Guided wave coupler, coupling module and methods for use therewith

• US 9,912,033 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2016
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2014
• 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): Rachedine, Mohammed
• Application Number:
  US15/070,056
• Publication Number:
  US 20160197392A1
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/16 Dielectric waveguides, i.e. without a longitudinal conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/02 with invariable factor of coupling H01P5/12 takes precedence choke joints H01P1/04, H01P1/06
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/12 Coupling devices having more than two ports H01P5/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0485 Dielectric resonator antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/36 Repeater circuits H04B3/58 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/52 Systems for transmission between fixed stations via waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/56 Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15557 Selecting relay station operation mode, e.g. between amplify and forward mode, decode and forward mode or FDD - and TDD mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a coupler including a receiving portion that receives a first electromagnetic wave conveying first data from a transmitting device. A guiding portion guides the first electromagnetic wave to a junction for coupling the first electromagnetic wave to a transmission medium. The first electromagnetic wave propagates via at least one first guided wave mode. The coupling of the first electromagnetic wave to the transmission medium forms a second electromagnetic wave that is guided to propagate along the outer surface of the transmission medium via at least one second guided wave mode that differs from the at least one first guided wave mode. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. An antenna system comprising:

an antenna;

a dielectric transmission medium that facilitates wireless network connectivity via the antenna; and

a coupler that includes;

a receiving portion that receives a first electromagnetic wave conveying first data from a transmitting device; and

a guiding portion consisting of a dielectric waveguide without conductive materials, that guides the first electromagnetic wave to a junction for coupling the first electromagnetic wave to the dielectric transmission medium, wherein the first electromagnetic wave propagates via at least one first guided wave mode and wherein the coupling of the first electromagnetic wave to the dielectric transmission medium forms a second electromagnetic wave that is guided to propagate along the dielectric transmission medium via at least one second guided wave mode that differs from the at least one first guided wave mode.

2. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein the at least one second guided wave mode includes a non-fundamental mode not included in the at least one first guided wave mode.

3. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein the at least one first guided wave mode includes only a fundamental mode and wherein the junction induces the second electromagnetic wave such that the at least one second guided wave mode includes a non-fundamental mode.

4. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein the at least one first guided wave mode includes a symmetric mode and wherein the junction induces the second electromagnetic wave such that the at least one second guided wave mode includes an asymmetric mode and the symmetric mode.

5. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein the dielectric transmission medium facilitates the wireless network connectivity to a mobile device in a non-cellular frequency band.

6. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein a third electromagnetic wave generated based on signals received via the antenna conveys second data that also propagates along the dielectric transmission medium;

and

wherein the junction couples the third electromagnetic wave from the dielectric transmission medium to form a fourth electromagnetic wave that is guided to a receiver by the guiding portion.

7. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein the dielectric transmission medium is conductorless.

8. A method comprising:

receiving a first electromagnetic wave conveying first data from a transmitting device in a non-optical frequency band; and

guiding the first electromagnetic wave via a dielectric waveguide without conductive materials to a junction for coupling the first electromagnetic wave to a conductorless transmission medium providing network connectivity via an antenna that radiates first free space wireless signals, wherein the first electromagnetic wave propagates via at least one first guided wave mode and wherein the coupling of the first electromagnetic wave to the conductorless transmission medium forms a second electromagnetic wave that is guided to propagate along the conductorless transmission medium via at least one second guided wave mode that differs from the at least one first guided wave mode.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the at least one second guided wave mode includes an asymmetric mode not included in the at least one first guided wave mode.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the at least one first guided wave mode includes a symmetric mode and wherein the junction induces the second electromagnetic wave such that the at least one second guided wave mode includes an asymmetric mode.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the at least one first guided wave mode includes a symmetric mode and wherein the junction induces the second electromagnetic wave such that the at least one second guided wave mode includes an asymmetric mode and the symmetric mode.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the junction includes an air gap.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein a third electromagnetic wave generated based on second free space wireless signals received via the antenna conveys second data that also propagates along the conductorless transmission medium;

and

wherein the junction couples the third electromagnetic wave from the conductorless transmission medium to form a fourth electromagnetic wave that is guided to a receiver.

14. A method comprising:

guiding a first electromagnetic wave to a junction, wherein the first electromagnetic wave propagates via at least one first guided wave mode; and

coupling of the first electromagnetic wave, to a dielectric transmission medium that provides network connectivity via an antenna that radiates free space wireless signals, to form a second electromagnetic wave that is guided to propagate along an outer surface of the dielectric transmission medium via at least one second guided wave mode that differs from the at least one first guided wave mode.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the at least one second guided wave mode includes a non-fundamental mode not included in the at least one first guided wave mode.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the at least one first guided wave mode includes a fundamental mode and wherein the junction induces the second electromagnetic wave such that the at least one second guided wave mode includes a non-fundamental mode.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the at least one first guided wave mode includes a fundamental mode and wherein the junction induces the second electromagnetic wave such that the at least one second guided wave mode includes a non-fundamental mode and the fundamental mode.

18. An antenna system comprising:

an antenna;

a transmission medium that facilitates wireless network connectivity via the antenna; and

a coupler that includes;

a receiving portion that receives a first electromagnetic wave conveying first data from a transmitting device; and

a guiding portion consisting of a dielectric waveguide without conductive materials, that guides the first electromagnetic wave to a junction for coupling the first electromagnetic wave to the transmission medium, wherein the first electromagnetic wave propagates via at least one first guided wave mode and wherein the coupling of the first electromagnetic wave to the transmission medium forms a second electromagnetic wave that is guided to propagate along the transmission medium via at least one second guided wave mode that differs from the at least one first guided wave mode.

19. The antenna system of claim 18, wherein the at least one second guided wave mode includes a non-fundamental mode not included in the at least one first guided wave mode.

20. The antenna system of claim 18, wherein the at least one first guided wave mode includes only a fundamental mode and wherein the junction induces the second electromagnetic wave such that the at least one second guided wave mode includes a non-fundamental mode.

21. The antenna system of claim 18, wherein the at least one first guided wave mode includes a symmetric mode and wherein the junction induces the second electromagnetic wave such that the at least one second guided wave mode includes an asymmetric mode and the symmetric mode.