Apparatus and methods for mitigating a fault that adversely affects ultra-wideband transmissions

• US 10,498,589 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2017
• Issued: 12/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2017
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Barzegar, Farhad, Gerszberg, Irwin, Vannucci, Giovanni, Wolniansky, Peter, Henry, Paul Shala
• Primary Examiner(s): Smarth, Gerald A
• Application Number:
  US15/724,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20190104012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/17 Detection of non-compliance or faulty performance, e.g. response deviations H04B17/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5479 using repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0668 by dynamic selection of recovery network elements, e.g. replacement by the most appropriate element after failure

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, a system that facilitates transmitting a plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves that propagates along a surface of a first transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the first plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves conveys a plurality of communication signals, detecting an attenuation in the plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves that affects a propagation of the plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves along the first surface of the first transmission medium, and responsive to the detecting, redirecting at least a portion of the plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves to an interface of a second transmission medium. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a first waveguide system, a first communication signal;

inducing, by the first waveguide system at a first surface of a first transmission medium, a first plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves that propagates along the first surface of the first transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the first plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves conveys the first communication signal, wherein the first surface is located on a first span of the first transmission medium, wherein the first span is supported by a first supporting device and a second supporting device, wherein the first waveguide system is coupled to the first span, and wherein the first plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves propagates along the first span without traversing the first supporting device or the second supporting device;

detecting, by the first waveguide system, an obstruction that affects a propagation of the first plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves along the first surface of the first transmission medium; and

responsive to the detecting, redirecting, by the first waveguide system, at least a portion of the first plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves to a second surface of a second transmission medium.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising responsive to detecting a removal of the obstruction, redirecting, by the first waveguide system, the at least the portion of the first plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves to the first surface of the first transmission medium.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the obstruction comprises a physical object disposed on the first surface of the first transmission medium.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication signal operates in a first spectral segment, and wherein the first plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves operates in a second spectral segment that differs from the first spectral segment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication signal conforms to a signaling protocol, and wherein the first plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves conveys the first communication signal without modifying the signaling protocol.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication signal comprises a modulated signal in a first spectral segment, and wherein the first plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves conveys the modulated signal in a second spectral segment that differs from the first spectral segment.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first communication signal is directed to a communication device, wherein the first plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves is directed to a second waveguide system that converts the first plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves to a wireless signal directed to the communication device, and wherein the wireless signal conveys the modulated signal in the first spectral segment.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the first waveguide system, a second plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves via the second transmission medium, wherein the second plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves conveys a second communication signal, and wherein the second plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves propagates along the second surface of the second transmission medium.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves is generated by a second waveguide system.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first waveguide system and the second waveguide system are configured to use time division multiplexing to at least reduce signal interference between the first plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves and the second plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the first communication signal from a base station.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the second surface is located on a second span of the second transmission medium, wherein the second span is supported by a third supporting device and a fourth supporting device, wherein the first waveguide system is coupled to the second span, and wherein the at least the portion of the first plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves propagates along the second span without traversing the third supporting device or the fourth supporting device.

13. A system, comprising:

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;

transmitting a first plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves that propagates along a first surface of a first transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the first plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves conveys a first communication signal, wherein the first surface is located on a first span of the first transmission medium, wherein the first span is supported by a first supporting device and a second supporting device, wherein the system is coupled to the first span, and wherein the first plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves propagates along the first span without traversing the first supporting device or the second supporting device;

detecting an attenuation of the first plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves that affects a propagation of the first plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves along the first surface of the first transmission medium; and

redirecting at least a portion of the first plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves to a second surface of a second transmission medium to mitigate the attenuation.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise redirecting the at least the portion of the first plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves to the first transmission medium responsive to detecting a change in the attenuation.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the second surface is located on a second span of the second transmission medium, wherein the second span is supported by a third supporting device and a fourth supporting device, wherein the system is coupled to the second span, and wherein the at least the portion of the first plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves propagates along the second span without traversing the third supporting device or the fourth supporting device.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise generating a reference signal, wherein the transmitting includes transmitting the reference signal with the first plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves, and wherein the reference signal enables another system receiving the first plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves to mitigate phase distortion in the first plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the reference signal comprises a preamble of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves included in the first plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves, and wherein the preamble of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves enables the another system to obtain a synchronization signal therefrom.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise utilizing time division multiplexing to transmit the first plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves and to prevent signal interference with a second plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves that conveys a second communication signal.

19. A waveguide system, comprising:

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;

transmitting a plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves that propagates along a first surface of a first transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves conveys a plurality of communication signals, wherein the first surface is located on a first span of the first transmission medium, wherein the first span is supported by a first supporting device and a second supporting device, wherein the waveguide system is coupled to the first span, and wherein the plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves propagates along the first span without traversing the first supporting device or the second supporting device;

detecting an attenuation in the plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves that affects a propagation of the plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves along the first surface of the first transmission medium; and

responsive to the detecting, redirecting at least a portion of the plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves to a second surface of a second transmission medium.

20. The waveguide system of claim 19, wherein the second surface is located on a second span of the second transmission medium, wherein the second span is supported by a third supporting device and a fourth supporting device, wherein the waveguide system is coupled to the second span, and wherein the at least the portion of the plurality of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves propagates along the second span without traversing the third supporting device or the fourth supporting device.