Node device, repeater and methods for use therewith

• US 10,812,191 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2020
• Issued: 10/20/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2015
• 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, Gerszberg, Irwin, Bennett, Robert, Barzegar, Farhad, Barnickel, Donald J., Willis, III, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huang, David S
• Application Number:
  US16/739,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20200153511A1
• Time in Patent Office: 284 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/12 Coupling devices having more than two ports H01P5/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00 Circuit arrangements for providing remote indication of network conditions, e.g. an instantaneous record of the open or closed condition of each circuitbreaker in the network; Circuit arrangements for providing remote control of switching means in a power distribution network, e.g. switching in and out of current consumers by using a pulse code signal carried by the network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00007 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00017 using optical fiber
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/29 Repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 14/02 characterised by the use of pulse modulation in radio transmission relays H04B7/17
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5479 using repeaters
• 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 3/56 Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a node device includes an interface configured to receive first signals. A plurality of coupling devices are configured to launch the first signals on a transmission medium as a plurality of first guided electromagnetic waves at corresponding plurality of non-optical carrier frequencies, wherein the plurality of first guided electromagnetic waves are bound to a physical structure of the transmission medium. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A node device comprising:

an interface configured to receive first signals; and

at least one coupling device configured to launch the first signals on a transmission medium, as a plurality of first guided electromagnetic waves, the plurality of first guided electromagnetic waves propagating at non-optical frequencies, without requiring an electrical return path, to another node device in a same longitudinal direction along the transmission medium, the plurality of first guided electromagnetic waves including one or more first guided electromagnetic waves conveying a first command to the another node device to pass the one or more of the plurality of first guided electromagnetic waves without repeating the one or more of the plurality of first guided electromagnetic waves and the plurality of first guided electromagnetic waves further including one or more other first guided electromagnetic waves conveying a second command to the another node device to repeat the one or more other first guided electromagnetic waves, wherein the plurality of first guided electromagnetic waves is guided by the transmission medium.

2. The node device of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the plurality of first guided electromagnetic waves propagates within the transmission medium and a second portion of the plurality of first guided electromagnetic waves propagates outside the transmission medium.

3. The node device of claim 2, wherein the second portion contains more energy than the first portion.

4. The node device of claim 1, wherein the transmission medium is non-conductive.

5. The node device of claim 1, wherein the interface includes at least one of:

a radio interface configured to receive at least a portion of the first signals from a client device via an antenna;

or

a radio interface configured to receive at least a portion of the first signals from a host node device via the antenna.

6. The node device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of first guided electromagnetic waves propagates along the transmission medium via a guided wave mode that is different from at least one other of the plurality of first guided electromagnetic waves.

7. The node device of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller configured to generate second signals to control processing of at least one of the plurality of first guided electromagnetic waves via the another node device;

wherein the at least one coupling device is configured to launch the second signals on the transmission medium as at least one second guided electromagnetic wave.

8. The node device of claim 7, wherein the second signals include data indicating the first command or the second command.

9. The node device of claim 7, wherein the controller receives third signals from the another node device and sets non-optical carrier frequencies, in response to the third signals.

10. The node device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of coupling devices is further configured to receive a plurality of second guided electromagnetic waves launched by the another node device at non-optical carrier frequencies.

11. A method comprising:

receiving, via an interface, first signals; and

launching, via at least one coupling device, the first signals on a transmission medium, as a plurality of first guided electromagnetic waves at non-optical carrier frequencies, the plurality of first guided electromagnetic waves propagating, without requiring an electrical return path, to another node device in a same longitudinal direction along the transmission medium, the plurality of first guided electromagnetic waves including one or more first guided electromagnetic waves conveying a first command to the another node device to pass the one or more of the plurality of first guided electromagnetic waves without repeating the one or more of the plurality of first guided electromagnetic waves and the plurality of first guided electromagnetic waves further including one or more other first guided electromagnetic waves conveying a second command to the another node device to repeat the one or more other first guided electromagnetic waves, wherein the plurality of first guided electromagnetic waves is guided by the transmission medium.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a first portion of the plurality of first guided electromagnetic waves propagates within the transmission medium and a second portion of the plurality of first guided electromagnetic waves propagates outside the transmission medium.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second portion contains more energy than the first portion.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the transmission medium is non-conductive.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the receiving the first signals includes at least one of:

receiving at least a portion of the first signals from a client device via an antenna;

or

receiving at least a portion of the first signals from a host node device via the antenna.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of first guided electromagnetic waves propagates along the transmission medium via a guided wave mode that is different from at least one other of the plurality of first guided electromagnetic waves.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

generating second signals to control processing of at least one of the plurality of first guided electromagnetic waves via the another node device;

wherein at least one of the plurality of coupling devices is configured to launch the second signals on the transmission medium as at least one second guided electromagnetic wave.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the second signals include data indicating the first command or the second command.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving third signals from the another node device; and

setting the non-optical carrier frequencies, in response to the third signals.

20. A node device comprising:

an interface configured to receive signals; and

means for launching the signals on a transmission medium, as a plurality of guided electromagnetic waves at non-optical carrier frequencies, the plurality of guided electromagnetic waves propagating, without requiring an electrical return path, to another node device in a same longitudinal direction along the transmission medium, the plurality of guided electromagnetic waves including one or more guided electromagnetic waves conveying a first command to the another node device to pass the one or more of the plurality of guided electromagnetic waves without repeating the one or more of the plurality of guided electromagnetic waves and the plurality of guided electromagnetic waves further including one or more other guided electromagnetic waves conveying a second command to the another node device to repeat the one or more other guided electromagnetic waves, wherein the plurality of guided electromagnetic waves is guided by the transmission medium.