Transmission medium and methods for use therewith

• US 10,560,148 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2018
• Issued: 02/11/2020
• 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: Barzegar, Farhad, Barnickel, Donald J, Bennett, Robert, Gerszberg, Irwin, Henry, Paul Shala, Willis, III, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hai L
• Application Number:
  US16/026,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20180316387A1
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• 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
• 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 transmission medium having a core. A conductive layer forms an uninsulated outer surface of the transmission medium. The conductive layer is configured to impede accumulation of water to support propagation of first electromagnetic waves guided by the uninsulated outer surface. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A transmission medium comprising:

a core; and

an outer conductive layer forming an uninsulated outer surface of the transmission medium, the outer conductive layer configured to impede accumulation of water to support propagation of first electromagnetic waves guided by the uninsulated outer surface, wherein the outer conductive layer comprises a first plurality of conductors, and wherein the first plurality of conductors individually have a sector cross section concentrically truncated to conform with an inner surface of the transmission medium.

2. The transmission medium of claim 1, further comprising:

a second plurality of conductors, individually having a sector cross section concentrically truncated to conform with an outer surface of the core.

3. The transmission medium of claim 2, wherein the second plurality of conductors form the inner surface of the transmission medium.

4. The transmission medium of claim 2, wherein the plurality of second conductors comprise a plurality of strands that surround the core.

5. The transmission medium of claim 1, wherein radial cavities between adjacent ones of the plurality of first conductors are at least partially filled with dielectric to impede the accumulation of water in areas between the adjacent ones of the first plurality of conductors where field strengths of the first electromagnetic waves are high.

6. The transmission medium of claim 1, wherein ones of the first plurality of conductors individually mate with adjacent ones of the first plurality of conductors to impede the accumulation of water between the adjacent ones of the first plurality of conductors.

7. The transmission medium of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of conductors comprise a plurality of strands that surround the inner surface of the transmission medium.

8. The transmission medium of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of conductors comprise a plurality of aluminum plurality strands and the core comprises a steel conductor.

9. The transmission medium of claim 8, wherein cavities between adjacent ones of the plurality of first conductors are at least partially filled with dielectric to impede the accumulation of water between adjacent ones of the first plurality of conductors.

10. The transmission medium of claim 1, wherein the core includes a waveguide that supports propagation of second electromagnetic waves within the core.

11. A method comprising:

providing a core;

providing an outer conductive layer forming an uninsulated outer surface of a transmission medium, the outer conductive layer configured to impede accumulation of water to support propagation of first electromagnetic waves along the uninsulated outer surface, wherein the outer conductive layer comprises a first plurality of conductors, and wherein the first plurality of conductors individually have a sector cross section concentrically truncated to conform with an inner surface of the transmission medium; and

transmitting the first electromagnetic waves along the uninsulated outer surface of the transmission medium.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing a second plurality of conductors, individually having a sector cross section concentrically truncated to conform with an outer surface of the core.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second plurality of conductors form the inner surface of the transmission medium.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of second conductors comprise a plurality of strands that surround the core.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein radial cavities between adjacent ones of the first plurality of conductors are at least partially filled with dielectric to impede the accumulation of water in areas between the adjacent ones of the first plurality of conductors where field strengths of the first electromagnetic waves are high.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein ones of the first plurality of conductors individually mate with adjacent ones of the first plurality of conductors to impede the accumulation of water between the adjacent ones of the first plurality of conductors.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the first plurality of conductors comprise a plurality of strands that surround the inner surface of the transmission medium.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the first plurality of conductors comprise a plurality of aluminum plurality strands and the core comprises a steel conductor.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the core includes a waveguide that supports propagation of second electromagnetic waves within the core and wherein the method further comprises:

transmitting the second electromagnetic waves along the waveguide.

20. A transmission medium comprising:

a waveguide core configured to support transmission of first guided electromagnetic waves within the waveguide core that propagate at non-optical frequencies; and

an outer conductive layer forming an uninsulated outer surface of the transmission medium, the outer conductive layer configured to impede accumulation of water to support propagation of second electromagnetic waves guided by the uninsulated outer surface, wherein the outer conductive layer comprises a plurality of conductors, and wherein the plurality of conductors individually have a sector cross section concentrically truncated to conform with an outer surface of the waveguide core.