Apparatus and a method for coupling an electromagnetic wave to a transmission medium, where portions of the electromagnetic wave are inside the coupler and outside the coupler
First Claim
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a coupler that facilitates propagation of a first electromagnetic wave along the coupler, the coupler being mechanically coupled to a transmission medium, the first electromagnetic wave coupling to the transmission medium, thereby forming a second electromagnetic wave, the second electromagnetic wave in the transmission medium having a wave propagation mode that enables the second electromagnetic wave to propagate along the transmission medium, wherein a first portion of an electromagnetic field of the first electromagnetic wave is located inside the coupler, and wherein a second portion of the electromagnetic field of the first electromagnetic wave is located outside the coupler.
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Abstract
A dielectric waveguide coupling system for launching and extracting guided wave communication transmissions from a wire. At millimeter-wave frequencies, wherein the wavelength is small compared to the macroscopic size of the equipment, transmissions can propagate as guided waves guided by a strip of dielectric material. Unlike conventional waveguides, the electromagnetic field associated with the dielectric waveguide is primarily outside of the waveguide. When this dielectric waveguide strip is brought into close proximity to a wire, the guided waves decouple from the dielectric waveguide and couple to the wire, and continue to propagate as guided waves about the surface of the wire.
327 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
a coupler that facilitates propagation of a first electromagnetic wave along the coupler, the coupler being mechanically coupled to a transmission medium, the first electromagnetic wave coupling to the transmission medium, thereby forming a second electromagnetic wave, the second electromagnetic wave in the transmission medium having a wave propagation mode that enables the second electromagnetic wave to propagate along the transmission medium, wherein a first portion of an electromagnetic field of the first electromagnetic wave is located inside the coupler, and wherein a second portion of the electromagnetic field of the first electromagnetic wave is located outside the coupler. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus, comprising:
a first coupler that has an outer surface defining a cross-sectional area of the first coupler, wherein a transmission medium is positioned outside of the cross-sectional area of the first coupler such that a first electromagnetic wave propagating along the transmission medium couples at least in part to the first coupler and travels along the first coupler as a second electromagnetic wave, wherein a first portion of an electromagnetic field of the second electromagnetic wave is located inside the first coupler, and wherein a second portion of the electromagnetic field of the second electromagnetic wave is located outside the first coupler. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method, comprising:
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generating, by a transmission device, a first electromagnetic wave that propagates along a coupler, wherein a first portion of an electromagnetic field of the first electromagnetic wave is located inside the coupler, and wherein a second portion of the electromagnetic field of the first electromagnetic wave is located outside the coupler; and mechanically coupling at least a portion of the coupler to a transmission medium to facilitate coupling of at least a portion of the first electromagnetic wave to the transmission medium, thereby forming a second electromagnetic wave that propagates along the transmission medium, and wherein the second electromagnetic wave has a wave propagation mode that enables the second electromagnetic wave to travel along the transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification