Surface-wave communications and methods thereof

• US 9,467,870 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2015
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2013
• 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: Bennett, Robert, Barnickel, Donald J, Barzegar, Farhad, Gerszberg, Irwin, Henry, Paul Shala, Willis, Thomas M. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Fayyaz
• Application Number:
  US14/838,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20150373557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: 455/7, 455/14, 455/15, 340/531, 340/533, 340/538, 340/538.11, 375/219, 375/220, 375/257
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/46 Electric supply lines or communication lines
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/36 Repeater circuits H04B3/58 takes precedence
• 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: H04B 3/56 Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/022 Site diversity; Macro-diversity using two or more spaced independent antennas H04B7/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/52 using AGC [Automatic Gain Control] circuits or amplifiers

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system including a frequency mixer that combines a signal and a carrier wave to form a combined signal, and a transmitter that generates a transmission based on the combined signal. The system can also include a coupling device that emits the transmission as an electromagnetic wave guided by an outer surface of a transmission medium. The electromagnetic wave can propagate longitudinally along the surface of the transmission medium and at least partially around the surface of the transmission medium. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

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

receiving, via a coupling device that is not coaxially aligned with a transmission medium, an electromagnetic wave guided by the transmission medium, a portion of the coupling device being tangential to a longitudinal surface of the transmission medium, and the electromagnetic wave at least partially surrounding the transmission medium; and

down-converting the electromagnetic wave to generate a down-converted signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic wave comprises one or more propagation wave modes.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic wave comprises an asymmetric wave.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic wave comprises a symmetric wave.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein a wavelength of the electromagnetic wave is less than a circumference of the transmission medium.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmission medium comprises an uninsulated conductor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmission medium comprises an insulated conductor.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the system receives energy from the transmission medium.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a circuit, via a coupling device that is not coaxially aligned with a longitudinal axis of a transmission medium, an electromagnetic wave guided by a surface of the transmission medium, a portion of the coupling device being parallel to thee surface of the transmission medium, and the electromagnetic wave at least partially surrounding the transmission medium; and

generating, by the circuit, a demodulated signal based on the electromagnetic wave.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the electromagnetic wave has a fundamental wave mode.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein an axis of the coupling device is parallel or tangential to the longitudinal axis of the transmission medium.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the electromagnetic wave has a non-fundamental wave mode.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the electromagnetic wave has a wavelength that is less than a circumference of the transmission medium.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

a coupling device that facilitates receiving a guided electromagnetic wave from a transmission medium, the coupling device having a central axis that is not coaxially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the transmission medium, a portion of the coupling device being tangential or parallel to a surface of the transmission medium, and the guided electromagnetic wave at least partially surrounding the transmission medium;

a mixer that facilitates combining the guided electromagnetic wave and a carrier wave to form a down-converted signal; and

a receiver that facilitates generating a demodulated signal based on the down-converted signal.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the coupling device comprises a waveguide.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the guided electromagnetic wave comprises a fundamental wave mode.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the guided electromagnetic wave comprises a non-fundamental wave mode.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein a wavelength of the carrier wave is less than a circumference of the transmission medium.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the transmission medium comprises an insulated conductor.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the transmission medium comprises an uninsulated conductor.