Switching of data channels provided in electromagnetic waves and methods thereof

• US 10,686,493 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2018
• Issued: 06/16/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2018
• 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: Barzegar, Farhad, Vannucci, Giovanni, Henry, Paul Shala, Willis, III, Thomas M., Gerszberg, Irwin, Bennett, Robert, Barnickel, Donald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Liu, Shuwang
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mckie, Gina M
• Application Number:
  US15/936,842
• Publication Number:
  US 20190305820A1
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/40 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/36 Repeater circuits H04B3/58 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/52 Systems for transmission between fixed stations via waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/02 Details ; arrangements for supplying electrical power along data transmission lines systems for transmitting signals via power distribution lines H04B3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/0002 analog front ends; means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line duplex arrangements H04L5/143
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/12 Modulator circuits; Transmitter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0895 Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/40 using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/22 using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, a system for receiving electromagnetic waves that propagate along a transmission medium, generating, according to the electromagnetic waves, signals that convey data and routing information, and providing the signals to a switch that facilitates routing, according to the routing information, a first portion of the data conveyed by the signals to an access point, a second portion of the data conveyed by the signals to a second waveguide system, or a combination thereof. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a first waveguide system, first electromagnetic waves that propagate along a transmission medium, wherein the transmission medium comprises an external surface, wherein the first electromagnetic waves propagate along the transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path, and wherein the first electromagnetic waves convey first data;

generating, by the first waveguide system, according to the first electromagnetic waves, first signals that convey the first data; and

providing, by the first waveguide system, the first signals to a switch that facilitates generating, according to the first signals and routing information conveyed by the first signals, second signals directed to an access point and third signals directed to a second waveguide system, wherein the second signals convey at least a first portion of the first data, and wherein the third signals convey at least a second portion of the first data,

wherein the first waveguide system is coupled to a first span of the transmission medium, and the second waveguide system is coupled to a second span of the transmission medium,

wherein the first electromagnetic waves propagate along the first span, wherein second electromagnetic waves propagate along the second span, and wherein the first electromagnetic waves propagating along the first span are substantially isolated from the second electromagnetic waves propagating along the second span,

wherein the first span and the seconds span are supported by an electrical insulator positioned between the first and second waveguide systems,

wherein the access point facilitates generating, according to the second signals, a first wireless signal that conveys the at least the first portion of the first data, and

wherein the first wireless signal is directed to an end user device within a communication range of the access point.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first signals conform to an Ethernet protocol.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the switch comprises an Ethernet switch.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first signals are baseband signals conforming to an Ethernet protocol.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first signals are provided to the switch via a tethered interface.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the tethered interface comprises an optical fiber.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first signals are provided to the switch via a wireless interface.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the access point facilitates generating, according to a second wireless signal received from the end user device, fourth signals supplied to the switch, wherein the fourth signals convey second data, wherein the switch facilitates generating fifth signals supplied to the first waveguide system or the second waveguide system to facilitate generating second electromagnetic waves, wherein the fifth signals and the second electromagnetic waves convey in whole or in part the second data.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first wireless signal and the second wireless signal conform to a 4G, 5G, or next generation signaling protocol.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second waveguide system facilitates generating, according to the third signals, the second electromagnetic waves, and wherein the second electromagnetic waves convey the at least the second portion of the first data.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating comprises frequency-shifting the first electromagnetic waves, demodulating the first electromagnetic waves, or a combination thereof to generate the first signals.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the switch facilitates generating the third signals by frequency-shifting the first signals, modulating the first signals, or a combination thereof.

13. A first 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;

receiving first electromagnetic waves that propagate along a transmission medium, wherein the transmission medium comprises an external surface, wherein the first electromagnetic waves propagate along the transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path;

generating, according to first electromagnetic waves, first signals; and

providing the first signals to a switch that facilitates generating, according to the first signals, second signals directed to an access point and third signals directed to a second waveguide system,

wherein the first waveguide system is coupled to a first span of the transmission medium, and the second waveguide system is coupled to a second span of the transmission medium,

wherein the first electromagnetic waves propagate along the first span, wherein second electromagnetic waves propagate along the second span, and wherein the first electromagnetic waves propagating along the first span are substantially isolated from the second electromagnetic waves propagating along the second span,

wherein the first span and the second span are supported by an electrical insulator positioned between the first and second waveguide systems, and

wherein the access point facilitates generating, according to the second signals, a first wireless signal.

14. The first waveguide system of claim 13, wherein the second signals convey first data supplied by the first signals, wherein the access point facilitates generating, according to the second signals, the first wireless signal directed to a communication device within a communication range of the access point, wherein the first wireless signal conveys the first data, and wherein the access point facilitates generating, according to a second wireless signal received from the communication device, fourth signals supplied to the switch, wherein the fourth signals convey second data supplied by the second wireless signal, wherein the switch facilitates generating fifth signals supplied to the first waveguide system or the second waveguide system to facilitate generating second electromagnetic waves that convey the second data.

15. The first waveguide system of claim 13, wherein the third signals convey data supplied by the first signals, wherein the second waveguide system facilitates generating, according to the third signals, the second electromagnetic waves, and wherein the second electromagnetic waves convey the data.

16. The first waveguide system of claim 13, wherein the first signals convey first data, wherein the second signals convey a first portion of the first data, wherein the first wireless signal conveys the first portion of the first data, and wherein the first wireless signal is directed to an end user device within a communication range of the access point.

17. A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system of a first waveguide system, wherein the processing system includes a processor, and wherein the processing system facilitates performance of operations, the operations comprising:

receiving first electromagnetic waves that propagate along a transmission medium, wherein the transmission medium comprises an external surface, wherein the first electromagnetic waves propagate along the transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path;

generating, according to the first electromagnetic waves, signals that convey data and routing information; and

providing the signals to a switch that facilitates routing, according to the routing information, a first portion of the data conveyed by the signals to an access point and a second portion of the data conveyed by the signals to a second waveguide system,

wherein the first waveguide system is coupled to a first span of the transmission medium, and the second waveguide system is coupled to a second span of the transmission medium,

wherein the first electromagnetic waves propagate along the first span, wherein second electromagnetic waves propagate along the second span, and wherein the first electromagnetic waves propagating along the first span are substantially isolated from the second electromagnetic waves propagating along the second span, and

wherein the first span and the second span are supported by an electrical insulator positioned between the first and second waveguide systems.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the access point transmits the first portion of the data to a communication device via a wireless signal, wherein the second waveguide system facilitates generating the second electromagnetic waves, and wherein the second electromagnetic waves convey the second portion of the data.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the access point facilitates generating a first wireless signal that conveys the first portion of the data.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the first wireless signal is directed to an end user device within a communication range of the access point.