Apparatus and methods for transmitting or receiving electromagnetic waves

• US 10,405,199 B1
• Filed: 09/12/2018
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2018
• 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, Gerszberg, Irwin, Willis, III, Thomas M., Vannucci, Giovanni, Bennett, Robert, Barnickel, Donald J., Barzegar, Farhad
• Primary Examiner(s): Ajayi, Joel
• Application Number:
  US16/129,427
• Time in Patent Office: 356 Days
• Field of Search: 4555621
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/18 having two or more spaced reflecting surfaces H01Q19/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0469 taking special antenna structures, e.g. cross polarized antennas into account
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/20 for indoor coverage or short range network deployment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, a system for generating electromagnetic signals that resonate in a cavity having a plurality of reflectors resulting in resonating electromagnetic signals and combining the resonating electromagnetic signals to form an electromagnetic wave that traverses a reflector and couples onto a physical transmission medium. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a first reflector;

a second reflector that is non-orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of a physical transmission medium;

a third reflector that is not coaxially aligned with the physical transmission medium;

a plurality of transmitters coupled to the third reflector;

a processing system including a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising;

configuring the plurality of transmitters to generate a plurality of electromagnetic signals that convey data; and

generating, by the plurality of transmitters, the plurality of electromagnetic signals, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of electromagnetic signals resonate in a cavity between the first reflector, the second reflector, and the third reflector resulting in resonating electromagnetic signals, wherein the first reflector is at least partially translucent, wherein the second reflector and the third reflector are not translucent, wherein the resonating electromagnetic signals combine to form an electromagnetic wave that conveys the data, wherein the electromagnetic wave traverses at least in part the first reflector, and wherein the electromagnetic wave propagates along the physical transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the second reflector is not parallel to a longitudinal axis of the first reflector and is not parallel to a longitudinal axis of third reflector.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic wave has an electromagnetic field configuration that reduces leakage of the electromagnetic wave as the electromagnetic wave propagates along the physical transmission medium.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the electromagnetic wave has a depth of focus that reduces the leakage of the electromagnetic wave.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the depth of focus of the electromagnetic wave is configurable according to a configurable distance of the cavity, a configurable phase of each of the plurality of electromagnetic signals, a configurable amplitude of each of the plurality of electromagnetic signals, a configurable radial distance between the plurality of transmitters, or any combinations thereof.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic wave approximates a Bessel-shaped waveform.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic wave approximates a Bessel-Gauss-shaped waveform.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the first reflector is adapted to reflect a first component of the resonating electromagnetic signals and enable a second component of the resonating electromagnetic signals to traverse the first reflector, wherein the second component comprises the electromagnetic wave.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the first reflector is polarized to facilitate reflecting the first component of the resonating electromagnetic signals off of the first reflector and enabling the second component of the resonating electromagnetic signals to propagate through the first reflector.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein a structure of an aperture of the first reflector configures a depth of focus of the electromagnetic wave.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the second reflector comprises one or more first portions that substantially absorb the resonating electromagnetic signals, and one or more second portions that substantially reflect the resonating electromagnetic signals.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the one or more first portions and the one or more second portions of the second reflector collectively configure the resonating electromagnetic signals to have a first electromagnetic field configuration with a first intensity and a second electromagnetic field configuration with a second intensity, wherein the first intensity of the first electromagnetic field configuration is greater than the second intensity of the second electromagnetic field configuration.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the second electromagnetic field configuration is in closer proximity to an outer surface of the physical transmission medium than the first electromagnetic field configuration.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the third reflector comprises one or more first portions that substantially absorb the resonating electromagnetic signals, and one or more second portions that substantially reflect the resonating electromagnetic signals.

15. A device, comprising:

a first reflector;

a second reflector;

a third reflector;

a plurality of receivers coupled to the second reflector;

a processing system including a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising;

configuring the plurality of receivers to process resonating electromagnetic signals; and

generating, by the plurality of receivers, from the resonating electromagnetic signals, a signal that conveys data, wherein the resonating electromagnetic signals are formed by a plurality of electromagnetic signals resonating in a cavity between the first reflector, the second reflector and the third reflector, wherein the plurality of electromagnetic signals are generated by an electromagnetic wave that traverses an aperture of the first reflector, wherein the electromagnetic wave propagates along a physical transmission medium towards the aperture of the first reflector without requiring an electrical return path, and wherein the electromagnetic wave conveys the data.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the second reflector is not parallel to a first longitudinal axis of the first reflector, and wherein the second reflector is not parallel to a second longitudinal axis of third reflector.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the first reflector comprises one or more first portions that substantially absorb the resonating electromagnetic signals, one or more second portions that substantially reflect the resonating electromagnetic signals, one or more third portions that enable traversal of a portion of the electromagnetic wave through an aperture of the first reflector, or any combinations thereof.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein the second reflector, the third reflector, or both comprise one or more first portions that substantially absorb the resonating electromagnetic signals, and one or more second portions that substantially reflect the resonating electromagnetic signals.

19. A method, comprising:

generating by a plurality of transmitters, a plurality of electromagnetic signals;

generating according to the plurality of electromagnetic signals resonating electromagnetic signals, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of electromagnetic signals resonate in a cavity between a first reflector, a second reflector, and a third reflector resulting in resonating electromagnetic signals, wherein the plurality of transmitters is coupled to the third reflector, wherein the first reflector is at least partially translucent, wherein the second reflector and the third reflector are not translucent, wherein the second reflector is non-orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of a physical transmission medium, and wherein the third reflector is not coaxially aligned with the second reflector; and

combining the resonating electromagnetic signals to form an electromagnetic wave that conveys data, wherein the electromagnetic wave traverses the first reflector and couples onto the physical transmission medium, and wherein the electromagnetic wave propagates along the physical transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the second reflector is not parallel to a first longitudinal axis of the first reflector, and wherein the second reflector is not parallel to a second longitudinal axis of third reflector.