Directional coupling device and methods for use therewith

• US 9,831,912 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2016
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2015
• 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): TAKAOKA, DEAN O
• Application Number:
  US15/070,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20160315660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 333240, 333 24 R
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/29 Combinations of different interacting antenna units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q25/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00 Circuit arrangements for providing remote indication of network conditions, e.g. an instantaneous record of the open or closed condition of each circuitbreaker in the network; Circuit arrangements for providing remote control of switching means in a power distribution network, e.g. switching in and out of current consumers by using a pulse code signal carried by the network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00017 using optical fiber
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/36 Repeater circuits H04B3/58 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/50 Systems for transmission between fixed stations via two-conductor transmission lines H04B3/54 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 7/01 Reducing phase shift
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/04 using two or more spaced independent antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0613 using simultaneous transmission H04B7/0686 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a coupling device including a first antenna that radiates a first RF signal conveying first data; and a second antenna that radiates a second RF signal conveying the first data from the at least one transmitting device. The first RF signal and second RF signal form a combined RF signal that is bound by an outer surface of a transmission medium to propagate as a guided electromagnetic wave substantially in a single longitudinal direction along the transmission medium. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. An antenna system comprising:

a first antenna that radiates a first radio frequency (RF) signal conveying data; and

a second antenna that radiates a second RF signal conveying the data;

wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are configured such that a combined RF signal, that comprises the first RF signal and second RF signal, is guided by a conductorless transmission medium to propagate as a guided electromagnetic wave in substantially a single longitudinal direction along the conductorless transmission medium; and

wherein the first RF signal and the second RF signal add constructively in the single longitudinal direction and cancel, at least in part, in a direction opposite to the single longitudinal direction.

2. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein the conductorless transmission medium comprises a dielectric member.

3. The antenna system of claim 2 wherein the guided electromagnetic wave propagates along the dielectric member without an electrical return path.

4. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein the guided electromagnetic wave is bound to the conductorless transmission medium and propagates along the conductorless transmission medium with a first portion of the guided electromagnetic wave propagating within the conductorless transmission medium and a second portion of the guided electromagnetic wave propagating outside the conductorless transmission medium.

5. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein the guided electromagnetic wave propagates via at least one non-fundamental guided wave mode.

6. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein the first RF signal and the second RF signal have a common wavelength and a quadrature phase difference and wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are spaced a distance apart that corresponds to substantially one quarter of the common wavelength and wherein the first RF signal and the second RF signal are substantially in-phase.

7. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein the guided electromagnetic wave propagates along the conductorless transmission medium without an electrical return path.

8. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein the combined RF signal includes a local maximum substantially aligned with the single longitudinal direction.

9. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein the combined RF signal includes a local minimum aligned substantially opposite to the single longitudinal direction.

10. A transmission device comprising:

a first antenna that radiates a first radio frequency (RF) signal conveying data; and

a second antenna that radiates a second RF signal conveying the data;

wherein a combined RF signal, comprising the first RF signal and the second RF signal, is bound to a transmission medium to propagate as a guided electromagnetic wave substantially in a first selected one of a plurality of longitudinal directions along the transmission medium; and

wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are spaced a distance apart and wherein the first RF signal and the second RF signal have a common wavelength and a first phase difference.

11. The transmission device of claim 10 wherein the transmission medium comprises a dielectric element.

12. The transmission device of claim 11 wherein the guided electromagnetic wave propagates along the dielectric element without an electrical return path.

13. The transmission device of claim 10 wherein the guided electromagnetic wave propagates along the transmission medium with a first portion of the guided electromagnetic wave propagating within the transmission medium and a second portion of the guided electromagnetic wave propagating outside the transmission medium.

14. The transmission device of claim 10 wherein, when the first RF signal and the second RF signal are adjusted to have a second phase difference, the first antenna and the second antenna form the guided electromagnetic wave substantially in a second selected one of the plurality of longitudinal directions along the transmission medium that is opposite to the first selected one of the plurality of longitudinal directions along the transmission medium.

15. The transmission device of claim 10 wherein the combined RF signal includes a local maximum substantially aligned with a selected one of the plurality of longitudinal directions.

16. The transmission device of claim 10 wherein the transmission medium is conductorless and the guided electromagnetic wave propagates along the transmission medium without an electrical return path.

17. A method comprising:

generating a first radio frequency (RF) signal;

generating a second RF signal; and

radiating, via an antenna array, the first RF signal and the second RF signal as a combined RF signal, wherein the combined RF signal is bound to a dielectric transmission medium to propagate as a guided electromagnetic wave in substantially a single longitudinal direction and wherein the first RF signal and the second RF signal add constructively in the single longitudinal direction and cancel, at least in part, in a direction opposite to the single longitudinal direction.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the dielectric transmission medium is conductorless and the guided electromagnetic wave propagates along the dielectric transmission medium without an electrical return path.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the dielectric guided electromagnetic wave propagates along the transmission medium with a first portion of the guided electromagnetic wave propagating within the dielectric transmission medium and a second portion of the guided electromagnetic wave propagating outside the dielectric transmission medium.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the first portion is greater than the second portion.