Method and apparatus for transmitting electromagnetic waves

• US 10,804,964 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2019
• Issued: 10/13/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2014
• 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, Gerszberg, Irwin, Barzegar, Farhad, Barnickel, Donald J., Willis, III, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rachedine, Mohammed
• Application Number:
  US16/528,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20190356354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/46 Electric supply lines or communication lines
• 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: H04B 3/56 Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a waveguide system including a circuit disposed on a printed circuit board (PCB), the PCB coupled to an outer surface of a cable, and the circuit facilitating generation, via a radiating element, electromagnetic waves, and a coupler that facilitates inducing propagation of the electromagnetic waves along the cable without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the coupler is not coaxially aligned with the cable. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A waveguide system, comprising:

a circuit disposed on a printed circuit board (PCB), the PCB coupled to an outer surface of a cable, and the circuit facilitating generation, via a radiating element, of first electromagnetic waves; and

a coupler that facilitates inducing, according to the first electromagnetic waves, propagation of second electromagnetic waves along the cable without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the coupler is not coaxially aligned with the cable.

2. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein a first outer surface of the coupler is proximity to a second outer surface of the cable to form a junction for generating the second electromagnetic waves.

3. The waveguide system of claim 2, wherein the junction includes an air gap between the coupler and the cable.

4. The waveguide system of claim 2, wherein the junction does not include an air gap between the coupler and the cable.

5. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the first electromagnetic waves propagate along a first outer surface of the coupler.

6. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the second electromagnetic waves are generated on a second outer surface of the cable.

7. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the circuit facilitates communicating with a communications device.

8. The waveguide system of claim 7, further comprising a second antenna coupled to the circuit for wireless communication with the communications device.

9. The waveguide system of claim 1, further comprising a coil enabling the circuit to receive power from the cable.

10. The waveguide system of claim 9,

wherein the coil, the circuit, and the radiating element are disposed on the printed circuit board,

wherein the cable comprises a power line, and wherein the PCB is disposed on an outer surface of the power line.

11. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the coupler is configured to reduce reflection of the second electromagnetic waves generated on an outer surface of the cable.

12. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the radiating element is disposed on an outer surface of the coupler.

13. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the radiating element is embedded in a material of the coupler.

14. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the radiating element comprises a hollow conductor that surrounds a first portion of an outer surface of the coupler.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a circuit disposed on a printed circuit board (PCB), the PCB coupled to an outer surface of a cable, and the circuit facilitating generation of first electromagnetic waves via a radiating element; and

a coupler that facilitates inducing propagation of second electromagnetic waves along the cable without requiring an electrical return path,

wherein the coupler is not coaxially aligned with the cable,

wherein the first electromagnetic waves have a first propagation mode,

wherein the second electromagnetic waves have a second propagation mode, and

wherein the first propagation mode differs from the second propagation mode.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first propagation mode comprises symmetric electromagnetic waves, and wherein the second propagation mode comprises symmetric electromagnetic waves and asymmetric electromagnetic waves.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a coupler that facilitates propagation of at least a portion of first electromagnetic waves, wherein the coupler is positioned at a location that enables the first electromagnetic waves to induce second electromagnetic waves that propagate along a cable without an electrical circuit, and wherein the coupler is not coaxially aligned with the cable;

a radiating element that facilitates coupling of the portion of the first electromagnetic waves onto the coupler; and

a circuit disposed on a printed circuit board (PCB), the PCB coupled to an outer surface of the cable, and the circuit facilitating generation of the first electromagnetic waves via the radiating element.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the location enables the first electromagnetic waves to induce the second electromagnetic waves to propagate along the cable in a first direction, wherein the coupler facilitates propagation of at least a portion of third electromagnetic waves, and wherein the location enables the third electromagnetic waves to induce fourth electromagnetic waves to propagate along the cable in a second direction that is different from the first direction.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the radiating element is disposed on an outer surface of the coupler.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the radiating element is embedded in a material of the coupler.