Method and apparatus for launching a wave mode that mitigates interference

• US 9,882,257 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2015
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2015
• 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, Barzegar, Farhad, Gerszberg, Irwin, Barnickel, Donald J, Willis, III, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Stephen E
• Assistant Examiner(s): OUTTEN, SAMUEL S
• Application Number:
  US14/799,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20170018832A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/06 Coaxial lines
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/127 with a circular, elliptic, or parabolic cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/08 for linking dissimilar lines or devices H01P1/16, H01P5/04 take precedence; linking lines of the same kind but with different dimensions H01P5/02
• 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

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system that performs operations including receiving first electromagnetic waves on an outer surface of a transmission medium, detecting a degradation of a signal quality of the first electromagnetic waves due to first electric fields of the first electromagnetic waves inducing first currents in an obstruction disposed on the outer surface of the transmission medium, and generating second electromagnetic waves having second electric fields that induce second currents in the obstruction that are lower in magnitude than the first currents, the electromagnetic waves having a cutoff frequency. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A waveguide system, comprising:

a launcher that facilitates generation of electromagnetic waves; and

a processor coupled to the launcher, wherein the processor facilitates performance of operations, comprising;

obtaining one or more operational parameters for configuring the launcher to generate electromagnetic waves having electric fields that are not aligned in a longitudinal direction of propagation of the electromagnetic waves within an obstruction disposed on an outer surface of a transmission medium to mitigate interference caused by the obstruction, wherein the electric fields of the electromagnetic waves extend outside the obstruction, wherein the electromagnetic waves have a cutoff frequency, and wherein the cutoff frequency comprises a non-optical frequency; and

launching, by the launcher, the electromagnetic waves according to the one or more operational parameters to induce propagation of the electromagnetic waves along the outer surface of the transmission medium, wherein the electromagnetic waves are directed by a waveguide structure to the outer surface of the transmission medium.

2. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic waves have a transverse wave mode.

3. The waveguide system of claim 2, wherein the transverse wave mode comprises a transverse electric wave mode, a transverse magnetic wave mode, a transverse electromagnetic wave mode, or any combinations thereof.

4. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the obstruction is disposed on the outer surface of the transmission medium at one portion of the transmission medium and not another different portion of the transmission medium.

5. The waveguide system of claim 4, wherein the operations further comprise determining a type of the obstruction on the outer surface of the transmission medium, and wherein the obtaining comprises obtaining the one or more operational parameters according to the type of the obstruction.

6. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein a substantial portion of the electric fields are approximately perpendicular to the obstruction.

7. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the launcher comprises a slotted waveguide.

8. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the launcher comprises a plurality of microwave circuits, each having a radiating element.

9. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the obtaining comprises obtaining the one or more operational parameters from a look-up table, the look-up table comprising sets of operational parameters for each of a plurality of electromagnetic waveforms launchable by the launcher.

10. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the transmission medium does not comprise an optical fiber for guiding the electromagnetic waves.

11. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein as a frequency of the electromagnetic waves approaches the cutoff frequency, a propagation loss of the electromagnetic wave is reduced, and wherein the cutoff frequency is substantially greater than zero.

12. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the transmission medium comprises an insulator.

13. A method comprising:

obtaining, by a waveguide system, one or more operational parameters for configuring a launcher to generate electromagnetic waves having electric fields that are not aligned in a longitudinal direction of propagation of the electromagnetic waves within an obstruction disposed on an outer surface of a transmission medium to mitigate interference caused by the obstruction, wherein the electric fields of the electromagnetic waves extend outside the obstruction, wherein the electromagnetic waves have a cutoff frequency, and wherein the cutoff frequency comprises a non-optical frequency; and

launching, by the launcher of the waveguide system, the electromagnetic waves according to the one or more operational parameters to induce propagation of the electromagnetic waves along the outer surface of the transmission medium, wherein the electromagnetic waves are directed by a waveguide structure to the outer surface of the transmission medium.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the electromagnetic waves have a transverse wave mode.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the transverse wave mode comprises a transverse electric wave mode, a transverse magnetic wave mode, a transverse electromagnetic wave mode, or any combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the obstruction is disposed on the outer surface of the transmission medium at one portion of the transmission medium and not another different portion of the transmission medium.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise determining a type of the obstruction on the outer surface of the transmission medium, and wherein the obtaining comprises obtaining the one or more operational parameters according to the type of the obstruction.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein a substantial portion of the electric fields are approximately perpendicular to the obstruction.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the launcher comprises a slotted waveguide.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the launcher comprises a plurality of microwave circuits, each having a radiating element.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the obtaining comprises obtaining the one or more operational parameters from a look-up table, the look-up table comprising sets of operational parameters for each of a plurality of electromagnetic waveforms launchable by the launcher.

22. A machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a waveguide system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:

obtaining one or more operational parameters for configuring a launcher to generate electromagnetic waves having electric fields that are not aligned in a longitudinal direction of propagation of the electromagnetic waves within an obstruction disposed on an outer surface of a transmission medium to mitigate interference caused by the obstruction, wherein the electric fields of the electromagnetic waves extend outside the obstruction, wherein the electromagnetic waves have a cutoff frequency, and wherein the cutoff frequency comprises a non-optical frequency; and

launching, by the launcher of the waveguide system, the electromagnetic waves according to the one or more operational parameters to induce propagation of the electromagnetic waves along the outer surface of the transmission medium, wherein the electromagnetic waves are directed by a waveguide structure to the outer surface of the transmission medium.

23. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the electromagnetic waves have a transverse wave mode.

24. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the transverse wave mode comprises a transverse electric wave mode, a transverse magnetic wave mode, a transverse electromagnetic wave mode, or any combinations thereof.

25. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein a substantial portion of the electric fields are approximately perpendicular to the obstruction.