Guided wave coupler, coupling module and methods for use therewith

• US 9,653,770 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2014
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2014
• 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: Gerszberg, Irwin, Barzegar, Farhad, Barnickel, Donald J, Willis, III, Thomas M., Henry, Paul Shala, Bennett, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Rachedine, Mohammed
• Application Number:
  US14/519,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20160112115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/16 Dielectric waveguides, i.e. without a longitudinal conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/02 with invariable factor of coupling H01P5/12 takes precedence choke joints H01P1/04, H01P1/06
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/12 Coupling devices having more than two ports H01P5/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0485 Dielectric resonator antennas
• 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 3/56 Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15557 Selecting relay station operation mode, e.g. between amplify and forward mode, decode and forward mode or FDD - and TDD mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a coupler including a receiving portion that receives a first electromagnetic wave conveying first data from a transmitting device. A guiding portion guides the first electromagnetic wave to a junction for coupling the first electromagnetic wave to a transmission medium. The first electromagnetic wave propagates via at least one first guided wave mode. The coupling of the first electromagnetic wave to the transmission medium forms a second electromagnetic wave that is guided to propagate along the outer surface of the transmission medium via at least one second guided wave mode that differs from the at least one first guided wave mode. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A coupler comprising:

a receiving portion that receives a plurality of first electromagnetic waves conveying first data from a transmitting device, wherein the first data includes a plurality of data streams that differ from one another and wherein each of the plurality of first electromagnetic waves conveys one of the plurality of data streams;

a plurality of guiding portions, that guides the plurality of first electromagnetic waves to at least one junction for coupling the plurality of first electromagnetic waves to a transmission medium, wherein the plurality of first electromagnetic waves propagates via at least one first guided wave mode and wherein the coupling of the plurality of first electromagnetic waves to the transmission medium forms a plurality of second electromagnetic waves that are each guided to propagate along an outer surface of the transmission medium via at least one second guided wave mode that differs from the at least one first guided wave mode, wherein the at least one second guided wave mode includes a non-fundamental mode not included in the at least one first guided wave mode.

2. The coupler of claim 1 wherein the at least one first guided wave mode includes only a fundamental mode and wherein the at least one junction induces the plurality of second electromagnetic waves such that the at least one second guided wave mode includes the non-fundamental mode.

3. The coupler of claim 1 wherein the at least one first guided wave mode includes a first symmetric mode having a circular field pattern and wherein the at least one junction induces the plurality of second electromagnetic waves such that the at least one second guided wave mode includes an asymmetric mode having a non-circular field pattern and a second symmetric mode having the circular field pattern.

4. The coupler of claim 1 wherein the at least one junction includes an air gap.

5. The coupler of claim 1, wherein a plurality of third electromagnetic waves conveys second data that also propagates along the outer surface of the transmission medium;

and

wherein the at least one junction couples the plurality of third electromagnetic waves from the transmission medium to form a plurality of fourth electromagnetic waves that is guided to a receiver by the plurality of guiding portions.

6. The coupler of claim 1 wherein the plurality of guiding portions each includes a tapered, rounded or beveled end that terminates at the at least one junction.

7. A coupling module comprising:

a plurality of receiving portions that receives a corresponding plurality of first electromagnetic waves conveying first data;

a plurality of guiding portions, that guides the plurality of first electromagnetic waves to a corresponding plurality of junctions for coupling the plurality of first electromagnetic waves to a transmission medium, wherein the plurality of first electromagnetic waves propagates via at least one first guided wave mode and wherein the coupling of the plurality of first electromagnetic waves to the transmission medium forms a plurality of second electromagnetic waves that is guided to propagate along an outer surface of the transmission medium via at least one second guided wave mode that differs from the at least one first guided wave mode, and wherein the at least one second guided wave mode includes a non-fundamental mode not included in the at least one first guided wave mode; and

wherein the first data includes a plurality of data streams that differ from one another and wherein each of the plurality of first electromagnetic waves conveys one of the plurality of data streams.

8. The coupling module of claim 7 wherein the at least one first guided wave mode includes a symmetric mode having a circular field pattern and wherein the plurality of junctions induces the plurality of second electromagnetic waves such that the at least one second guided wave mode includes the non-fundamental wave mode comprising an asymmetric mode having a non-circular field pattern.

9. The coupling module of claim 7 wherein the at least one first guided wave mode includes a first symmetric mode having a circular field pattern and wherein the plurality of junctions induces the plurality of second electromagnetic waves such that the at least one second guided wave mode includes an asymmetric mode having a non-circular field pattern and a second symmetric mode having the circular field pattern.

10. The coupling module of claim 7 wherein the plurality of junctions includes an air gap.

11. The coupling module of claim 7, wherein a plurality of third electromagnetic waves conveys second data that also propagates along the outer surface of the transmission medium;

and

wherein the plurality of junctions couples the plurality of third electromagnetic waves from the transmission medium to form a plurality of fourth electromagnetic waves that is guided by the plurality of guiding portions.

12. The coupling module of claim 7 wherein the plurality of guiding portions each include an end that terminates at a corresponding one of the plurality of junctions to reduce signal reflections.

13. A method comprising:

receiving a plurality of first electromagnetic waves conveying first data from a transmitting device, wherein the first data includes a plurality of data streams that differ from one another and wherein each of the plurality of first electromagnetic waves conveys one of the plurality of data streams;

guiding the plurality of first electromagnetic waves to a plurality of junctions for coupling the plurality of first electromagnetic waves to a transmission medium, wherein the plurality of first electromagnetic waves propagates via at least one first guided wave mode and wherein the coupling of the plurality of first electromagnetic waves to the transmission medium forms a plurality of second electromagnetic waves that are each guided to propagate along an outer surface of the transmission medium via at least one second guided wave mode that differs from the at least one first guided wave mode, and wherein the at least one second guided wave mode includes a non-fundamental mode not included in the at least one first guided wave mode.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the non-fundamental mode comprises an asymmetric mode having a non-circular field pattern not included in the at least one first guided wave mode.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the at least one first guided wave mode includes a symmetric mode having a circular field pattern and wherein the plurality of junctions induces the plurality of second electromagnetic waves such that the at least one second guided wave mode includes the non-fundamental wave mode comprising an asymmetric mode having a non-circular field pattern.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the at least one first guided wave mode includes a first symmetric mode having a circular field pattern and wherein the plurality of junctions induces the plurality of second electromagnetic waves such that the at least one second guided wave mode includes the non-fundamental wave mode comprising an asymmetric mode having a non-circular field pattern.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the plurality of junctions includes an air gap.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein a plurality of third electromagnetic waves conveys second data that also propagates along the outer surface of the transmission medium;

and

wherein the plurality of junctions couples the plurality of third electromagnetic waves from the transmission medium to form a plurality of fourth electromagnetic waves that is guided to a receiver.

19. A method comprising:

guiding a plurality of first electromagnetic waves to at least one junction, wherein the plurality of first electromagnetic waves propagates via at least one first guided wave mode to communicate first data, wherein the first data includes a plurality of data streams that differ from one another and wherein each of the plurality of first electromagnetic waves conveys one of the plurality of data streams; and

coupling of the plurality of first electromagnetic waves to a transmission medium to form a plurality of second electromagnetic waves that are each guided to propagate along an outer surface of the transmission medium via at least one second guided wave mode that differs from the at least one first guided wave mode, and wherein the at least one second guided wave mode includes a non-fundamental mode not included in the at least one first guided wave mode.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the at least one first guided wave mode includes a fundamental mode and wherein the at least one junction induces the plurality of second electromagnetic waves such that the at least one second guided wave mode includes the non-fundamental mode.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the at least one first guided wave mode includes a fundamental mode and wherein the at least one junction induces the plurality of second electromagnetic waves such that the at least one second guided wave mode includes a non-fundamental mode.