Launcher with planar strip antenna and methods for use therewith

• US 10,530,031 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2019
• Issued: 01/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2016
• 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: Bennett, Robert, Gerszberg, Irwin, Henry, Paul Shala, Barzegar, Farhad, Barnickel, Donald J., Willis, III, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Levi, Dameon E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alkassim, Jr., Ab Salam
• Application Number:
  US16/385,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20190245267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 266 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/10 Wire waveguides, i.e. with a single solid longitudinal conductor
• 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: H01P 5/085 Coaxial-line/strip-line transitions
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/00 Details of transmission systems, not covered by a single one of groups H04B3/00 - H04B13/00; Details of transmission systems not characterised by the medium used for transmission

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a launching device including a transmitter configured to generate a radio frequency signal in a microwave frequency band. A planar strip antenna is configured to launch the radio frequency signal as a guided electromagnetic wave that is bound to an outer surface of a transmission medium, wherein the guided electromagnetic wave propagates along the outer surface of the transmission medium without an electrical return path. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A launching device comprising:

a transmitter configured to generate a radio frequency signal in a microwave frequency band; and

a planar strip antenna configured to launch the radio frequency signal as a guided electromagnetic wave that is bound to an outer surface of a transmission medium, wherein the planar strip antenna includes two or more metal layers of a substrate and wherein the guided electromagnetic wave propagates along the outer surface of the transmission medium without an electrical return path.

2. The launching device of claim 1, wherein the transmission medium comprises at least one of:

a bare wire or an insulated wire.

3. The launching device of claim 1, wherein the two or more metal layers of the substrate comprises a microstrip antenna.

4. The launching device of claim 3, wherein the two or more metal layers of the substrate includes a planar antenna portion non-coaxially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the transmission medium.

5. The launching device of claim 4, wherein the planar antenna portion has a longitudinal axis that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the transmission medium.

6. The launching device of claim 4, wherein the two or more metal layers of the substrate further include:

a ground plane portion substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the transmission medium; and

wherein the substrate supports the planar antenna portion and electrically insulates the planar antenna portion from the ground plane portion.

7. The launching device of claim 1, wherein the two or more metal layers of the substrate comprises a stripline antenna.

8. The launching device of claim 7, wherein the two or more metal layers of the substrate includes a planar antenna portion non-coaxially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the transmission medium.

9. The launching device of claim 8, wherein the planar antenna portion has a longitudinal axis that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the transmission medium.

10. The launching device of claim 9, wherein the two or more metal layers of the substrate further include:

parallel ground plane portions substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the transmission medium and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the planar antenna portion; and

wherein the substrate supports the planar antenna portion between the parallel ground plane portions, wherein the planar antenna portion is electrically isolated from the parallel ground plane portions.

11. A launching device comprising:

transmitter means for generating a radio frequency signal; and

planar strip means for launching the radio frequency signal as a guided electromagnetic wave that is bound to an outer surface of a transmission medium, wherein the planar strip means includes two or more metal layers of a substrate and wherein the guided electromagnetic wave propagates along the outer surface of the transmission medium without an electrical return path.

12. The launching device of claim 11, wherein the transmission medium comprises at least one of:

a bare wire or an insulated wire.

13. The launching device of claim 11, wherein the two or more metal layers of the substrate comprise a microstrip antenna.

14. The launching device of claim 13, wherein the two or more metal layers of the substrate include a planar antenna portion non-coaxially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the transmission medium.

15. The launching device of claim 14, wherein the planar antenna portion has a longitudinal axis that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the transmission medium.

16. The launching device of claim 14, wherein the two or more metal layers of the substrate further include:

a ground plane portion substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the transmission medium; and

wherein the substrate supports the planar antenna portion and electrically insulates the planar antenna portion from the ground plane portion.

17. The launching device of claim 11, wherein the two or more metal layers of the substrate comprise a stripline antenna.

18. The launching device of claim 17, wherein the two or more metal layers of the substrate include a planar antenna portion non-coaxially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the transmission medium.

19. The launching device of claim 18, wherein the two or more metal layers of the substrate further include:

parallel ground plane portions substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the transmission medium and substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the planar antenna portion; and

wherein the substrate supports the planar antenna portion between the parallel ground plane portions, wherein the planar antenna portion is electrically isolated from the parallel ground plane portions.

20. A method comprising:

generating a radio frequency signal; and

launching the radio frequency signal via a planar strip antenna as a guided electromagnetic wave that is bound to an outer surface of a transmission medium, wherein the planar strip antenna includes two or more metal layers of a substrate and wherein the guided electromagnetic wave propagates along the outer surface of the transmission medium without an electrical return path.