Method and apparatus for transmitting electromagnetic waves

• US 9,780,834 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2014
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• 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: Henry, Paul Shala, Bennett, Robert, Gerszberg, Irwin, Barzegar, Farhad, Barnickel, Donald J, Willis, III, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rachedine, Mohammed
• Application Number:
  US14/519,343
• Publication Number:
  US 20160112092A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/46 Electric supply lines or communication lines
• 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: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, an apparatus including a waveguide, an antenna, and a transmitter. The transmitter can facilitate transmission of first electromagnetic waves via the antenna, the first electromagnetic waves having a fundamental mode. The waveguide can facilitate propagation of the first electromagnetic waves at least in part on a surface of the waveguide. The waveguide can be positioned at a location that enables the first electromagnetic waves to induce second electromagnetic waves having fundamental and non-fundamental modes that propagate on a surface of a transmission medium. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A waveguide system, comprising:

a dielectric waveguide that facilitates receiving a portion of first electromagnetic waves emitted by an antenna, wherein a first portion of an outer surface of the dielectric waveguide is in proximity to a second portion of an outer surface of a transmission medium thereby forming a junction for generating second electromagnetic waves on the outer surface of the transmission medium, wherein the first electromagnetic waves propagate at least in part on the outer surface of the dielectric waveguide to generate at the junction the second electromagnetic waves that propagate along the outer surface of the transmission medium, wherein the second electromagnetic waves propagate without an electrical circuit, and wherein the dielectric waveguide is not coaxially aligned with the transmission medium;

the antenna coupled to the dielectric waveguide that facilitates transmission of the first electromagnetic waves; and

a circuit that facilitates modulation of a signal for emitting, by the antenna, the first electromagnetic waves, wherein the waveguide system receives power inductively from the transmission medium.

2. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the antenna is disposed on the outer surface of the dielectric waveguide.

3. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the antenna is embedded in a material of the dielectric waveguide.

4. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the antenna comprises a micro-strip antenna.

5. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the antenna comprises a hollow conductor that surrounds a portion of the outer surface of the dielectric waveguide.

6. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the first electromagnetic waves are fundamental electromagnetic waves, and wherein the second electromagnetic waves comprise fundamental electromagnetic waves and non-fundamental electromagnetic waves.

7. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the transmission medium comprises a wire.

8. The waveguide system of claim 1, further comprising a memory that stores instructions, and a processor coupled to the memory, wherein responsive to executing the instructions, the processor performs operations comprising generating the signal.

9. The waveguide system of claim 8, wherein the memory, the processor and the circuit are housed in an integrated circuit package, and wherein the integrated circuit package is disposed on the outer surface of the dielectric waveguide.

10. The waveguide system of claim 9, wherein an electrical contact of the integrated circuit package is coupled to a feed point of the antenna.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a dielectric waveguide having an outer surface that comprises a material that is not electrically conductive, wherein the dielectric waveguide facilitates propagation, at least in part on the outer surface of the dielectric waveguide, a portion of first electromagnetic waves emitted by an antenna, wherein a first portion of the outer surface of the dielectric waveguide is positioned with respect to a second portion of an outer surface of a transmission medium thereby forming a junction to enable the portion of the first electromagnetic waves to couple, at least in part, to the outer surface of the transmission medium to generate second electromagnetic waves that propagate on the outer surface of the transmission medium, wherein the second electromagnetic waves propagate without an electrical circuit, wherein the first electromagnetic waves have a first propagation mode, wherein the second electromagnetic waves have a second propagation mode, and wherein the first propagation mode differs from the second propagation mode;

the antenna that facilitates transmission of the first electromagnetic waves; and

a transmitter that facilitates modulation of a signal for emitting the first electromagnetic waves via the antenna, wherein the apparatus receives power inductively from the transmission medium.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first propagation mode comprises symmetric electromagnetic waves.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second propagation mode comprises symmetric electromagnetic waves and asymmetric electromagnetic waves.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the antenna is disposed on the outer surface of the dielectric waveguide.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the transmitter is disposed on the outer surface of the dielectric waveguide.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the outer surface of the transmission medium comprises a non-conducting material.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a dielectric waveguide that facilitates propagation of at least a portion of first electromagnetic waves at least in part on a surface of the dielectric waveguide, wherein the portion of the first electromagnetic waves has a fundamental mode, wherein the dielectric waveguide is positioned at a location that enables the first electromagnetic waves to induce second electromagnetic waves having fundamental and non-fundamental modes that propagate on a surface of a transmission medium, the second electromagnetic waves propagating without an electrical circuit;

an antenna that facilitates coupling of the portion of the first electromagnetic waves on the surface of the dielectric waveguide; and

a transmitter that facilitates transmission of the first electromagnetic waves by the antenna, wherein the apparatus receives power inductively from the transmission medium.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the transmitter is disposed on the surface of the dielectric waveguide.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the dielectric waveguide is disposed on the surface of the transmission medium.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the surface of the transmission medium comprises a dielectric material.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a receiver coupled to the antenna, wherein third electromagnetic waves, propagating on the surface of the transmission medium, couple at least in part to the surface of the dielectric waveguide to generate fourth electromagnetic waves, and wherein the receiver facilitates generating a signal from a coupling of the fourth electromagnetic waves on the antenna.