Passive electrical coupling device and methods for use therewith

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9793955-B2
Application number	US-201615072449-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2016
Priority date	Apr 24, 2015
Publication date	Oct 17, 2017
Grant date	Oct 17, 2017

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a coupling device includes a circuit that receives a signal. At least one passive electrical circuit element generates an electromagnetic field in response to the signal. A portion of the electromagnetic field is guided by a surface of a transmission medium to propagate as a guided electromagnetic wave longitudinally along the transmission medium. Other embodiments are disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A transmission device comprising:
a transmitter that generates a signal; and
at least one passive electrical circuit element, coupled to the transmitter, that generates an electromagnetic field in response to the signal, wherein the signal has a wavelength;
wherein the transmitter and the at least one passive electrical circuit element are configured such that a portion of the electromagnetic field is bound to an outer surface of a transmission medium to propagate as a guided electromagnetic wave longitudinally along the transmission medium to facilitate wireless network connectivity to a client device via an antenna, wherein the transmission medium is without a conductor, and wherein the transmission medium is composed of a dielectric element;
wherein the at least one passive electrical circuit element includes a first capacitor and a second capacitor that are spaced a distance apart to facilitate launching the guided electromagnetic wave longitudinally along the transmission medium, and wherein the distance apart corresponds to substantially one quarter of the wavelength.

2. The transmission device of claim 1 wherein the dielectric element is a dielectric rod.

3. The transmission device of claim 2 wherein the guided electromagnetic wave is bound to the dielectric element and propagates along the dielectric element with a first portion of the guided electromagnetic wave propagating within the dielectric element and a second portion of the guided electromagnetic wave propagating outside the dielectric element.

4. The transmission device of claim 2 wherein the first capacitor is formed by a first plate placed in proximity to the dielectric element and a second plate placed in proximity to the dielectric element.

5. The transmission device of claim 4 wherein the second capacitor is formed by a third plate placed in proximity to the dielectric element and a fourth plate placed in proximity to the dielectric element.

6. The transmission device of claim 1 wherein the transmission device is placed in proximity to a utility pole.

7. The transmission device of claim 1 wherein the guided electromagnetic wave propagates along the transmission medium in a non-cellular band and without an electrical return path.

8. The transmission device of claim 1 wherein the signal is in a microwave frequency band.

9. The transmission device of claim 1 wherein the signal is in a millimeter wave frequency band.

10. The transmission device of claim 8 wherein the dielectric element is hollow.

11. A coupling device comprising:
a circuit that receives a signal, wherein the signal has a wavelength; and
at least one electrical circuit element, coupled to the circuit, that generates an electromagnetic field in response to the signal;
wherein a portion of the electromagnetic field is guided by an outer surface of a transmission medium to propagate as a guided electromagnetic wave longitudinally along the transmission medium to facilitate fifth generation (5G) wireless network connectivity via an antenna wherein the transmission medium is without a conductor, and wherein the transmission medium is composed of a dielectric element;
wherein the at least one electrical circuit element includes a first capacitor and a second capacitor that are spaced a distance apart to facilitate launching the guided electromagnetic wave longitudinally along the transmission medium, and wherein the distance apart corresponds to substantially one quarter of the wavelength.

12. The coupling device of claim 11 wherein the signal is in a microwave frequency band.

13. The coupling device of claim 12 , wherein the first capacitor is formed by a first plate placed in proximity to the dielectric member and wherein the second capacitor is formed by a second plate placed in proximity to the dielectric member.

14. The coupling device of claim 13 , wherein the first capacitor includes a first dielectric between the first plate and the dielectric member and wherein the second capacitor includes a second dielectric between the second plate and the dielectric member.

15. The coupling device of claim 11 wherein the guided electromagnetic wave propagates along the transmission medium in a non-cellular band and without an electrical return path.

16. The coupling device of claim 11 wherein the signal is in a millimeter wave frequency band.

17. The coupling device of claim 16 wherein the dielectric element is hollow.

18. The coupling device of claim 16 wherein the transmission medium is in proximity to a utility pole.

19. A method comprising:
generating an electromagnetic field in response to a signal having a wavelength via a first capacitor and a second capacitor; and
coupling a portion of the electromagnetic field to a dielectric transmission medium to propagate as a guided electromagnetic wave longitudinally along the dielectric transmission medium to facilitate wireless network communications with a client device in a non-cellular frequency band wherein the dielectric transmission medium is without a conductor, and wherein the dielectric transmission medium is without a conductor, and wherein the dielectric transmission medium is composed of a dielectric element;
wherein the first capacitor and the second capacitor are spaced a distance apart to facilitate launching the guided electromagnetic wave longitudinally along the dielectric transmission medium, and wherein the distance apart corresponds to substantially one quarter of the wavelength.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the guided electromagnetic wave is bound to the dielectric transmission medium and propagates along the dielectric transmission medium with a first portion of the guided electromagnetic wave propagating within the dielectric transmission medium and a second portion of the guided electromagnetic wave propagating outside the dielectric transmission medium.

Assignees

• At & T Ip I Lp

Inventors

• Henry Paul Shala
• Bennett Robert
• Gerszberg Irwin
• Barzegar Farhad
• Barnickel Donald J
• Willis Iii Thomas M

Classifications

• H02J50/001

  Energy harvesting or scavenging · CPC title

• H02J13/1313

  using pulsed signals · CPC title

• H02J13/1323

  using optical fibres · CPC title

• H04B3/56 Primary

  Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals · CPC title

• H02J50/05

  using capacitive coupling · CPC title