Method and apparatus for launching a wave mode that mitigates interference

• US 10,804,960 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2020
• Issued: 10/13/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2015
• 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: Henry, Paul Shala, Bennett, Robert, Barzegar, Farhad, Gerszberg, Irwin, Barnickel, Donald J., Willis, III, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huang, David S
• Application Number:
  US16/735,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20200145046A1
• Time in Patent Office: 281 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/06 Coaxial lines
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/10 Wire waveguides, i.e. with a single solid longitudinal conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/127 with a circular, elliptic, or parabolic cross-section
• 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: H04B 15/00 Suppression or limitation of noise or interference by means associated with receiver H04B1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/06 by the transmitted signal
• 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 3/58 Repeater circuits

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a waveguide system detecting a degradation of an electromagnetic wave propagating along a transmission medium. The waveguide system launches a modified electromagnetic wave including a hybrid wave mode according to the degradation that is detected. The modified electromagnetic wave propagates along the transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting, by a waveguide system, a signal degradation of an electromagnetic wave propagating along a transmission medium, the signal degradation being caused by an object; and

adjusting, by the waveguide system, polarization of the electromagnetic wave to obtain an adjusted electromagnetic wave that reduces the signal degradation caused by the object, wherein the adjusted electromagnetic wave propagates along the transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting the polarization of the electromagnetic wave comprises:

adjusting polarization of electric fields or magnetic fields, or a combination of both, of the electromagnetic wave.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting the polarization of the electromagnetic wave comprises:

generating a specific wave mode of the electromagnetic wave.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting the polarization of the electromagnetic wave comprises:

generating, by the waveguide system, a first instance of a first electromagnetic wave having a first polarization;

generating, by the waveguide system, a second instance of a second electromagnetic wave having a second polarization, wherein the second polarization is different from the first polarization; and

combining, by the waveguide system, the first instance of the first electromagnetic wave with the second instance of the second electromagnetic wave to generate the adjusted electromagnetic wave.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising guiding, by the waveguide system, the adjusted electromagnetic wave for propagation along the transmission medium.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring, by the waveguide system, a characteristic of the electromagnetic wave to detect the signal degradation of the electromagnetic wave.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing, by the waveguide system, a spectral analysis of the electromagnetic wave; and

comparing, by the waveguide system, a result of the spectral analysis with a spectral signature associated with the object.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, by the waveguide system, a notification to a network element indicating the signal degradation that is detected.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a substantial portion of electric fields of the adjusted electromagnetic wave are approximately perpendicular to a longitudinal cross-section of the object.

10. A waveguide system, comprising:

a launcher; and

a processor coupled to the launcher, wherein the processor facilitates performance of operations, comprising;

determining, by the processor, a signal degradation of an electromagnetic wave propagating along a transmission medium;

responsive to the determining, combining a first instance of a first electromagnetic wave with a second instance of a second electromagnetic wave to generate a combined electromagnetic wave adapted to adjust polarization of the electromagnetic wave to mitigate the signal degradation; and

guiding, by the launcher, the combined electromagnetic wave for propagation along the transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path.

11. The waveguide system of claim 10, wherein the combined electromagnetic wave comprises a hybrid wave mode, and wherein the electromagnetic wave that is degraded comprises a non-hybrid wave mode.

12. The waveguide system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise:

generating, by the launcher, the first instance of the first electromagnetic wave having a first polarization; and

generating, by the launcher, the second instance of the second electromagnetic wave having a second polarization, wherein the second polarization is different from the first polarization.

13. The waveguide system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise identifying, by the processor, a characteristic of the electromagnetic wave to facilitate the determining of the signal degradation of the electromagnetic wave.

14. The waveguide system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise identifying an object causing the signal degradation of the propagation of the electromagnetic wave, wherein the combining of the first instance of the first electromagnetic wave with the second instance of the second electromagnetic wave to generate the combined electromagnetic wave is according to the object that is identified.

15. The waveguide system of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

performing a spectral analysis of the electromagnetic wave; and

comparing a result of the spectral analysis with a spectral signature associated with the object.

16. A method, comprising:

monitoring, by a waveguide system, a characteristic of an electromagnetic wave propagating along a transmission medium;

detecting, by the waveguide system, a signal degradation of the electromagnetic wave, wherein the detecting of the signal degradation of the electromagnetic wave is based on the monitoring;

adjusting, by the waveguide system, polarization of the electromagnetic wave to obtain a modified electromagnetic wave that reduces the signal degradation of the electromagnetic wave; and

launching, by the waveguide system, the modified electromagnetic wave comprising a hybrid wave mode according to the signal degradation that is detected, wherein the modified electromagnetic wave propagates along the transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the adjusting the polarization of the electromagnetic wave comprises:

adjusting polarization of electric fields or magnetic fields, or a combination of both, of the electromagnetic wave.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the adjusting the polarization of the electromagnetic wave comprises:

generating a specific wave mode of the electromagnetic wave.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising combining, by the waveguide system, a first instance of a first electromagnetic wave having a first polarization with a second instance of a second electromagnetic wave having a second polarization resulting in the modified electromagnetic wave, wherein the second polarization is different from the first polarization.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising transmitting, by the waveguide system, a notification to a network element indicating the signal degradation that is detected.