METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SWITCHING OF DATA CHANNELS PROVIDED IN ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES

• US 20190306057A1
• Filed: 03/30/2018
• Published: 10/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2018
• 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: Barzegar, Farhad, Vannucci, Giovanni, Gerszberg, Irwin, Henry, Paul Shala, Willis, III, Thomas M., Barnickel, Donald J., Bennett, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 10,547,545 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: H04L 45/74 Address processing for routing

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, a first waveguide system that receives first electromagnetic waves that propagate along a transmission medium where the transmission medium comprises an external surface where the first electromagnetic waves propagate along the transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path, and where the first electromagnetic waves convey data. The first waveguide system can generate, according to the first electromagnetic waves, first signals, where the first signals convey the data. The first waveguide system can provide the first signals to a switching device that facilitates generating and providing, according to the first signals and routing information conveyed by the first signals, second signals to a second waveguide system selected from among a group of waveguide systems communicatively coupled to the switching device, where the second signals convey at least a first portion of the data. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a switching device from a first waveguide system, first signals that convey data, wherein the first signals are generated by the first waveguide system according to first electromagnetic waves received by the first waveguide system, wherein the first electromagnetic waves propagate along a transmission medium, wherein the transmission medium comprises an external surface, wherein the first electromagnetic waves propagate along the transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path, and wherein the first electromagnetic waves convey the data;

selecting, by the switching device according to routing information conveyed by the first signals, a second waveguide system from among a group of waveguide systems, the group of waveguide systems being communicatively coupled to the switching device;

generating, by the switching device according to the first signals and the routing information, second signals, wherein the second signals convey at least a first portion of the data; and

providing, by the switching device, the second signals to the second waveguide system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electromagnetic waves convey the routing information in a control channel, wherein the group of waveguide systems is connected to different spans of the transmission medium that provide different communication paths, and wherein the providing the second signals to the second waveguide system is according to a multipoint protocol.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising:

generating and providing, by the switching device according to the first signals and the routing information, third signals to a third waveguide system selected by the switching device from among the group of waveguide systems, wherein the third signals convey a second portion of the data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the switching device comprises an Ethernet switch, and wherein the first signals conform to an Ethernet protocol.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a tethered interface connects the switching device to at least one of the first waveguide system or the group of waveguide systems.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the tethered interface comprises an optical fiber.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the first signals, the providing the second signals, or a combination thereof is via a wireless interface.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the first signals by the first waveguide system comprises frequency-shifting the first electromagnetic waves, demodulating the first electromagnetic waves, or a combination thereof to generate the first signals.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the second signals comprises modulating or demodulating the first signals.

10. A first waveguide system, 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 first electromagnetic waves that propagate along a transmission medium, wherein the transmission medium comprises an external surface, wherein the first electromagnetic waves propagate along the transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path, and wherein the first electromagnetic waves convey data and routing information;

generating, according to the first electromagnetic waves, first signals, wherein the first signals convey the data and the routing information; and

providing the first signals to a switching device that facilitates generating and providing, according to the first signals and the routing information, second signals to a second waveguide system selected by the switching device from among a group of waveguide systems communicatively coupled to the switching device, wherein the second signals convey at least a first portion of the data.

11. The first waveguide system of claim 10, wherein the switching device facilitates generating and providing, according to the first signals and the routing information, third signals to a third waveguide system selected by the switching device from among the group of waveguide systems, wherein the third signals convey a second portion of the data, and wherein the providing the second signals to the second waveguide system and the providing the third signals to the third waveguide system are according to a multipoint protocol.

12. The first waveguide system of claim 10, wherein the group of waveguide systems is connected to different spans of the transmission medium that provide different communication paths.

13. The first waveguide system of claim 10, wherein the switching device comprises an Ethernet switch, and wherein the first signals conform to an Ethernet protocol.

14. The first waveguide system of claim 10, wherein a tethered interface connects the switching device to at least one of the first waveguide system or the group of waveguide systems.

15. The first waveguide system of claim 14, wherein the tethered interface comprises an optical fiber.

16. The first waveguide system of claim 10, wherein the providing the first signals, the providing the second signals, or a combination thereof is via a wireless interface.

17. The first waveguide system of claim 10, wherein the first signals, the second signals or a combination thereof are generated according to frequency-shifting, modulating, demodulating, or a combination thereof.

18. A machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a switching device including a processing system comprising a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:

receiving, from a first waveguide system, first signals that convey data, wherein the first signals are generated by the first waveguide system according to first electromagnetic waves received by the first waveguide system, wherein the first electromagnetic waves propagate along a transmission medium, wherein the transmission medium comprises an external surface, wherein the first electromagnetic waves propagate along the transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path, and wherein the first electromagnetic waves convey the data;

selecting, according to routing information, a second waveguide system from among a group of communication devices comprising a plurality of waveguide systems, the group of communication devices being communicatively coupled to the switching device;

generating, according to the first signals, second signals, wherein the second signals convey at least a first portion of the data; and

providing the second signals to the second waveguide system.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the routing information is conveyed by the first signals and by the first electromagnetic waves.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the plurality of waveguide systems is connected to different spans of the transmission medium that provide different communication paths, and wherein the operations further comprise:

selecting, according to the routing information, a third waveguide system from among the group of communication devices;

generating, according to the first signals, third signals, wherein the third signals convey a second portion of the data; and

providing the third signals to the third waveguide system.