Method and apparatus for launching a wave mode that mitigates interference

• US 10,419,073 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2018
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2015
• 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): Lugo, David B
• Application Number:
  US16/045,422
• Publication Number:
  US 20180331723A1
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• 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 1/0475 with means for limiting noise, interference or distortion H04B1/0483 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/56 Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system that performs operations including detecting a signal degradation of electromagnetic waves guided by a transmission medium, and adjusting at least one phase of signal components of the electromagnetic waves to produce adjusted electromagnetic waves having a hybrid wave mode and a non-optical frequency range to mitigate the signal degradation. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A waveguide system, comprising:

a first launcher that facilitates generating first electromagnetic waves having a first phase; and

a second launcher that facilitates generating second electromagnetic waves having a second phase,

wherein the first phase is different from the second phase,

wherein the first electromagnetic waves and the second electromagnetic waves induce a combined electromagnetic wave guided by a transmission medium,

wherein the combined electromagnetic wave propagates along the transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path,

wherein at least one of the first launcher or the second launcher further facilitates adjusting an orientation of a field pattern of the combined electromagnetic wave to a particular orientation,

wherein the adjusting is responsive to detecting a condition that causes the combined electromagnetic wave to experience a propagation loss, and

wherein the adjusting reduces the propagation loss caused by the condition.

2. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein each of the first launcher and the second launcher further comprises a structure for guiding the first electromagnetic waves and the second electromagnetic waves to the transmission medium.

3. The waveguide system of claim 2, wherein the transmission medium comprises an insulated wire.

4. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the field pattern of the combined electromagnetic wave has electric fields that are aligned away from a direction of propagation of the combined electromagnetic wave.

5. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the combined electromagnetic wave has a hybrid wave mode.

6. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the condition comprises an obstruction on or proximate to a surface of the transmission medium.

7. The waveguide system of claim 6, wherein the obstruction comprises a water layer on the surface of the transmission medium, water droplets on the surface of the transmission medium, or a combination thereof.

8. The waveguide system of claim 6, further comprising a system that facilitates detecting the propagation loss and identifying the obstruction.

9. The waveguide system of claim 1, further comprising a system that facilitates adjusting a position of the first launcher, the second launcher or both relative to the transmission medium.

10. The waveguide system of claim 9, wherein the first launcher and the second launcher are positioned so that the first phase and the second phase are opposite, thereby configuring the combined electromagnetic wave as a hybrid wave mode.

11. A method, comprising:

generating, by a waveguide system, first electromagnetic waves having a first phase;

generating, by the waveguide system, second electromagnetic waves having a second phase;

combining, by the waveguide system, the first electromagnetic waves and the second electromagnetic waves to produce a combined electromagnetic wave guided by a transmission medium; and

responsive to detecting a condition that causes the combined electromagnetic wave to experience a propagation loss, adjusting, by the waveguide system, an orientation of a field pattern of the combined electromagnetic wave to a particular orientation,

wherein the combined electromagnetic wave propagates along the transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path,

wherein the adjusting reduces the propagation loss caused by the condition.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first phase is different from the second phase and wherein the waveguide system comprises a structure for combining the first electromagnetic waves and the second electromagnetic waves to the transmission medium.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the transmission medium comprises an insulated wire.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the field pattern of the combined electromagnetic wave is aligned away from a direction of propagation of the combined electromagnetic wave.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the condition comprises an obstruction on or proximate to a surface of the transmission medium, and wherein the detecting further comprises identifying the obstruction.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the adjusting the orientation of the field pattern of the combined electromagnetic wave modifies a wave mode of the combined electromagnetic wave.

17. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:

generating first electromagnetic waves having a first phase;

generating second electromagnetic waves having a second phase,

wherein the first electromagnetic waves and the second electromagnetic waves induce a combined electromagnetic wave guided by a transmission medium, and

wherein the combined electromagnetic wave propagates along the transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path; and

responsive to detecting a condition that causes the combined electromagnetic wave to experience a propagation loss, repositioning a field pattern of the combined electromagnetic wave to a particular position to reduce the propagation loss.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the first phase is different from the second phase, wherein the first electromagnetic waves and the second electromagnetic waves are generated by a first launcher and a second launcher respectively, and wherein the repositioning of the field pattern is performed by modifying a position of the first launcher, the second launcher or both relative to the transmission medium.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the field pattern of the combined electromagnetic wave has electric fields that are aligned away from a direction of propagation of the combined electromagnetic wave.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the condition comprises an obstruction on or proximate to a surface of the transmission medium, and wherein the detecting further comprises identifying the obstruction.