GUIDED WAVE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM WITH INTERFERENCE MITIGATION AND METHODS FOR USE THEREWITH

• US 20190174506A1
• Filed: 12/04/2017
• Published: 06/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2017
• 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: Willis, III, Thomas M., Henry, Paul Shala, Vannucci, Giovanni
• Granted Patent: US 10,820,329 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0473 the resource being transmission power
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, generating electromagnetic waves that convey data, receiving a wireless signal generated by a communication device, determining that the wireless signal is transmitted during a first resource block used for transport of the electromagnetic waves that convey the data, detecting an interference condition caused by the wireless signal, and adjusting the electromagnetic waves to generate adjusted electromagnetic waves that convey the data in a second resource block that does not overlap with the first resource block. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A transmission device comprising:

a transmitter that facilitates generating first electromagnetic signals conveying first data in a first resource block of a plurality of resource blocks available for use in the first electromagnetic signals for conveying data;

a coupler that facilitates inducing propagation of first guided electromagnetic waves along a transmission medium having an outer surface in response to the first electromagnetic signals, wherein the first guided electromagnetic waves propagate, without requiring an electrical return path, along the transmission medium, and wherein the first guided electromagnetic waves convey the first data in the first resource block;

a first receiver that facilitates receiving a first wireless signal via an antenna; and

a controller that facilitates;

determining that the first wireless signal comprises an interference signal occurring during the first resource block of the first guided electromagnetic waves; and

configuring the transmitter to adjust the first electromagnetic signals to generate adjusted electromagnetic signals that convey the first data in a second resource block of the plurality of resource blocks, wherein the coupler facilitates inducing propagation of adjusted guided electromagnetic waves along the transmission medium in response to the adjusted electromagnetic signals.

2. The transmission device of claim 1, wherein the interfering signal corresponds to a transmission by a mobile device to a base station.

3. The transmission device of claim 1, wherein the second resource block does not overlap in time and frequency with the first resource block.

4. The transmission device of claim 1, wherein the first receiver further facilitates receiving a second wireless signal.

5. The transmission device of claim 4, wherein the controller further facilitates:

determining from the second wireless signal that the interference signal is no longer present during in the first resource block of the first guided electromagnetic waves; and

configuring the transmitter to restore generation of the first electromagnetic signals that convey the first data in the first resource block, wherein the coupler facilitates inducing propagation of the first guided electromagnetic waves along the transmission medium in response to restoration of the first electromagnetic signals.

6. The transmission device of claim 1, further comprising a second receiver that facilitates receiving second guided electromagnetic waves that convey second data.

7. The transmission device of claim 1, wherein configuring the transmitter to adjust the first electromagnetic signals to generate adjusted electromagnetic signals that convey the first data in the second resource block is responsive to determining at a first time interval that a first signal strength of the interference signal exceeds a threshold.

8. The transmission device of claim 7, wherein the controller further facilitates configuring the transmitter to restore generation of the first electromagnetic signals that convey the first data in the first resource block responsive to determining at a second time interval that a second signal strength of the interference signal is below the threshold, and wherein the coupler facilitates inducing propagation of the first guided electromagnetic waves along the transmission medium in response to restoration of the first electromagnetic signals.

9. The transmission device of claim 1, wherein the interfering signal corresponds to a transmission by a first mobile device to a first base station, wherein the transmission medium is coupled to a distributed antenna system, and wherein the distributed antenna system is coupled to a second base station.

10. The transmission device of claim 9, wherein the first receiver and the antenna are further configured to facilitate communications between a second mobile device and the second base station via the distributed antenna system.

11. The transmission device of claim 1, wherein the first guided electromagnetic waves are directed to another transmission device of a distributed antenna system, and wherein the another transmission device is configured to receive at least a portion of the first guided electromagnetic waves via the transmission medium.

12. The transmission device of claim 1, wherein the transmission medium is an uninsulated conductor or an insulated conductor.

13. The transmission device of claim 1, wherein the first guided electromagnetic waves have a microwave frequency band, and wherein the interfering signal has a frequency band that overlaps at least in part with the microwave frequency band.

14. A method comprising:

generating, by a waveguide system, electromagnetic waves that convey data, wherein the electromagnetic waves propagate along a transmission medium having an outer surface without requiring an electrical return path;

receiving, via an antenna of the waveguide system, a wireless signal generated by a communication device;

determining, by the waveguide system, that the wireless signal is transmitted during a first resource block used for transport of the electromagnetic waves that convey the data;

responsive to the determining, detecting, by the waveguide system, an interference condition; and

adjusting, by the waveguide system, the electromagnetic waves to generate adjusted electromagnetic waves to mitigate the interference condition, wherein the adjusted electromagnetic waves convey the data in a second resource block that does not overlap in time and frequency with the first resource block.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the detecting the interference condition comprises determining at a first resource block that a first signal strength of the wireless signal exceeds a threshold.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising restoring the electromagnetic waves that convey the data in the first resource block responsive to determining at a second resource block that a second signal strength of the wireless signal is below the threshold.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the detecting the interference condition comprises determining that the communication device is within a geographic region of the waveguide system that causes signal interference in the electromagnetic waves due to the wireless signal, determining that the wireless signal generated by the communication device is affected by signal interference caused by radiated energy from the electromagnetic waves, or both.

18. A transmission device, comprising:

means for generating electromagnetic waves that convey signals, wherein the electromagnetic waves propagate along a transmission medium having an outer surface without requiring an electrical return path;

means for receiving a wireless signal generated by a communication device;

means for detecting an interference condition based on determining that the wireless signal is transmitted during a first resource block used for transport of the electromagnetic waves that convey the signals; and

means for adjusting the electromagnetic waves to generate adjusted electromagnetic waves that convey the signals in a second resource block, wherein the second resource block does not overlap with the first resource block.

19. The transmission device of claim 18, wherein the means for detecting the interference condition comprises means for determining at a first time interval that a first signal strength of the wireless signal exceeds a threshold.

20. The transmission device of claim 18, further comprising means for restoring the electromagnetic signals that convey the signals in the first resource block responsive to detecting that the interference condition is no longer present.