METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR INDUCING ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES WITHIN PATHWAYS OF A CABLE

• US 20180123836A1
• Filed: 10/06/2017
• Published: 05/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2014
• 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, Vannucci, Giovanni, Willis, III, Thomas M., Bennett, Robert, Gerszberg, Irwin, Barzegar, Farhad, Barnickel, Donald J., Birk, Martin, Johnson, Shikik
• Granted Patent: US 10,411,920 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0413 MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/03891 Spatial equalizers MIMO diversity systems H04B7/0413
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management

Abstract

In accordance with one or more embodiments, a system can include a plurality of uninsulated conductors that is stranded together. The plurality of uninsulated conductors can form a hollow pathway that is bounded by internal conductive surfaces of at least three of the plurality of uninsulated conductors. The system can further include a communication device coupled to a first plurality of external conductive surfaces of the plurality of uninsulated conductors, where the communication device facilitates generating transmission signals at the first plurality of external conductive surfaces, and where the transmission signals induce electromagnetic waves that propagate along the hollow pathway without requiring an electrical return path. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a plurality of uninsulated conductors that is stranded together, wherein the plurality of uninsulated conductors forms a hollow pathway that is bounded by internal conductive surfaces of at least three of the plurality of uninsulated conductors; and

a communication device coupled to a first plurality of external conductive surfaces of the plurality of uninsulated conductors, wherein the communication device facilitates generating transmission signals at the first plurality of external conductive surfaces, and wherein the transmission signals induce electromagnetic waves that propagate along the hollow pathway without requiring an electrical return path.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication device facilitates generating the transmission signals according to communication signals received by the communication device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the electromagnetic waves convey the communication signals.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the communication device facilitates frequency-shifting the communication signals to generate the transmission signals.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic waves are received by a receiving device via the hollow pathway.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the receiving device utilizes a plurality of antennas to receive the electromagnetic waves via the hollow pathway.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the receiving device obtains communication signals from the electromagnetic waves by processing the electromagnetic waves according to at least one of a plurality of multi-input multi-output (MIMO) techniques.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein a receiving device is coupled to a second plurality of external conductive surfaces of the plurality of uninsulated conductors, and wherein the receiving device receives the electromagnetic waves via the second plurality of external conductive surfaces of the plurality of uninsulated conductors.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic waves are generated by the communication device according to at least one of a plurality of MIMO techniques.

10. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a communication device, a communication signal; and

responsive to the communication signal, generating, by the communication device, transmission signals at a first plurality of external conductive surfaces of a plurality of uninsulated conductors that is stranded together, wherein the plurality of uninsulated conductors forms a hollow waveguide that is bounded by internal conductive surfaces of at least three of the plurality of uninsulated conductors, and wherein the transmission signals induce electromagnetic waves that propagate along the hollow waveguide without requiring an electrical return path.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the communication signal comprises a wireless signal transmitted by a wireless communication device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the electromagnetic waves convey the communication signal.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the generating comprises frequency-shifting the communication signal to generate the transmission signals.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the electromagnetic waves are received by a receiving device via the hollow waveguide.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the receiving device utilizes a plurality of antennas to receive the electromagnetic waves via the hollow waveguide.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the receiving device extracts communication signals from the electromagnetic waves by processing the electromagnetic waves according to at least one of a plurality of multi-input multi-output (MIMO) techniques.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein a receiving device is coupled to a second plurality of external conductive surfaces of the plurality of uninsulated conductors, and wherein the receiving device receives the electromagnetic waves via the second plurality of external conductive surfaces of the plurality of uninsulated conductors.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the generating comprises selecting, by the communication device, at least one of a plurality of MIMO techniques to generate the transmission signals.

19. A transmission device, comprising:

a processing system including a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising;

receiving a communication signal; and

responsive to the communication signal, generating transmission signals at a plurality of external conductive surfaces of a plurality of uninsulated conductors that is stranded together, wherein the plurality of uninsulated conductors forms an interstitial area that is bounded by internal conductive surfaces of at least three of the plurality of uninsulated conductors, and wherein the transmission signals induce electromagnetic waves that propagate along the interstitial area without requiring an electrical return path.

20. The transmission device of claim 19, wherein the electromagnetic waves are received by a receiving device via the interstitial area.