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

• US 20170373720A1
• Filed: 07/11/2017
• Published: 12/28/2017
• 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, III, THOMAS M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,991,934 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 first waveguide system, first electromagnetic waves along a transmission medium via a communications interface of the first waveguide system, wherein the transmission medium comprises a component of a transportation system that provides energy to a vehicle of the transportation system, wherein the first electromagnetic waves are bound to a surface of the component of the transportation system; and

receiving, by the first waveguide system, second electromagnetic waves propagating on the surface of the transmission medium, wherein a second waveguide system transmits the second electromagnetic waves that propagate on the surface of the component of the transportation system, wherein the first electromagnetic waves transmitted by the first waveguide system operate at a first operating frequency, wherein the second electromagnetic waves are bound to the surface of the component of the transportation system, wherein the second electromagnetic waves transmitted by the second waveguide system operate at a second operating frequency, and wherein the first operating frequency differs from the second operating frequency to reduce a signal interference between the first electromagnetic waves and the second electromagnetic waves.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transportation system comprises a railway system to transport the vehicle.

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

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

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

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

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first electromagnetic waves and the second electromagnetic waves facilitate communication services between a first device located in the vehicle of the transportation system and a second device remotely located from the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the communication services comprise voice services or data services.

9. The method of claim 1, 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 the signal interference.

10. A first waveguide system, comprising:

a waveguide that facilitates transmission of first electromagnetic waves that propagate along a surface of a component of a transportation system that provides energy to a vehicle of the 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, the first electromagnetic waves that propagate on the surface of the component of the transportation system, wherein the first electromagnetic waves are bound to the surface of the component of the transportation system, wherein a second waveguide system transmits second electromagnetic waves that propagate on the surface of the component of the transportation system, wherein the second electromagnetic waves are bound to the surface of the component of the transportation system, wherein the first electromagnetic waves transmitted by the first waveguide system operate at a first operating frequency, wherein the second electromagnetic waves transmitted by the second waveguide system operate at a second operating frequency, and wherein the first operating frequency differs from the second operating frequency to reduce a signal interference between the first electromagnetic waves and the second electromagnetic waves.

11. The first waveguide system of claim 10, wherein the transportation system further comprises a railway system coupled to the vehicle, and wherein the processor comprises a plurality of processors operating in a distributed processing environment.

12. The first waveguide system of claim 10, wherein the component of the transportation system comprises a conductor that facilitates delivery of electrical energy to the vehicle of the transportation system.

13. The first waveguide system of claim 12, wherein the surface of the component of the transportation system comprises a surface of a rail that delivers electrical energy to the vehicle.

14. The first waveguide system of claim 12, wherein the surface of the component of the transportation system comprises an overhead wire that delivers electrical energy to the vehicle.

15. The first waveguide system of claim 10, wherein the waveguide comprises an optical interface for coupling the first waveguide system to the component of the transportation system.

16. The first waveguide system of claim 10, wherein the first electromagnetic waves comprise data that facilitates communication services between a first device located in the vehicle of the transportation system and a second device remotely located from the vehicle.

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

18. A machine-readable device, comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor of a first 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 provides energy to a vehicle of the transit system, wherein the first electromagnetic waves are bound to the surface of the component of the transit system; and

receiving second electromagnetic waves that propagate on the surface of the component of the transit system, wherein a second waveguide system transmits the second electromagnetic waves that propagate on the surface of the component of the transit system, wherein the second electromagnetic waves are bound to the surface of the component of the transit system, wherein the first electromagnetic waves transmitted by the first waveguide system operate at a first operating frequency, wherein the second electromagnetic waves transmitted by the second waveguide system operate at a second operating frequency, and wherein the first operating frequency differs from the second operating frequency to reduce a signal interference between the first electromagnetic waves and the second electromagnetic waves.

19. The machine-readable device of claim 18, wherein the transit system comprises a railway system to transport the vehicle, and wherein the processor comprises a plurality of processors operating in a distributed processing environment.

20. The machine-readable device of claim 19, wherein the component of the transit system comprises an overhead conductor for delivery of energy to the vehicle of the transit system, a rail for delivery of energy to the vehicle, or any combination thereof.