Guided wave couplers for coupling electromagnetic waves between a waveguide surface and a surface of a wire

• US 9,692,101 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2014
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2014
• 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: Henry, Paul Shala, Barnickel, Donald J, Barzegar, Farhad, Bennett, Robert, Gerszberg, Irwin, Willis, III, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, BENNY T
• Application Number:
  US14/469,287
• Publication Number:
  US 20160064794A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 333240, 333113, 333 26, 333248
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/10 Wire waveguides, i.e. with a single solid longitudinal conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/16 Dielectric waveguides, i.e. without a longitudinal conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/087 Transitions to a dielectric waveguide
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/103 Hollow-waveguide/coaxial-line transitions
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/38 for signals in two different frequency ranges transmitted in opposite directions over the same transmission path
• 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 3/58 Repeater circuits

Abstract

A dielectric waveguide coupling system for launching and extracting guided wave communication transmissions from a wire. At millimeter-wave frequencies, wherein the wavelength is small compared to the macroscopic size of the equipment, transmissions can propagate as guided waves guided by a strip of dielectric material. Unlike conventional waveguides, the electromagnetic field associated with the dielectric waveguide is primarily outside of the waveguide. When this dielectric waveguide strip is brought into close proximity to a wire, the guided waves decouple from the dielectric waveguide and couple to the wire, and continue to propagate as guided waves about the surface of the wire.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a waveguide that facilitates propagation of a first electromagnetic wave at least in part on a waveguide surface, wherein the waveguide surface does not surround, in whole or in substantial part, a wire surface of a wire, and, in response to the waveguide being positioned with respect to the wire, the first electromagnetic wave couples, at least in part, to the wire surface and travels at least partially around the wire surface as a second electromagnetic wave, wherein the wire surface is an outer surface of the wire, and the second electromagnetic wave is a surface wave that travels along the outer surface of the wire, wherein an electromagnetic field of the surface wave is substantially outside of the wire, wherein the waveguide comprises a material that is not electrically conductive, and wherein the second electromagnetic wave has a wave propagation mode.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or both of the waveguide surface and the wire surface is metallic.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a portion of the waveguide is positioned parallel to the wire such that the first electromagnetic wave couples at least in part to the wire.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the portion of the waveguide that is positioned parallel to the wire is an end of the waveguide.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the end of the waveguide is mechanically coupled to the wire.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the waveguide includes a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the waveguide includes a curve between the first end and the second end, and wherein a part of the curve is a portion of the waveguide that is positioned parallel to the wire.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of a respective wavelength of the first electromagnetic wave and the second electromagnetic wave is smaller than a first circumference of the waveguide and a second circumference of the wire.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the waveguide is a first waveguide that receives the first electromagnetic wave from a second hollow metal waveguide, wherein the second hollow metal waveguide has a size and shape enabling an end of the first waveguide to be inserted therein.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wave propagation mode of the second electromagnetic wave comprises a fundamental mode that has a field structure that covers a circumference of the wire.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wave propagation mode of the second electromagnetic wave comprises an asymmetric mode that has a field magnitude that varies as a function of an angle around a longitudinal axis of the wire.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wave propagation mode of the second electromagnetic wave comprises both a fundamental mode and an asymmetric mode.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or both of the waveguide surface and the wire surface are insulated.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second electromagnetic wave travels along the outer surface of the wire without requiring an electrical return path.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the waveguide is a dielectric waveguide, and wherein the dielectric waveguide comprises a dielectric material, and wherein the first electromagnetic wave has an electromagnetic field structure that is both inside and outside of the dielectric waveguide.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second electromagnetic wave includes a carrier signal having a frequency in a range of 30 GHz to 60 GHz.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the waveguide surface does not surround in substantial part the wire surface more than 180 degrees.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wire comprises a single wire transmission line.

18. A method of transmitting electromagnetic waves with use of a waveguide disposed in proximity to but not coaxially aligned with a wire, comprising:

emitting, by a transmission device, a first electromagnetic wave of the electromagnetic waves that propagates at least in part on a surface of the waveguide; and

delivering at least a part of the first electromagnetic wave to a wire surface of the wire via the non-coaxially aligned waveguide, thereby forming a second electromagnetic wave that propagates along the wire, at least partially around the wire surface, wherein the wire surface is an outer surface of the wire, and the second electromagnetic wave is a surface wave that travels along the outer surface of the wire, wherein an electromagnetic field of the surface wave is substantially outside of the wire, and wherein the waveguide comprises a material that is not electrically conductive.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

a waveguide that has a waveguide surface that defines a cross-sectional area of the waveguide, wherein a wire is positioned outside of the cross-sectional area of the waveguide such that a first electromagnetic wave, traveling along the wire in part on a wire surface, couples at least in part to the waveguide surface and travels at least partially around the waveguide surface as a second electromagnetic wave, wherein the wire surface is an outer surface of the wire, and the first electromagnetic wave is a surface wave that travels along the outer surface of the wire, wherein an electromagnetic field of the surface wave is substantially outside of the wire, and wherein the waveguide comprises a material that is not electrically conductive.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein an end of the waveguide is positioned in an opening of a hollow metal waveguide, and the second electromagnetic wave propagates into the hollow metal waveguide.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the waveguide comprises a low-loss insulator material.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein an end of the waveguide is mechanically coupled to the wire and is parallel to the wire.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the end of the waveguide is fastened to the wire using a non-conductive fastener.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the waveguide is curved, and the wire is in proximity to and parallel to a tangent of a curve of the waveguide.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein a wavelength of the first electromagnetic wave is smaller than a respective circumference of the wire, and a wavelength of the second electromagnetic wave is smaller than a circumference of the waveguide.

26. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a second waveguide positioned opposite the waveguide with respect to an axis of the wire, wherein the first electromagnetic wave couples to one or both of the waveguide and the second waveguide based on a position of field structure of the first electromagnetic wave.

27. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein an end of the waveguide tapers towards the wire.

28. A method, comprising:

emitting, by a transmission device, a first electromagnetic wave that propagates at least in part on a waveguide surface of a waveguide, wherein the waveguide is not coaxially aligned with a wire; and

configuring the waveguide in proximity of the wire to facilitate coupling of at least a part of the first electromagnetic wave to a wire surface, thereby forming a second electromagnetic wave that propagates at least partially around the wire surface, wherein the wire surface is an outer surface of the wire, and the second electromagnetic wave is a surface wave that travels along the outer surface of the wire, wherein an electromagnetic field of the surface wave is substantially outside of the wire, and wherein the waveguide comprises a material that is not electrically conductive.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the emitting comprises emitting the first electromagnetic wave with a wavelength smaller than a circumference of the waveguide.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

coupling an incoming electromagnetic wave on the wire onto the waveguide and feeding the incoming electromagnetic wave into a receiving device, wherein the incoming electromagnetic wave propagates at least in part on the wire surface and at least in part on the waveguide surface, and wherein the incoming electromagnetic wave differs from the second electromagnetic wave.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the wire surface is positioned at or remote from an axis of the waveguide.

32. An apparatus, comprising:

a waveguide, wherein the waveguide comprises a material that is not electrically conductive and is suitable for propagating electromagnetic waves on a waveguide surface of the waveguide, wherein the waveguide facilitates propagation of a first electromagnetic wave at least in part on the waveguide surface, and, in response to the waveguide being positioned with respect to a wire, the first electromagnetic wave couples at least in part to a wire surface of the wire and travels at least partially around the wire surface as a second electromagnetic wave, wherein the wire surface is an outer surface of the wire, and the second electromagnetic wave is a surface wave that travels along the outer surface of the wire, wherein an electromagnetic field of the surface wave is substantially outside of the wire, and wherein the second electromagnetic wave has a wave propagation mode.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the material comprises a dielectric material.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the material comprises an insulator.