Surface-wave communications and methods thereof

• US 9,661,505 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2016
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• 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: Barnickel, Donald J, Barzegar, Farhad, Gerszberg, Irwin, Henry, Paul Shala, Willis, III, Thomas M., Bennett, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Fayyaz
• Application Number:
  US15/175,107
• Publication Number:
  US 20160285508A1
• Time in Patent Office: 350 Days
• Field of Search: 455 7, 455 14, 455 15, 375219, 375220, 375257
• 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 base station device, comprising:

an antenna;

a memory that stores executable instructions; and

a processor, coupled to the memory, to facilitate execution of the executable instructions to perform operations, comprising;

receiving a first modulated signal conveying data;

generating, via a coupling device, a first electromagnetic wave that propagates on an outer surface of a transmission medium, the first electromagnetic wave conveying the first modulated signal, and the coupling device having a central axis that is not coaxially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the transmission medium; and

generating, by the antenna, a first wireless signal based on the first electromagnetic wave received from the transmission medium.

2. The base station device of claim 1, wherein the first electromagnetic wave comprises one or more propagation wave modes.

3. The base station device of claim 1, wherein the first electromagnetic wave comprises a non-fundamental wave mode.

4. The base station device of claim 1, wherein the first electromagnetic wave comprises a fundamental wave mode.

5. The base station device of claim 1, wherein a wavelength of the first electromagnetic wave is less than a circumference of the transmission medium.

6. The base station device of claim 1, wherein the transmission medium is coupled to the antenna.

7. The base station device of claim 1, wherein the transmission medium comprises a dielectric transmission medium.

8. The base station device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, by the antenna, a second wireless signal from a communication device;

converting the second wireless signal to a second modulated signal; and

generating, via the coupling device, a second electromagnetic wave including the second modulated signal, the second electromagnetic wave guided by the outer surface of the transmission medium.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a system including a processor, a first signal;

generating, via a coupling device, a first electromagnetic wave that propagates on an outer surface of a transmission medium, the first electromagnetic wave including the first signal, and the coupling device having a central axis that is not coaxially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the transmission medium; and

generating, by an antenna, a first wireless signal based on the first electromagnetic wave received from the transmission medium.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first electromagnetic wave comprises one or more propagation wave modes.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first electromagnetic wave comprises a non-fundamental wave mode.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first electromagnetic wave comprises a fundamental wave mode.

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

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the transmission medium is coupled to the antenna.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the transmission medium comprises a dielectric transmission medium.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, by the antenna, a second wireless signal;

converting the second wireless signal to a second signal; and

generating, via the coupling device, a second electromagnetic wave including the second signal, the second electromagnetic wave guided by the outer surface of the transmission medium.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a coupling device facilitating generation of a guided electromagnetic wave on a surface of 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 the surface of the transmission medium; and

an antenna coupled to the transmission medium, the antenna facilitating reception of the guided electromagnetic wave from the transmission medium and generation of a wireless signal according to the guided electromagnetic wave.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the guided electromagnetic wave comprises one or more propagation wave modes.

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

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