Surface wave repeater with temperature control and methods for use therewith
First Claim
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1. A surface wave repeater comprising:
- a first launcher configured to transmit and receive first guided electromagnetic waves that propagate along a first segment of a transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path, the first guided electromagnetic waves in a first direction conveying first data from a communication network to one or more other surface wave devices and the first guided electromagnetic waves in a second direction conveying second data to the communication network from the one or more other surface wave devices;
a second launcher configured to transmit and receive second guided electromagnetic waves that propagate along a second segment of the transmission medium without requiring the electrical return path, the second guided electromagnetic waves in the first direction conveying the first data from the communication network to the one or more other surface wave devices and the second guided electromagnetic waves in the second direction conveying the second data from the one or more other surface wave devices to the communication network;
a first transceiver configured to;
receive a first microwave signal from the first launcher, wherein the first microwave signal conveys the first data and is generated by the first launcher in response to receiving the first guided electromagnetic waves in the first direction from the first segment of the transmission medium; and
couple a second microwave signal to the first launcher to facilitate transmission of the first guided electromagnetic waves conveying the second data in the second direction on the first segment of the transmission medium;
a second transceiver configured to;
receive the second microwave signal from the second launcher, wherein the second microwave signal is generated by the second launcher in response to receiving the second guided electromagnetic waves in the second direction conveying the second data from the second segment of the transmission medium; and
couple the first microwave signal to the second launcher to facilitate transmission of the second guided electromagnetic waves in the first direction conveying the first data on the second segment of the transmission medium; and
a first heating and cooling unit configured to control a first temperature of the surface wave repeater.
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Abstract
In accordance with one or more embodiments, a surface wave repeater or other surface wave device includes a heating and cooling unit. The heating and cooling unit is configured to control the temperature of the surface wave repeater or other surface wave device.
213 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A surface wave repeater comprising:
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a first launcher configured to transmit and receive first guided electromagnetic waves that propagate along a first segment of a transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path, the first guided electromagnetic waves in a first direction conveying first data from a communication network to one or more other surface wave devices and the first guided electromagnetic waves in a second direction conveying second data to the communication network from the one or more other surface wave devices; a second launcher configured to transmit and receive second guided electromagnetic waves that propagate along a second segment of the transmission medium without requiring the electrical return path, the second guided electromagnetic waves in the first direction conveying the first data from the communication network to the one or more other surface wave devices and the second guided electromagnetic waves in the second direction conveying the second data from the one or more other surface wave devices to the communication network; a first transceiver configured to; receive a first microwave signal from the first launcher, wherein the first microwave signal conveys the first data and is generated by the first launcher in response to receiving the first guided electromagnetic waves in the first direction from the first segment of the transmission medium; and couple a second microwave signal to the first launcher to facilitate transmission of the first guided electromagnetic waves conveying the second data in the second direction on the first segment of the transmission medium; a second transceiver configured to; receive the second microwave signal from the second launcher, wherein the second microwave signal is generated by the second launcher in response to receiving the second guided electromagnetic waves in the second direction conveying the second data from the second segment of the transmission medium; and couple the first microwave signal to the second launcher to facilitate transmission of the second guided electromagnetic waves in the first direction conveying the first data on the second segment of the transmission medium; and a first heating and cooling unit configured to control a first temperature of the surface wave repeater. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method comprising:
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transmitting and receiving, via a first launcher of a surface wave repeater, first guided electromagnetic waves that propagate along a first segment of a transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path, the first guided electromagnetic waves in a first direction conveying first data from a communication network to one or more other surface wave devices and the first guided electromagnetic waves in a second direction conveying second data to the communication network from the one or more other surface wave devices; transmitting and receiving, via a second launcher of the surface wave repeater, second guided electromagnetic waves that propagate along a second segment of the transmission medium without requiring the electrical return path, the second guided electromagnetic waves in the first direction conveying the first data from the communication network to the one or more other surface wave devices and the second guided electromagnetic waves in the second direction conveying the second data from the one or more other surface wave devices to the communication network; receiving, via a first transceiver of the surface wave repeater, a first microwave signal from the first launcher, wherein the first microwave signal conveys the first data and is generated by the first launcher in response to receiving the first guided electromagnetic waves in the first direction from the first segment of the transmission medium; coupling, via a second transceiver of the surface wave repeater, the first microwave signal to the second launcher to facilitate transmission of the second guided electromagnetic waves in the first direction conveying the first data on the second segment of the transmission medium; receiving, via the second transceiver of the surface wave repeater, a second microwave signal from the second launcher, the second microwave signal conveying the second data, wherein the second microwave signal is generated by the second launcher in response to receiving the second guided electromagnetic waves in the second direction conveying the second data from the second segment of the transmission medium; coupling, via the first transceiver of the surface wave repeater, the second microwave signal to the first launcher to facilitate transmission of the first guided electromagnetic waves conveying the second data in the second direction on the first segment of the transmission medium; and controlling, via a first heating and cooling unit, a first temperature of the surface wave repeater. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method comprising the steps of:
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transmitting and receiving, via a first launcher of a surface wave repeater, first guided electromagnetic waves that propagate along a first segment of a transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path, the first guided electromagnetic waves in a first direction conveying first data from a communication network to one or more other surface wave devices and the first guided electromagnetic waves in a second direction conveying second data to the communication network from the one or more other surface wave devices; transmitting and receiving, via a second launcher of the surface wave repeater, second guided electromagnetic waves that propagate along a second segment of the transmission medium without requiring the electrical return path, the second guided electromagnetic waves in the first direction conveying the first data from the communication network to the one or more other surface wave devices and the second guided electromagnetic waves in the second direction conveying the second data from the one or more other surface wave devices to the communication network; receiving, via a first transceiver of the surface wave repeater, a first microwave signal from the first launcher, wherein the first microwave signal conveys the first data and is generated by the first launcher in response to receiving the first guided electromagnetic waves in the first direction from the first segment of the transmission medium; coupling, via a second transceiver of the surface wave repeater, the first microwave signal to the second launcher to facilitate transmission of the second guided electromagnetic waves in the first direction conveying the first data on the second segment of the transmission medium; receiving, via the second transceiver of the surface wave repeater, a second microwave signal from the second launcher, the second microwave signal conveying the second data, wherein the second microwave signal is generated by the second launcher in response to receiving the second guided electromagnetic waves in the second direction conveying the second data from the second segment of the transmission medium; coupling, via the first transceiver of the surface wave repeater, the second microwave signal to the first launcher to facilitate transmission of the first guided electromagnetic waves conveying the second data in the second direction on the first segment of the transmission medium; and controlling, via at least one Peltier cell, a temperature of the surface wave repeater.
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Specification