of the transmission medium.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the electric fields are approximately perpendicular to the first region above the outer surface of the transmission medium.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein an obstruction is disposed on a portion of the outer surface of the transmission medium, and wherein the obstruction occupies the first region above the outer surface of the transmission medium.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the outer surface of the transmission medium comprises a dielectric material having a first dielectric constant, wherein the second region includes a material that has a second dielectric constant, and wherein the first dielectric constant exceeds the second dielectric constant.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the material in the second region comprises air.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining comprises obtaining the one or more operational parameters from a look-up table, the look-up table comprising sets of operational parameters for each of a plurality of launchable electromagnetic waveforms.

20. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a waveguide system, first electromagnetic waves on an outer surface of a transmission medium;

detecting, by the waveguide system, a degradation of a signal quality of the first electromagnetic waves due to first electric fields of the first electromagnetic waves inducing first currents in an obstruction disposed on the outer surface of the transmission medium; and

generating, by the waveguide system, second electromagnetic waves having second electric fields that induce second currents in the obstruction that are lower in magnitude than the first currents, the electromagnetic waves having a cutoff frequency.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the generating the second electromagnetic waves further results in the second electric fields extending in a region located above the obstruction.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the first electric fields induce the first currents in the obstruction at least in part as a result of the first electric fields being aligned at least partially with a longitudinal cross-section of the obstruction.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the second currents are lower in magnitude than the first currents at least in part as a result of the second electric fields being less aligned with the longitudinal cross-section of the obstruction than the first electric fields.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the first electric fields induce the first currents in the obstruction at least in part as a result of the first electric fields having a first electric field intensity in a longitudinal cross-section of the obstruction that exceeds a second electric field intensity in a region outside the obstruction.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the second currents are lower in magnitude than the first currents at least in part as a result of the second electric fields having a first electric field intensity in a region outside the obstruction that exceeds a second electric field intensity in a longitudinal cross-section of the obstruction.