Quasi-optical coupler
First Claim
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a transmitter that facilitates emitting a focused transmission, wherein a wavelength of the focused transmission corresponds to a millimeter-wave band, and wherein the focused transmission is directed to a focal plane of a reflector; and
the reflector, positioned with respect to a transmission medium, that facilitates reflecting from the focal plane the focused transmission thereby inducing a guided wave bound to a surface of the transmission medium.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A quasi-optical coupling system launches and extracts surface wave communication transmissions from a wire. At millimeter-wave frequencies, where the wavelength is small compared to the macroscopic size of the equipment, the millimeter-wave transmissions can be transported from one place to another and diverted via lenses and reflectors, much like visible light. Transmitters and receivers can be positioned near telephone and power lines and reflectors placed on or near the cables can reflect transmissions onto or off of the cables. The lenses on the transmitters are focused, and the reflectors positioned such that the reflected transmissions are guided waves on the surface of the cables. The reflectors can be polarization sensitive, where one or more of a set of guided wave modes can be reflected off the wire based on the polarization of the guided wave modes and polarization and orientation of the reflector.
1344 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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a transmitter that facilitates emitting a focused transmission, wherein a wavelength of the focused transmission corresponds to a millimeter-wave band, and wherein the focused transmission is directed to a focal plane of a reflector; and the reflector, positioned with respect to a transmission medium, that facilitates reflecting from the focal plane the focused transmission thereby inducing a guided wave bound to a surface of the transmission medium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus, comprising:
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a reflector, positioned with respect to a transmission medium, that facilitates reflecting a first component of an incoming transmission away from the transmission medium while enabling a second component of the incoming transmission to propagate through the reflector, wherein the incoming transmission comprises a guided wave that is bound to a surface of the transmission medium and that propagates in a direction substantially parallel to the transmission medium; and a receiver that facilitates receiving the first component of the incoming transmission. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method, comprising:
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emitting, by a transmission device, a transmission towards a focal plane of a first side of a reflector that is coupled to a transmission medium; and reflecting, by the reflector, the transmission in a direction substantially parallel to the transmission medium resulting in a reflected transmission, wherein the reflected transmission comprises a guided wave on a surface of the transmission medium. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification