Guided-wave transmission device with non-fundamental mode propagation and methods for use therewith

• US 10,812,189 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2019
• Issued: 10/20/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2015
• 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, Gerszberg, Irwin, Barzegar, Farhad, Barnickel, Donald J., Willis, III, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sedighian, Mohammad R
• Application Number:
  US16/238,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20190158181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 398116
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/26 Surface waveguide constituted by a single conductor, e.g. strip conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25759 Details of the reception of RF signal or the optical conversion before the optical fibre
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/40 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/36 Repeater circuits H04B3/58 takes precedence

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a coupler that includes a tapered collar that surrounds a transmission wire. A coaxial coupler, that surrounds at least a portion of the transmission wire, guides an electromagnetic wave to the tapered collar. The tapered collar couples the electromagnetic wave to propagate along an outer surface of the transmission wire. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A coupler comprising:

a tapered collar that surrounds a transmission wire; and

a coaxial launcher, that surrounds at least a portion of the transmission wire, and guides an electromagnetic wave to the tapered collar and wherein the tapered collar couples the electromagnetic wave to be guided by the transmission wire to propagate, without requiring an electrical return path, along the transmission wire via a non-fundamental wave mode having an electromagnetic (EM) field pattern with a local minimum at an azimuthal orientation, and wherein the azimuthal orientation of the local minimum is aligned at a predetermined orientation with respect to the transmission wire.

2. The coupler of claim 1, wherein the coaxial launcher forms a gap between a conductive material and the transmission wire that includes a dielectric.

3. The coupler of claim 1, wherein the tapered collar includes a dielectric.

4. The coupler of claim 1, wherein a majority of a signal strength of the electromagnetic wave is outside of the transmission wire and in proximity to an outer surface of the transmission wire.

5. The coupler of claim 4, wherein the predetermined orientation corresponds to an expected orientation of water droplet formation on the transmission wire.

6. The coupler of claim 5, wherein the predetermined orientation corresponds to a bottom of the transmission wire.

7. The coupler of claim 5, wherein the electromagnetic field pattern has another local minimum at another azimuthal orientation about the transmission wire corresponding to a top of the transmission wire.

8. The coupler of claim 5, wherein the electromagnetic field pattern is bilaterally symmetrical.

9. The coupler of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic wave has a carrier frequency within a microwave frequency band.

10. The coupler of claim 1, wherein the transmission wire is an insulated wire.

11. A coupler comprising:

a tapered collar that surrounds a transmission medium; and

a coaxial launcher, that surrounds at least a portion of the transmission medium, and guides an electromagnetic wave to the tapered collar and wherein the tapered collar couples the electromagnetic wave to be guided by the transmission medium to propagate, without requiring an electrical return path, along the transmission medium via a non-fundamental wave mode having an electromagnetic (EM) field pattern with a local minimum at an azimuthal orientation, and wherein the azimuthal orientation of the local minimum is aligned at a predetermined orientation with respect to the transmission medium.

12. The coupler of claim 11, wherein the coaxial launcher forms a gap between a conductive material and the transmission medium that includes a dielectric.

13. The coupler of claim 11, wherein the tapered collar includes a dielectric.

14. The coupler of claim 11, wherein a majority of a signal strength of the electromagnetic wave is outside of the transmission medium and in proximity to an outer surface of the transmission medium.

15. The coupler of claim 14, wherein the predetermined orientation corresponds to an expected orientation of water droplet formation on the transmission medium.

16. The coupler of claim 15, wherein the predetermined orientation corresponds to a bottom of the transmission medium.

17. The coupler of claim 15, wherein the electromagnetic field pattern has another local minimum at another azimuthal orientation about the transmission medium corresponding to a top of the transmission medium.

18. The coupler of claim 15, wherein the electromagnetic field pattern is bilaterally symmetrical.

19. The coupler of claim 11, wherein the electromagnetic wave has a carrier frequency within a microwave frequency band.

20. A coupler comprising:

a tapered collar that surrounds an insulated wire; and

a coaxial launcher, that surrounds at least a portion of the insulated wire, and guides an electromagnetic wave to the tapered collar and wherein the tapered collar couples the electromagnetic wave to be guided by the insulated wire to propagate, without requiring an electrical return path, along the insulated wire via a non-fundamental wave mode having an electromagnetic (EM) field pattern with a local minimum at an azimuthal orientation, and wherein the azimuthal orientation of the local minimum is aligned at a predetermined orientation with respect to the insulated wire.