DUAL MODE ANTENNA SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR USE THEREWITH

• US 20190123783A1
• Filed: 10/19/2017
• Published: 04/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2017
• 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.
• Granted Patent: US 10,763,916 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/127 with a circular, elliptic, or parabolic cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/52 Systems for transmission between fixed stations via waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include an antenna having a feedline configured to receive a first signal and a second signal. A dielectric antenna body is configured to transmit the first signal as a first free space wireless signal and further configured to transmit the second signal as a first guided electromagnetic wave that is bound to a surface of a transmission medium, wherein the first guided electromagnetic wave propagates along the surface of the transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. An antenna system comprising:

a transmitter configured to generate a first signal and a second signal; and

a dual mode antenna configured to transmit the first signal as a first free space wireless signal and further configured to transmit the second signal as a first guided electromagnetic wave that is bound to a surface of a transmission medium, wherein the first guided electromagnetic wave propagates along the surface of the transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path.

2. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the transmission medium is one of:

an insulated wire or an uninsulated wire.

3. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the dual mode antenna is conductorless and comprises a dielectric material and wherein the first signal and the second signal are at non-optical frequencies.

4. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the dual mode antenna launches the first guided electromagnetic wave on the surface of the transmission medium via a near field intensity pattern radiated from an aperture of the dual mode antenna.

5. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the dual mode antenna launches the first guided electromagnetic wave on the surface of the transmission medium via a near field intensity pattern having a horizontal fan beam radiated from an elliptical aperture of the dual mode antenna.

6. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the dual mode antenna radiates the first free space wireless signal via a far field beam pattern radiated from an aperture of the dual mode antenna.

7. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the dual mode antenna radiates the first free space wireless signal via a far field beam pattern having a vertical fan beam radiated from an elliptical aperture of the dual mode antenna.

8. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the first guided electromagnetic wave propagates along the surface of the transmission medium via a guided wave mode having a cutoff frequency, and wherein the second signal is above the cutoff frequency.

9. The antenna system of claim 8, wherein the first signal is below the cutoff frequency.

10. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the dual mode antenna is further configured to:

receive a second free space wireless signal; and

receive a second guided electromagnetic wave that is bound to the surface of the transmission medium, wherein the second guided electromagnetic wave propagates along the surface of the transmission medium without requiring the electrical return path.

11. A method comprising:

selectively generating, in accordance with a first mode of operation, a first signal;

transmitting, via a dual mode antenna, the first signal as a first free space wireless signal;

selectively generating, in accordance with a second mode of operation, a second signal; and

transmitting, via the dual mode antenna, the second signal as a first guided electromagnetic wave that is bound to a surface of a transmission medium, wherein the first guided electromagnetic wave propagates along the surface of the transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the transmission medium is one of:

an insulated wire or an uninsulated wire.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the dual mode antenna is conductorless and comprises a dielectric material and wherein the first signal and the second signal are at non-optical frequencies.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the dual mode antenna launches the first guided electromagnetic wave on the surface of the transmission medium via a near field intensity pattern radiated from an aperture of the dual mode antenna.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the dual mode antenna launches the first guided electromagnetic wave on the surface of the transmission medium via a near field intensity pattern having a horizontal fan beam radiated from an elliptical aperture of the dual mode antenna.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the dual mode antenna radiates the first free space wireless signal via a far field beam pattern radiated from an aperture of the dual mode antenna.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the dual mode antenna radiates the first free space wireless signal via a far field beam pattern having a vertical fan beam radiated from an elliptical aperture of the dual mode antenna.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the first guided electromagnetic wave propagates along the surface of the transmission medium via a guided wave mode having a cutoff frequency, and wherein the second signal is above the cutoff frequency and wherein the first signal is below the cutoff frequency.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, via the dual mode antenna, a second free space wireless signal; and

receiving, via the dual mode antenna, a second guided electromagnetic wave that is bound to the surface of the transmission medium, wherein the second guided electromagnetic wave propagates along the surface of the transmission medium without requiring the electrical return path.

20. An antenna system comprising:

a feedline configured to receive a first signal and a second signal; and

a dielectric antenna, coupled to the feedline, configured to transmit the first signal as a free space wireless signal and further configured to transmit the second signal as a guided electromagnetic wave that is bound to a surface of a transmission medium, wherein the guided electromagnetic wave propagates along the surface of the transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path.