Transmission device with mode division multiplexing and methods for use therewith

• US 9,742,521 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2016
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2014
• 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): Alam, Fayyaz
• Application Number:
  US15/350,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20170063430A1
• Time in Patent Office: 281 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/46 Electric supply lines or communication lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/2581 Multimode transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/40 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/52 Systems for transmission between fixed stations via waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/04 Mode multiplex systems

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a transmission device that includes at least one transceiver configured to modulate data to generate a plurality of first electromagnetic waves. A plurality of couplers are configured to couple at least a portion of the plurality of first electromagnetic waves to a transmission medium, wherein the plurality of couplers generate a plurality of mode division multiplexed second electromagnetic waves that propagate along the outer surface of the transmission medium. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. An antenna system comprising:

at least one transceiver that facilitates modulation of signals conveying data to generate a plurality of first electromagnetic waves; and

a plurality of couplers that facilitates coupling at least a portion of the plurality of first electromagnetic waves to a transmission medium, wherein the plurality of first electromagnetic waves facilitates wireless network connectivity via at least one antenna, wherein the plurality of couplers generates a plurality of second electromagnetic waves that propagates on the transmission medium via differing ones of a plurality of guided wave modes in accordance with a mode division multiplexing of the data.

2. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of guided wave modes includes a first non-fundamental mode and a second non-fundamental mode.

3. The antenna system of claim 2, wherein the first non-fundamental mode has a first electromagnetic field pattern that includes a first lobe at a first azimuthal orientation to a longitudinal axis of the transmission medium and the second non-fundamental mode has a second electromagnetic field pattern that includes a second lobe at a second azimuthal orientation to the longitudinal axis of the transmission medium, and wherein the first azimuthal orientation differs from the second azimuthal orientation.

4. The antenna system of claim 2, wherein the first non-fundamental mode has a first electromagnetic field strength that varies helically along a longitudinal axis of the transmission medium and the second non-fundamental mode has a second electromagnetic field strength that varies helically along the longitudinal axis of the transmission medium.

5. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the plurality of first electromagnetic waves propagates within the plurality of couplers and a second portion of the plurality of first electromagnetic waves propagates outside the plurality of couplers.

6. The antenna system of claim 5, wherein a first portion of the plurality of second electromagnetic waves propagates within the transmission medium and a second portion of the plurality of second electromagnetic waves propagates outside the transmission medium.

7. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the transmission medium facilitates the wireless network connectivity to a mobile device.

8. A method, comprising:

modulating signals to convey data, by at least one transceiver, to generate a plurality of first electromagnetic waves; and

coupling, by a plurality of couplers, at least a portion of each of the plurality of first electromagnetic waves onto a transmission medium that is coupled to an antenna, wherein the plurality of couplers induces a plurality of second electromagnetic waves that propagates along the transmission medium, wherein the plurality of second electromagnetic waves propagates via differing ones of a plurality of guided wave modes in accordance with a mode division multiplexing of the data.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of guided wave modes includes a first non-fundamental mode and a second non-fundamental mode.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first non-fundamental mode has a first electromagnetic field strength that varies with an azimuthal orientation to a longitudinal axis of the transmission medium and the second non-fundamental mode has a second electromagnetic field strength that varies with the azimuthal orientation to the longitudinal axis of the transmission medium.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first non-fundamental mode has a first electromagnetic field pattern that includes a first lobe at a first azimuthal orientation to a longitudinal axis of the transmission medium and the second non-fundamental mode has a second electromagnetic field pattern that includes a second lobe at a second azimuthal orientation to the longitudinal axis of the transmission medium, and wherein the first azimuthal orientation differs from the second azimuthal orientation.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a first portion of the first electromagnetic field pattern is within the transmission medium and a second portion of the first electromagnetic field pattern is outside the transmission medium.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the first non-fundamental mode has a first electromagnetic field strength that varies helically along a longitudinal axis of the transmission medium and the second non-fundamental mode has a second electromagnetic field strength that varies helically along the longitudinal axis of the transmission medium.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the antenna provides wireless network connectivity.

15. A transmission device comprising:

transceiver means for modulating signals in accordance with data to generate a plurality of first electromagnetic waves; and

coupling means for coupling at least a portion of the plurality of first electromagnetic waves to a transmission medium that facilitates wireless network connectivity via a distributed antenna system, wherein the coupling means generates a plurality of mode division multiplexed second electromagnetic waves that propagates along the transmission medium.

16. The transmission device of claim 15, wherein one of the plurality of mode division multiplexed second electromagnetic waves propagates along the transmission medium via a first non-fundamental mode and another of the plurality of mode division multiplexed second electromagnetic waves propagates along the transmission medium via a second non-fundamental mode.

17. The transmission device of claim 16, wherein the first non-fundamental mode has a first electromagnetic field strength that varies with an azimuthal orientation to a longitudinal axis of the transmission medium and the second non-fundamental mode has a second electromagnetic field strength that varies with the azimuthal orientation to the longitudinal axis of the transmission medium.

18. The transmission device of claim 16, wherein the first non-fundamental mode has a first electromagnetic field pattern that includes a first lobe at a first azimuthal orientation to a longitudinal axis of the transmission medium and the second non-fundamental mode has a second electromagnetic field pattern that includes a second lobe at a second azimuthal orientation to the longitudinal axis of the transmission medium, and wherein the first azimuthal orientation differs from the second azimuthal orientation.

19. The transmission device of claim 15, wherein free space wireless signals provide the wireless network connectivity.

20. The transmission device of claim 15, wherein the transmission medium comprises a dielectric.

21. The transmission device of claim 15, wherein free space wireless signals provide the wireless network connectivity to a mobile device.