Method and apparatus for transmitting electromagnetic waves

[Cross-reference of related applications] This application claims the priority of US Patent Application No. 14 / 5,19,343 filed on October 21, 2014. The above contents form part of this specification by reference, as if all described herein.

The present disclosure relates to methods and devices for transmitting electromagnetic waves.

As smartphones and other portable devices become more prevalent and data usage increases, macrocell base station devices and existing wireless infrastructures will offer higher bandwidth capacity than ever before to meet increasing demand. In need of. Small cell deployments are being driven to provide additional mobile bandwidth, in which microcells and picocells provide coverage for much smaller areas than previous macrocells.

The attached drawings will be referred to here, but the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

<figref num="1">It is a block diagram which shows the non-limiting embodiment of an example of a waveguide communication system by various aspects described herein.</figref><figref num="2">It is a block diagram which shows the non-limiting embodiment of an example of the dielectric waveguide coupler by various aspects described herein.</figref><figref num="3">It is a block diagram which shows the non-limiting embodiment of an example of the dielectric waveguide coupler by various aspects described herein.</figref><figref num="4">It is a block diagram which shows the non-limiting embodiment of an example of the dielectric waveguide coupler by various aspects described herein.</figref><figref num="5">FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a non-limiting embodiment of an example of a dielectric waveguide coupler and transmitter / receiver according to the various aspects described herein.</figref><figref num="6">It is a block diagram which shows the non-limiting embodiment of an example of a double dielectric waveguide coupler according to various aspects described herein.</figref><figref num="7">It is a block diagram which shows the non-limiting embodiment of the example of the bidirectional dielectric waveguide coupler by various aspects described herein.</figref><figref num="8">It is a block diagram which shows the non-limiting embodiment of the example of the bidirectional dielectric waveguide coupler by various aspects described herein.</figref><figref num="9">FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a non-limiting embodiment of an example of a bidirectional repeater system according to the various aspects described herein.</figref><figref num="10A">FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a non-limiting embodiment of an example of a slotted waveguide coupler according to the various aspects described herein.</figref><figref num="10B">FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a non-limiting embodiment of an example of a slotted waveguide coupler according to the various aspects described herein.</figref><figref num="10C">FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a non-limiting embodiment of an example of a slotted waveguide coupler according to the various aspects described herein.</figref><figref num="11">It is a block diagram which shows the non-limiting embodiment of an example of a waveguide coupling system by various aspects described herein.</figref><figref num="12">It is a block diagram which shows the non-limiting embodiment of an example of a waveguide coupling system by various aspects described herein.</figref><figref num="13">FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a non-limiting embodiment of an example of a method for transmitting transmission using the dielectric waveguide coupler described herein.</figref><figref num="14">It is a block diagram which shows the non-limiting embodiment of an example of a waveguide system by various aspects described herein.</figref><figref num="15A">FIG. 5 illustrates a non-limiting embodiment of an example of a source of disturbance detectable by the waveguide system of FIG. 14 described herein.</figref><figref num="15B">FIG. 5 illustrates a non-limiting embodiment of an example of a source of disturbance detectable by the waveguide system of FIG. 14 described herein.</figref><figref num="15C">FIG. 5 illustrates a non-limiting embodiment of an example of a source of disturbance detectable by the waveguide system of FIG. 14 described herein.</figref><figref num="15D">FIG. 5 illustrates a non-limiting embodiment of an example of a source of disturbance detectable by the waveguide system of FIG. 14 described herein.</figref><figref num="15E">FIG. 5 illustrates a non-limiting embodiment of an example of a source of disturbance detectable by the waveguide system of FIG. 14 described herein.</figref><figref num="15F">FIG. 5 illustrates a non-limiting embodiment of an example of a source of disturbance detectable by the waveguide system of FIG. 14 described herein.</figref><figref num="15G">FIG. 5 illustrates a non-limiting embodiment of an example of a source of disturbance detectable by the waveguide system of FIG. 14 described herein.</figref><figref num="16">FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a non-limiting embodiment of an example of a system for managing a power grid communication system according to various aspects described herein.</figref><figref num="17A">FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a non-limiting embodiment of an example of a method for detecting and mitigating disturbances generated in the communication network of the system of FIG.</figref><figref num="17B">FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a non-limiting embodiment of an example of a method for detecting and mitigating disturbances generated in the communication network of the system of FIG.</figref><figref num="18A">FIG. 5 illustrates a non-limiting embodiment of an example for mitigating disturbances detected by the waveguide system of FIG. 14 described herein.</figref><figref num="18B">FIG. 5 illustrates a non-limiting embodiment of another example for mitigating disturbances detected by the waveguide system of FIG. 14 described herein.</figref><figref num="19A">It is a block diagram which shows the non-limiting embodiment of an example of a waveguide coupling system by various aspects described herein.</figref><figref num="19B">It is a block diagram which shows the non-limiting embodiment of an example of a waveguide coupling system by various aspects described herein.</figref><figref num="19C">It is a block diagram which shows the non-limiting embodiment of an example of a waveguide coupling system by various aspects described herein.</figref><figref num="20">It is a block diagram which shows the non-limiting embodiment of an example of a waveguide coupling system by various aspects described herein.</figref><figref num="21">It is a block diagram of a non-limiting embodiment of an example of a computing environment according to various aspects described herein.</figref><figref num="22">It is a block diagram of a non-limiting embodiment of an example of a mobile network platform according to various aspects described herein.</figref><figref num="23">It is a block diagram of a non-limiting embodiment of an example of a communication device according to various aspects described herein.</figref>

Here, one or more embodiments are described with reference to the drawings, in which the same reference numerals are used to refer to the same elements throughout. In the following description, a number of details are provided for the purposes of the description to provide a complete understanding of the various embodiments. However, it is clear that various embodiments can be implemented without these details (and without application to any particular networked environment or standard).

Backhaul networks that link communication cells (eg, microcells and macrocells) to network devices in the core network expand accordingly to provide network connectivity to additional base station devices. Similarly, an extended communication system that links a base station device and its distributed antennas is desired to provide network connectivity to the distributed antenna system. A waveguide communication system can be provided to allow alternative network connections, additional network connections, or additional network connections, and a waveguide coupling system can be provided to provide a single line transmission line (eg, transmission line). ), Acts as a waveguide, and / or otherwise transmits and / or receives waveguide (eg, surface wave) communications on wires such as wires that act to guide the transmission of electromagnetic waves. can do.

In one embodiment, the waveguide coupled in the waveguide coupling system is a dielectric material or other low loss insulator (eg, Teflon®, polyethylene, etc.), or conductive (eg, metal, etc.). It can be formed from materials (such as non-metals) or any combination of the above materials. References to "dielectric waveguides" throughout the detailed description are for illustration purposes only and are not limited to embodiments composed solely of dielectric materials. In other embodiments, other dielectric or insulating materials are possible. It will be appreciated that various transmission media can be utilized in waveguide communication without departing from the exemplary embodiments. Examples of such transmission media are the following transmission media in either a single unit, one or more combinations, ie, whether insulated or not, either single or stranded wire; wire bundles, cables, Conductors of other shapes or configurations, including rods, rails, pipes; non-conductors such as dielectric pipes, rods, rails or other dielectric members; combinations of conductors and dielectric materials; or of other waveguide transmission media It can include one or more of them.

To consider these and / or other matters, in one or more embodiments, the device provides a waveguide that facilitates the propagation of the first electromagnetic wave in at least a portion of the surface of the waveguide. The waveguide surface does not surround the wire surface of the wire as a whole or in a substantive portion, and in response to the waveguide being positioned with respect to the wire, the first electromagnetic wave is at least a portion of the wire surface. The second electromagnetic wave travels at least partially around the surface of the wire as a second electromagnetic wave, and the second electromagnetic wave has at least one wave propagation mode for propagating longitudinally along the wire.

In another embodiment, the device comprises a waveguide having a waveguide surface that defines the cross-sectional area of the waveguide, and a first electromagnetic wave traveling along the wire surface at least partially along the wire surface is the waveguide surface. The wire is positioned outside the cross-sectional area of the waveguide so that it is at least partially coupled to and travels at least partially around the surface of the waveguide as a second electromagnetic wave.

In one embodiment, the method comprises radiating a first electromagnetic wave that propagates at least partially over the waveguide surface of the waveguide by a transmitting device, the waveguide not being aligned coaxially with the wire. Further, the method is to construct a waveguide in the vicinity of the electric wire so as to facilitate the coupling of the first electromagnetic wave to the surface of the electric wire, and to make the electric wire longitudinally along the electric wire. It can include forming a second electromagnetic wave that propagates at least partially around the surface.

In another embodiment, the device comprises, in one or more embodiments, a waveguide having a slot formed by non-parallel opposite slot surfaces, the opposite slot surface having wires in the slots. Separated by a distance that allows insertion, the waveguide facilitates the propagation of the first electromagnetic wave at least in part on the surface of the waveguide, in response to the waveguide being positioned with respect to the wire. , The first electromagnetic wave is at least partially coupled to the wire surface of the wire in order to propagate longitudinally along the wire, travels at least partially around the wire surface as a second electromagnetic wave, and is second. Electromagnetic waves have at least one wave propagation mode.

In another embodiment, the device, in one or more embodiments, comprises a waveguide, which is not conductive and is a material suitable for propagating electromagnetic waves on the surface of the waveguide. The waveguide facilitates the propagation of the first electromagnetic wave on at least a portion of the surface of the waveguide, and in response to the waveguide being positioned with respect to the wire, the first electromagnetic wave is the wire of the wire. It is at least partially coupled to the surface and travels at least partially around the wire surface as a second electromagnetic wave, which has at least one wave propagation mode for longitudinal propagation along the wire. Have.

One embodiment of the present disclosure includes a device having a waveguide that facilitates the transmission or reception of electromagnetic waves along the wire surface of a power grid wire that also facilitates the delivery of electrical energy to the device. The device facilitates the detection of disturbances that are inconvenient for the waveguide, the wire, the transmission or reception of electromagnetic waves propagating along the wire surface or along the waveguide surface, or any combination thereof. Sensors can be further included.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a device having a waveguide and a sensor transmits an electromagnetic wave propagating along the wire surface of the wire that facilitates delivery of electrical energy to the device, and by the sensor along the wire surface. Includes methods for detecting disturbances that are inconvenient for electromagnetic waves propagating.

One embodiment of the present disclosure is to guide electromagnetic waves guided along the surface of a transmission medium using or through a waveguide when performed by a processor and from a sensor. Collecting detection data, which has executable instructions that facilitate the performance of the operation, including being associated with disturbances that are inconvenient for electromagnetic waves guided along the surface of the transmission medium. Includes machine-readable (eg, computer-readable, processor-readable, etc.) storage media.

One embodiment of the present disclosure includes a device having a processor and memory. The processor receives telemetry information from the waveguide system coupled to the sensor, and from the telemetry information, one of the operation of the waveguide system, transmission or reception of electromagnetic waves along the wire surface or the waveguide surface, or a combination thereof. It is possible to perform an operation of detecting a disturbance that is inconvenient for one and reporting the disturbance. The waveguide system can include a waveguide that can be positioned with respect to the wires of the grid, facilitating the delivery of electrical energy to the device. The waveguide can also facilitate the transmission or reception of electromagnetic waves along the wire surface of the wire, while the sensor can facilitate the detection of disturbances that are detrimental to the electromagnetic waves.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a network element comprising a processor receives telemetry information from a waveguide system, the network element identifies disturbances from detection data contained in the telemetry information, and the network element identifies the route of an electromagnetic wave. Includes a method of coordinating to send instructions to the waveguide system to avoid or compensate for the identified disturbances. The waveguide system can facilitate the transmission of electromagnetic waves along the wire surface of the wires of the power grid and the detection of disturbances that are inconvenient for the transmission or reception of electromagnetic waves.

One embodiment of the present disclosure is a device that, when executed by a processor, induces electromagnetic waves on the surface of a wire in a transmission network for delivery of a communication signal to a receiving communication device coupled to the transmission network. Machine-readable with executable instructions that facilitate the execution of operations, including receiving telemetry information from and detecting disturbances from the telemetry information that are inconvenient for delivering the communication signal to the receiving communication device. Includes storage media (eg, computer readable, processor readable, etc.).

One embodiment of the present disclosure includes a waveguide system including a waveguide, an antenna and a circuit. The circuit can facilitate the modulation of the signal to radiate a first electromagnetic wave that propagates at least partially over the outer surface of the waveguide by means of an antenna. The waveguide can be positioned relative to the transmission medium such that the first electromagnetic wave can induce a second electromagnetic wave propagating along the outer surface of the transmission medium. In one embodiment, the waveguide is not aligned coaxially with the transmission medium.

One embodiment of the present disclosure includes a device comprising a waveguide having an outer surface containing a non-conductive material, an antenna, and a transmitter. The transmitter can facilitate the modulation of the signal to radiate the first electromagnetic wave by the antenna. The waveguide can facilitate the propagation of the first electromagnetic wave on at least a portion of the surface of the waveguide. The waveguide can be positioned relative to the transmission medium such that the first electromagnetic wave is at least partially coupled to the surface of the transmission medium and can generate a second electromagnetic wave propagating on the outer surface of the transmission medium. In one embodiment, the first electromagnetic wave has a first propagation mode, while the second electromagnetic wave has a second propagation mode, each of the first propagation mode and the second propagation mode. Different from each other.

One embodiment of the present disclosure includes a device including a waveguide, an antenna and a transmitter. The transmitter can facilitate the transmission of the first electromagnetic wave through the antenna, the first electromagnetic wave having a basic mode. The waveguide can facilitate the propagation of the first electromagnetic wave on at least a portion of the surface of the waveguide. The waveguide can be positioned where the first electromagnetic wave can induce a second electromagnetic wave having a basic mode and a non-basic mode propagating on the surface of the transmission medium.

Various embodiments described herein relate to a waveguide coupling system that transmits and extracts waveguide (eg, surface wave communication, which is an electromagnetic wave) transmission from an electric wire. At millimeter wave frequencies (eg, 30GHz-300GHz), the wavelength can be small relative to the size of the equipment and the transmission is guided by a strip or length of dielectric material, or a waveguide such as another coupler. Can propagate as a wave. The electromagnetic field structure of the waveguide can exist inside and / or outside the waveguide. When this waveguide is very close to a wire (eg, a transmission line or other transmission line), at least part of the waveguide separates from the waveguide, couples to the wire, and surface waves around the surface of the wire, etc. Continues to propagate as a waveguide.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the surface wave is adjacent to or exposed to the surface of the wire, which can include the outer or outer surface of the wire, or to another type of medium having different properties (eg, dielectric properties). A type of waveguide that is guided by another surface of an electric wire. In practice, in one exemplary embodiment, the surface of a wire that guides surface waves can represent a transition surface between two different types of media. For example, in the case of a bare wire or non-insulated wire, the surface of the wire can be the outer or external conductive surface of the bare wire or non-insulated wire exposed to air or free space. As another example, in the case of an insulated wire, the surface of the wire can be the conductive portion of the wire in contact with the insulating portion of the wire, or else of the wire exposed to the air or free space. It can be an insulator surface, or it can be any material area between the insulator surface of the wire and the conductive part of the wire in contact with the insulator portion of the wire. It depends on the relative differences in the properties of the insulator, air and / or conductor (eg, dielectric properties), as well as the frequency of the waveguide and the single or multiple propagation modes.

According to an exemplary embodiment, waveguides such as surface waves can be contrasted with wireless transmission over free space / air, or conventional propagation of power or signals through conductors of electrical wires. In practice, according to the surface wave or waveguide systems described herein, conventional power or signals can still be propagated or transmitted through the conductors of the wires, while waveguides (surface waves and other (Including electromagnetic waves) can propagate or transmit around the surface of the wire, according to an exemplary embodiment. In one embodiment, the surface wave can have a field structure (eg, an electromagnetic field structure), the structure of which is primarily or substantially of a line, wire or transmission medium that serves to guide the surface wave. Exists outside.

According to an exemplary embodiment, an electromagnetic wave traveling around the outer surface of the wire along the wire is induced by another electromagnetic wave traveling along a waveguide close to the wire. The induction of electromagnetic waves can be independent of any potential, charge or current that is injected through the wires as part of an electrical circuit or otherwise transmitted. Small currents may form in the wire in response to the propagation of electromagnetic waves along the wire, which may be due to the propagation of electromagnetic waves along the surface of the wire in the electrical circuit. It should be understood that it is not formed in response to the potential, charge or current injected into the wire as part. Therefore, electromagnetic waves traveling on the wire do not require a circuit to propagate along the wire surface. Therefore, the wire is a single line transmission line that is not part of the circuit. Also, in some embodiments, no wires are required and the electromagnetic waves can propagate along a single wire transmission medium that is not a wire.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the term "around" an electric wire used with a waveguide (eg, a surface wave) is circular or substantially circular around at least a portion of the electric wire or other transmission medium. It can include fundamental wave propagation modes with field distributions (eg, electric, magnetic, electromagnetic fields, etc.) and other waveguides. Furthermore, when a waveguide propagates "around" a wire or other transmission medium, the waveguide is not only in the fundamental wave propagation mode (eg, 0th order mode), but in addition to, or instead, more. Higher-order waveguide modes (eg, primary mode, secondary mode, etc.), asymmetric modes, and / or other waveguides with a non-circular field distribution around the wire or other transmission medium (eg, surface waves). ) Can be propagated according to wave propagation modes including other non-basic wave propagation modes.

For example, such a non-circular field distribution is characterized by one or more axial lobes characterized by relatively high field intensities, and / or relatively low field intensities, zero intensities or substantial zero intensities. Can be one-sided or multi-directional with one or more nulls or null regions characterized by. Further, the field distribution is such that, according to an exemplary embodiment, one or more regions of the axial orientation around the wire have a higher electric or magnetic field strength than one or more other regions of the axial orientation ( Or a combination thereof) can be varied in another way as a function of longitudinal axial orientation around the wire. It will be appreciated that the relative position of the wave higher order mode or the asymmetric mode can change as the waveguide progresses along the wire.

Here, with reference to FIG. 1, a block diagram showing a non-limiting embodiment of an example of a waveguide communication system 100 is shown. The waveguide communication system 100 illustrates an exemplary environment in which a dielectric waveguide coupling system can be used.

The waveguide communication system 100 comprises a first-case distributed system 150 including one or more base station devices (eg, base station device 104) communicably coupled to a central station 101 and / or a macrocell site 102. Can be prepared. The base station device 104 can be connected to the macrocell site 102 and the central station 101 by a wired connection (eg, fiber and / or cable) or by a wireless connection (eg, microwave wireless). The distributed system 160 of the second case can be used to provide wireless voice and data services to mobile device 122 and to residential and / or commercial facility 142 (hereinafter referred to as facility 142). System 100 may have additional case distribution systems 150 and 160 that provide voice and / or data services to mobile devices 122-124 and facility 142 as shown in FIG.

A macro cell, such as the macro cell site 102, can have a dedicated connection to the mobile network, and the base station device 104 can share the connection of the macro cell site 102 and / or use it in another way. Central Station 101 can be used to deliver media content and / or provide Internet Service Provider (ISP) services to mobile devices 122-124 and facilities 142. Central station 101 may receive media content from a group of satellites 130 (one of which is shown in Figure 1) or other content sources, such content as the distributed system 15 of the first case and It can be delivered to mobile devices 122-124 and facility 142 via the distributed system 160 of the second case. The central station 101 can also be communicably coupled to the internet 103 to provide internet data services to mobile devices 122-124 and facility 142.

The base station device 104 can be installed on the utility pole 116 or can be mounted on the utility pole 116. In other embodiments, the base station device 104 can be located near the transformer and / or elsewhere located near the power line. The base station device 104 can facilitate the connection of the mobile devices 122 and 124 to the mobile network. Antennas 112 and 114 installed on or near utility poles 118 and 120, respectively, can receive signals from base station device 104, with antennas 112 and 114 located at or near base station 104. These signals can be transmitted to mobile devices 122 and 124 over a much larger area than if they were.

Note that Figure 1 shows three utility poles in each case of distributed systems 150 and 160 with one base station device for brevity. In other embodiments, the utility pole 116 can have more utility poles with more base station devices and distributed antennas and / or tethered connections to facility 142.

The dielectric waveguide coupling device 106 can transmit signals from the base station device 104 to the antennas 112 and 114 via transmission lines or power lines (s) connecting the utility poles 116, 118 and 120. .. To transmit the signal, the radio source or combiner 106 upconverts the signal from the base station device 104 (eg, via frequency mixing) or otherwise from the base station device 104. Converting the signal to a millimeter wave band signal, the dielectric waveguide coupling device 106 sends out a millimeter wave band wave, which is a waveguide (eg, surface wave or other) traveling along a transmission line or other wire. Propagates as an electromagnetic wave). In the electric column 118, another dielectric waveguide coupling device 108 may receive the waveguide (and may optionally or optionally amplify the waveguide, or receive and regenerate the waveguide. Can act as a digital repeater), transmit forward as a waveguide (eg, surface wave or other electromagnetic wave) over a transmission line or other wire. The dielectric waveguide coupling device 108 also extracts a signal from the millimeter waveguide and shifts the signal downward with respect to frequency, or otherwise the original cellular band frequency (eg, 1.9 GHz or the like). Can be converted to a specified cellular frequency) or another cellular (or non-cellular) band frequency. The antenna 112 can transmit a downwardly shifted signal to the mobile device 122 (eg, wirelessly). The process can be repeated by the dielectric waveguide coupling device 110, the antenna 114 and the mobile device 124, if desired or desired.

Also, transmissions from mobile devices 122 and 124 can be received by antennas 112 and 114, respectively. Repeaters on dielectric waveguide coupling devices 108 and 110 either shift the cellular band signal upward to the millimeter wave band or otherwise convert it and waveguide the signal (eg, surface waves or other electromagnetic waves). ) It can be transmitted to the base station device 104 via a power line (s) as a transmission.

The media content received by the central station 101 can be supplied to the distributed system 160 of the second case via the base station device 104 for distribution to the mobile device 122 and the facility 142. The dielectric waveguide coupling device 110 can be tethered to the facility 142 by one or more wired connections or wireless interfaces. One or more wired connections are, but are not limited to, power lines, coaxial cables, fiber optic cables, twisted pair cables, or other wired media suitable for the delivery of media content and / or for providing Internet services. Can be included. In one exemplary embodiment, the wired connection from the waveguide coupling system 110 is one or more ultrafast bitrate digital subscriptions located at one or more corresponding service area interfaces (SAI, not shown). Interface line (VDSL: very high bit rate digital subscriber) Can be communicatively coupled to line), and each SAI will serve a portion of facility 142. A VDSL modem can be used to selectively deliver media content and / or provide Internet services to a gateway (not shown) located within Facility 142. The SAI can also be communicably coupled to the facility 142 via a wired medium such as a power line, coaxial cable, fiber cable, twisted pair cable or other suitable wired medium. In another exemplary embodiment, the waveguide coupling device 110 can be communicably coupled directly to the facility 142 without the use of an intervening interface such as SAI.

In another exemplary embodiment, the system 100 can utilize a diversity path, in which case two or more transmission lines or other wires are stretched between utility poles 116, 118 and 120 (eg,). Redundant transmission from the base station 104, two or more wires between the utility poles 116 and 120), is transmitted downstream on the surface of the transmission line or other wire as a waveguide. The transmission line or other wire can be either insulated or non-insulated, and depending on the environmental conditions that cause transmission loss, the coupling device selectively selects the signal from the insulated or non-insulated transmission line or other wire. Can be received. The choice can be based on measurements of the signal-to-noise ratio of the wire or can be based on identified weather / environmental conditions (eg, moisture detectors, weather forecasts, etc.). Using the diversity path with System 100 can enable alternative routing capabilities, load balancing, increased load handling, simultaneous bidirectional or synchronous communication, spectral spread communication, etc. (more exemplary details). See Figure 8 for).

Note that the use of the dielectric waveguide coupling devices 106, 108 and 110 of FIG. 1 is only an example, and that other uses are possible in other embodiments. For example, a dielectric waveguide coupled device can be used in a backhaul communication system to provide a network connection to a base station device. Dielectric waveguide coupling devices, whether insulated or not, can be used in a number of situations where it is desirable to transmit waveguide communication over wire. Dielectric waveguide coupling devices are improved over other coupling devices due to physical and / or limited contact with wires that may carry high voltages. To. According to the dielectric waveguide coupling device, the device can be located away from the wire (eg, spaced from the wire) and / or because the dielectric acts as an insulator. It can be located on the wire as long as it is not in electrical contact with the wire, which allows for an inexpensive, easy and / or uncomplicated installation. However, as mentioned above, for example, in configurations where the wires utilize telephone networks, cable television networks, broadband data services, fiber optic communication systems or other networks that utilize low voltage or have isolated transmission lines. , Conductive or non-dielectric couplers can be utilized.

Although the base station device 104 and the macrocell site 102 are exemplified in one embodiment, it should be further noted that other network configurations are possible as well. For example, using devices such as access points or other wireless gateways as well, wireless local area networks, wireless personal area networks, or 802.11 protocol, WIMAX protocol, ultra-broadband protocol, Bluetooth® protocol, Zigbee protocol or The communication range of other networks such as other wireless networks that operate according to communication protocols such as other wireless protocols can be expanded.

Here, with reference to FIG. 2, a block diagram of a non-limiting embodiment of an example of a dielectric waveguide coupling system 200 according to the various aspects described herein is shown. The system 200 includes a dielectric waveguide 204 having a wave 206 propagating as a waveguide around the waveguide surface of the dielectric waveguide 204. In one embodiment, the dielectric waveguide 204 is curved and, as described herein, at least a portion of the waveguide 204 is provided to facilitate coupling between the waveguide 204 and the wire 202. It can be placed near the wire 202. The dielectric waveguide 204 can be arranged such that a portion of the curved dielectric waveguide 204 is parallel to or substantially parallel to the wire 202. The portion of the dielectric waveguide 204 parallel to the wire can be the apex of the curve or any point whose tangent to the curve is parallel to the wire 202. When the dielectric waveguide 204 is positioned or arranged in this way, the wave 206 traveling along the dielectric waveguide 204 is at least partially coupled to the wire 202 and is around or around the wire surface of the wire 202. Is propagated in the longitudinal direction along the electric wire 202 as a waveguide 208. The waveguide 208 can be characterized as a surface wave or other electromagnetic wave, but other types of waveguide 208 can be supported as well without departing from the exemplary embodiments. The portion of the wave 206 that is not coupled to the wire 202 propagates as a wave 210 along the dielectric waveguide 204. The dielectric waveguide 204 can be configured and placed at various positions with respect to the wire 202 to achieve the desired level of coupling or uncoupling of the wave 206 with respect to the wire 202. For example, the curvature and / or length of a dielectric waveguide 2014 that is parallel or substantially parallel, and its separation distance to wire 202, which in one embodiment can include a separation distance of zero. ) Can be modified without departing from the exemplary embodiment. Similarly, the arrangement of the dielectric waveguide 204 with respect to the wire 202 is such that the wire 202 and the dielectric waveguide 204

The waveguide 208 remains parallel or substantially parallel to the wire 202, even though the wire 202 is bent and flexible. Bending in wire 202 can increase transmission loss, which also depends on wire diameter, frequency and material. When the dimensions of the dielectric waveguide 204 are selected for efficient power transfer, most of the power in the wave 206 is transmitted to the wire 202 and little power remains in the wave 210. While traveling along a path that is parallel or substantially parallel to wire 202 with or without basic propagation mode, the waveguide 208 is still, in fact, non-basic or asymmetric. It will be appreciated that it can be multimode (discussed herein), including having certain modes. In one embodiment, non-basic or asymmetric modes can be utilized to minimize transmission loss and / or obtain long propagation distances.

It should be noted that the term parallel is generally a geometric composition that is often not exactly achievable in a real system. Therefore, the term parallel, as used in the present disclosure, refers to an approximation rather than an exact configuration when used to describe an embodiment disclosed in the present disclosure. In one embodiment, "substantially parallel" can include approximations that are within 30 degrees of true parallel in all dimensions.

In one embodiment, the wave 206 can exhibit one or more wave propagation modes. The dielectric waveguide mode can depend on the shape and / or design of the waveguide 204. Does one or more dielectric waveguide modes of wave 206 generate or influence one or more waveguide modes of waveguide 208 propagating along wire 202? , Or can have a strong impact. In one embodiment, the wave propagation mode on the wire 202 may be similar to the dielectric waveguide mode, since both the waves 206 and 208 propagate around the outer surfaces of the dielectric waveguide 204 and the wire 202, respectively. There is. In some embodiments, when the wave 206 couples to wire 202, the mode may change shape due to the coupling between the dielectric waveguide 204 and wire 202, or a new mode. Is or may be produced. For example, differences in size, material and / or impedance between the dielectric waveguide 204 and the wire 202 may create additional modes that do not exist in the dielectric waveguide mode, and / or in the dielectric waveguide mode. It may suppress some of them. Wave propagation mode is basic transverse electromagnetic mode (pseudo TEM)₀₀) Can be included, in which mode, while the waveguide propagates along the wire, only a small electric and / or magnetic field extends in the propagation direction, and the electric and magnetic fields extend radially outward. To do. This waveguide mode can be in the shape of a donut and there is almost no electromagnetic field in the dielectric waveguide 204 or wire 202.

Waves 206 and 208 can include basic TEM modes in which the field extends radially outwards, and can also include other non-basic (eg, asymmetric, higher order, etc.) modes. Specific wave propagation modes have been discussed so far, but the frequencies used, the design of the dielectric waveguide 204, the dimensions and composition of the wire 202, as well as its surface properties, its optional insulation, surroundings. Other wave propagation modes such as the transverse electric field (TE) mode and the transverse magnetic field (TM) mode are also possible based on the electromagnetic characteristics of the environment and the like. Depending on the frequency, the electrical and physical properties of the wire 202, and the particular wave propagation mode produced, the waveguide 208 is a conductive surface of oxidized, non-oxidized, non-oxidized, insulated wire. Note that it can proceed along and / or along the insulating surface of the insulated wire.

In one embodiment, the diameter of the dielectric waveguide 204 is smaller than the diameter of the wire 202. When millimeter waveband wavelengths are used, the dielectric waveguide 204 supports a single waveguide mode that constitutes the wave 206. This single waveguide mode can change when coupled to wire 202 as surface 208. If the dielectric waveguide 204 is larger, it can support more than one waveguide mode, but these additional waveguide modes may not be efficiently coupled to wire 202, resulting in Higher-order coupling losses may occur. However, in some alternative embodiments, the diameter of the dielectric waveguide 204 causes coupling loss, for example, when higher order coupling losses are desired, or by alternative methods (eg, impedance matching by taper processing, etc.). When used with other techniques to reduce, it can be greater than or equal to the diameter of wire 202.

In one embodiment, the wavelengths of the waves 206 and 208 are comparable to or smaller than the size of the perimeter of the dielectric waveguide 204 and wire 202. In one example, if the wire 202 has a diameter of 0.5 cm and a corresponding perimeter of about 1.5 cm, the wavelength of transmission is about 1.5 cm or less, which corresponds to frequencies above 20 GHz. In another embodiment, suitable frequencies for transmission and carrier signals are in the range of 30GHz-100GHz, probably about 30GHz-60GHz, in one example about 38GHz. In one embodiment, when the outer circumferences of the dielectric waveguide 204 and wire 202 are equal to or greater than the size of the wavelength of transmission, the waves 206 and 208 are various as described herein. Multiple wave propagation modes can be shown, including basic and / or non-basic (symmetric and / or asymmetric) modes that propagate over a distance sufficient to support a communication system. Therefore, waves 206 and 208 can include two or more types of electric and magnetic field configurations. In one embodiment, when the waveguide 208 propagates downstream through the wire 202, the electric and magnetic field configurations remain the same between the endpoints of the wire 202. In other embodiments, when the waveguide 208 faces interference or loses energy due to transmission loss, the electric and magnetic field configurations may change as the waveguide 208 propagates downstream through wire 202. There is.

In one embodiment, the dielectric waveguide 204 can be made of nylon, Teflon®, polyethylene, polyamide or other plastic. In other embodiments, other dielectric materials are possible. The wire surface of the wire 202 can be a metal with a bare metal surface, or can be insulated with a plastic, dielectric, insulator or other coating material. In one embodiment, the dielectric waveguide or otherwise non-conductive / insulated wire can be paired with a bare wire / metal wire or an insulated wire. In other embodiments, metal and / or conductive waveguides can be paired with bare / metal or insulated wires. Also, in one embodiment, the oxide layer on the exposed metal surface of the wire 202 (eg, resulting from exposing the exposed metal surface to oxygen / air) is a property provided by some insulator or coating material. Can provide insulation or dielectric properties similar to

Graphical representations of waves 206, 208 and 210 are presented to illustrate the principle by which waves 206 guide or otherwise transmit waveguides 208 over wire 202 acting as, for example, a single line transmission line. Please note that this is just the case. The wave 210 represents a portion of the wave 206 that remains on the dielectric waveguide 204 after the generation of the waveguide 208. The actual electric and magnetic fields generated as a result of such wave propagation are the frequencies utilized, one or more specific wave propagation modes, the design of the dielectric waveguide 204, the dimensions and composition of the wire 202, and the like. In addition, it may differ depending on its surface characteristics, its optional insulation, the electromagnetic characteristics of the surrounding environment, and the like.

It should be noted that the dielectric waveguide 204 may include a termination circuit or damper 214 capable of absorbing the remaining radiation or energy from the wave 210 at the end of the dielectric waveguide 204. The termination circuit or damper 214 can prevent and / or minimize the remaining radiation or energy from the wave 210 being reflected back towards the transmitter circuit 212. In one embodiment, the termination circuit or damper 214 may include a termination resistor and / or other component that performs impedance matching to attenuate reflections. In some embodiments, it may not be necessary to use a termination circuit or damper 214 if the coupling efficiency is high enough and / or if the wave 210 is small enough. For brevity, these transmitters 212 and termination circuits or dampers 214 are not shown in other figures, but in some cases transmitters and termination circuits or dampers may be used in their embodiments. is there.

Further, a single dielectric waveguide 204 is presented that produces a single waveguide 208, but is located at different points along the wire 202 and / or in different axial orientations around the wire. Can be utilized to generate and receive multiple waveguides 208 at the same or different frequencies, in the same or different phases, and in the same or different wave propagation modes. By modulation techniques such as phase modulation, frequency modulation, orthogonal amplitude modulation, amplitude modulation, multicarrier modulation, and by multiple access techniques such as frequency split multiplexing, time split multiplexing, code split multiplexing, and multiplexing with different wave propagation modes. And other modulation or access methods can be used to modulate one or more waveguide 208s to carry data.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a block diagram of a non-limiting embodiment of an example of a dielectric waveguide coupling system 300 according to the various aspects described herein is shown. The system 300 includes a dielectric waveguide 304 and an electric wire 302, which has a wave 306 propagating as a waveguide around the electric wire surface of the electric wire 302. In an exemplary embodiment, the wave 306 can be characterized as a surface wave or other electromagnetic wave.

In one exemplary embodiment, the dielectric waveguide 304 is curved or, in another way, has a certain curvature and a portion of the curved dielectric waveguide 304 is parallel or substantial with respect to the wire 302. It can be arranged near the electric wire 302 so as to be parallel to each other. The portion of the dielectric waveguide 304 parallel to the wire can be the apex of the curve or any point whose tangent to the curve is parallel to the wire 302. When the dielectric waveguide 304 is near the wire, the waveguide 306 traveling along the wire 302 can be coupled to the dielectric waveguide 304 and propagates around the dielectric waveguide 304 as a waveguide 308. can do. The portion of the waveguide 306 that is not coupled to the dielectric waveguide 304 propagates along the wire 302 as a waveguide 310 (eg, a surface wave or other electromagnetic wave).

The waveguides 306 and 308 remain parallel to the wires 302 and the dielectric waveguide 304, respectively, even when the wires 302 and the dielectric waveguide 304 bend and bend. Bending can increase transmission loss, which also depends on wire diameter, frequency and material. When the dimensions of the dielectric waveguide 304 are selected for efficient power transfer, most of the energy in the waveguide 306 is coupled to the dielectric waveguide 304 and most of it remains in the waveguide 310. Absent.

In one embodiment, a receiver circuit can be placed at the end of the waveguide 304 to receive the wave 308. A termination circuit can be placed at the opposite end of the waveguide 304 to receive the waveguide traveling in the opposite direction to the waveguide coupled to the waveguide 304. In this way, the termination circuit will prevent and / or minimize the reflection received by the receiver circuit. If the reflection is small, the termination circuit may not be needed.

Note that the dielectric waveguide 304 can be configured such that the selected polarization of the surface wave 306 is coupled to the dielectric waveguide 304 as a waveguide 308. For example, if the waveguide 306 is configured with a waveguide or wave propagation mode with each polarization, the dielectric waveguide 304 is one or more of the selected polarizations (s). It can be configured to receive multiple waveguides. Thus, the waveguide 308 coupled to the dielectric waveguide 304 is a set of waveguides corresponding to one or more of the selected polarizations (s), and the additional waveguide 310 , Can include waveguides that do not match the selected polarization (s).

The dielectric waveguide 304 can be configured to receive a waveguide of a particular polarization based on the angle / rotation around the wire 302 in which the dielectric waveguide 304 is located. For example, when the waveguide 306 is horizontally polarized, most of the waveguide 306 is transmitted as a wave 308 to the dielectric waveguide. However, when the dielectric waveguide 304 rotates about 90 degrees around the wire 302, most of the energy from the waveguide 306 remains coupled to the wire as a waveguide 310, with only a small portion of the wave 308. Will be coupled to the wire 302.

Note that in FIG. 3 and other figures herein, the waves 306, 308 and 310 are shown using three circular symbols. These symbols are used to represent general waveguides, but do not mean that the waves 306, 308 and 310 are always circularly polarized or otherwise circularly oriented. In practice, waves 306, 308 and 310 can include a basic TEM mode in which the field extends radially outwards, and can also include other non-basic (eg, higher order) modes. .. These modes can also be actually asymmetric (eg, radial, bilateral, three-way, four-way, etc.).

It should also be noted that the guided communication over the wires is fully duplexed, thereby allowing simultaneous communication in both directions. A wave traveling in one direction can pass through a wave traveling in the opposite direction. Due to the principle of superposition as applied to waves, electromagnetic fields may cancel out for a short period of time at certain points. Waves traveling in opposite directions propagate as if the other wave were not there, but the synthetic effect on the observer can be a stationary standing wave pattern. Interference diminishes when the waveguides pass through each other and are no longer superposed. When the waveguide (eg, surface wave or other electromagnetic wave) couples to the waveguide and moves away from the wire, any interference caused by the other waveguide (eg, surface wave or other electromagnetic wave) is reduced. In one embodiment, when the waveguide 306 (eg, a surface wave or other electromagnetic wave) approaches the dielectric waveguide 304, another traveling from left to right on the wire 302 by causing local interference. Waveguides (eg, surface waves or other electromagnetic waves) (not shown) pass through. When the waveguide 306 couples to the dielectric waveguide 304 as a wave 308 and moves away from the wire 302, any interference caused by the passing waveguide is diminished.

The graphic representation of the waves 306, 308 and 310 is provided only to illustrate the principle by which the waveguide 306 guides the wave 308 over the dielectric waveguide 304 or otherwise sends it out. Please note. Wave 310 represents the portion of the waveguide 306 that remains on the wire 302 after the generation of the waveguide 308. The actual electric and magnetic fields generated as a result of such waveguides are the shape and / or design of the dielectric waveguide, the relative position of the dielectric waveguide with respect to the wire, the frequency used, and the dielectric waveguide. It may vary depending on one or more of the design of the 304, the dimensions and composition of the wire 302, its surface properties, its optional insulation, the electromagnetic properties of the ambient environment, and the like.

With reference to FIG. 4, a block diagram of a non-limiting embodiment of an example of a dielectric waveguide coupling system 400 according to the various aspects described herein is shown. The system 400 includes a dielectric waveguide 404 having a wave 406 propagating as a waveguide around the waveguide surface of the dielectric waveguide 404. In one embodiment, the dielectric waveguide 404 is curved and the ends of the dielectric waveguide 404 can be connected to wire 402, fixed, or mechanically coupled in another way. be able to. When the end of the dielectric waveguide 404 is fixed to the wire 402, the end of the dielectric waveguide 404 is parallel to or substantially parallel to the wire 402. Alternatively, another portion of the dielectric waveguide beyond the end can be fixed or coupled to the wire 402 so that the fixed or coupled portion is parallel or substantially parallel to the wire 402. it can. The coupling device 410 can be a nylon cable tie or other type of non-conductive / dielectric material and is either separate from the dielectric waveguide 404 or configured as an integral component of the dielectric waveguide 404. Will be done. The dielectric waveguide 404 can be adjacent to the wire 402 without surrounding the wire 402.

When the dielectric waveguide 404 is arranged so that its ends are parallel to the wire 402, the waveguide 406 traveling along the dielectric waveguide 404 is coupled to the wire 402 and the wire surface of the wire 402. Propagates as a waveguide 408. In one exemplary embodiment, the waveguide 408 can be characterized as a surface wave or other electromagnetic wave.

Graphical representations of waves 406 and 408 are presented to illustrate the principle by which waves 406 guide or otherwise transmit waveguide 408 over wire 402, which operates as, for example, a single line transmission line. Note that it is not too much. The actual electric and magnetic fields generated as a result of such waveguides are the shape and / or design of the dielectric waveguide, the relative position of the dielectric waveguide with respect to the wire, the frequency used, and the dielectric waveguide. It may vary depending on one or more of the design of the 404, the dimensions and composition of the wire 402, its surface properties, its optional insulation, the electromagnetic properties of the ambient environment, and the like.

In one embodiment, the end of the dielectric waveguide 404 can be tapered towards wire 402 to increase coupling efficiency. In practice, according to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the tapering of the end of the dielectric waveguide 404 can provide impedance matching with the wire 402. For example, the end of the dielectric waveguide 404 can be tapered gradually to obtain the desired coupling level between the waves 406 and 408 as shown in FIG.

In one embodiment, the coupling device 410 can be arranged such that a short length dielectric waveguide 404 is present between the coupling device 410 and the end of the dielectric waveguide 404. No matter what frequency is transmitted, maximum coupling efficiency is achieved when the length of the end of the dielectric waveguide 404 beyond the coupling device 410 is at least a few wavelengths.

With reference to FIG. 5, a non-limiting example of a dielectric waveguide coupler and transmitter / receiver system 500 (collectively referred to herein as system 500) according to the various aspects described herein. A block diagram of various embodiments is shown. System 500 comprises a transmitter / receiver device 506 that sends and receives waves (eg, waveguide 504 on a dielectric waveguide 502). Waveguide 504 can be used to transport signals transmitted and received to base station 520, mobile device 522 or building 524 by communication interface 501. The communication interface 501 can be an integral part of the system 500. Alternatively, the communication interface 501 can be tethered to system 500. Communication interface 501 is for configuring an interface with base station 520, mobile device 522 or building 524 using any of various wireless signaling protocols (eg LTE, WiFi, WiMAX, IEEE802.xx, etc.). It can be equipped with a wireless interface. The communication interface 501 may also include a wired interface such as an optical fiber line, a coaxial cable, a twisted pair cable, or another wired medium suitable for transmitting a signal to the base station 520 or the building 524. In embodiments where the system 500 functions as a repeater, the communication interface 501 may not be needed.

The output signal (eg, Tx) of the communication interface 501 can be combined with the millimeter wave carrier generated by the local oscillator 512 in the frequency mixer 510. The frequency mixer 510 can frequency shift the output signal from the communication interface 501 using a heterodyne technique or other frequency shifting technique. For example, signals transmitted to and from communication interface 501 are long-term evolution (LTE) wireless protocols or other wireless 3G, 4G, 5G or higher-order voice and data protocols, Zigbee, WIMAX, ultra-wideband. It can be a signal to be modulated, such as an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) signal formatted according to wideband or IEEE 802.11 wireless protocols, or other wireless protocols. In an exemplary embodiment, this frequency conversion can be performed in the analog domain, and as a result, the frequency shift takes into account the type of communication protocol used by base station 520, mobile device 522 or building device 524. Can be done without. As new communication technologies are developed, the communication interface 501 can be upgraded or replaced, but the frequency shift and transmission equipment remains the same, facilitating the upgrade. The carrier wave can then be sent to the power amplifier ("PA") 514 and via the diplexer 516 and via the transmitter / receiver device 506.

The signal received from the transmitter / receiver device 506 and directed to the communication interface 501 can be separated from other signals via the diplexer 516. The transmission can then be sent to a low noise amplifier ("LNA") 518 for amplification. The frequency mixer 521 can shift its transmission (it is in the millimeter wave band or about 38 GHz in some embodiments) downward to its original frequency with the help of the local oscillator 512. The communication interface 501 can then receive its transmission at the input port (Rx).

In one embodiment, the transmitter / receiver device 506 is a cylindrical or non-cylindrical metal (eg, can be hollow in one embodiment, but is not necessarily drawn to scale), or other. Conductive or non-conductive waveguides can be included, with the ends of the dielectric waveguide 502 in the waveguide or transmitter / receiver device 506, or in close proximity to the waveguide or transmitter / receiver device 506. And thereby, when the transmitter / receiver device 506 generates transmission, the waveguide couples to the waveguide 502 and as a waveguide 504 around the waveguide surface of the dielectric waveguide 502. It can be propagated. In some embodiments, the waveguide 504 is capable of propagating partly on the outer surface of the dielectric waveguide 502 and partly inside the dielectric waveguide 502. In other embodiments, the waveguide 504 can propagate substantially or completely over the outer surface of the dielectric waveguide 502. In yet another embodiment, the waveguide 504 can propagate substantially or completely inside the dielectric waveguide 502. In this latter embodiment, the waveguide 504 radiates at the end of the dielectric waveguide 502 (such as the tapered end shown in FIG. 4) in order to couple to a transmission medium such as wire 402 in FIG. be able to. Similarly, when the waveguide 504 is arriving (coupled from the wire to the dielectric waveguide 502), the waveguide 504 enters the transmitter / receiver device 506 and is a cylindrical waveguide or conductive conductor. Connect to the waveguide. Transmitter / receiver device 506 is shown to include a separate waveguide, but utilizes an antenna, cavity resonator, klystron, magnetron, traveling wave tube or other radiating element without the use of a separate waveguide. Then, the waveguide can be guided on the waveguide 502.

In one embodiment, the dielectric waveguide 502 can be composed entirely of a dielectric material (or another suitable insulating material) without the use of any metal or other conductive material. Dielectric waveguide 502 is nylon, Teflon®, polyethylene, polyamide, other plastics, or non-conductive, facilitating the transmission of electromagnetic waves on at least a portion of the outer surface of such materials. It can be composed of other materials suitable for. In another embodiment, the dielectric waveguide 502 includes a core that is made of conductive / metal and can have an outer dielectric surface. Similarly, the transmission medium coupled to the dielectric waveguide 502 to propagate the electromagnetic waves induced by the dielectric waveguide 502 or to supply the electromagnetic waves to the dielectric waveguide 502 is any metal or other. It can be composed entirely of a dielectric material (or another suitable insulating material) without the use of conductive materials.

FIG. 5A shows that the opening of the transmitter / receiver device 506 is much wider than the dielectric waveguide 502, but this is not to scale and, in other embodiments, the width of the dielectric waveguide 502. Note that is as small as, or slightly smaller than, the opening of the hollow waveguide. Also, although not shown, in one embodiment, the end of the waveguide 502 inserted into the transmitter / receiver device 506 is tapered to reduce reflections and increase coupling efficiency.

The transmitter / receiver device 506 can be communicably coupled to the communication interface 501, and alternative, the transmitter / receiver device 506 is one or more distributed antennas 112 and a plurality of distributed antennas 112 as shown in FIG. It can also be communicatively combined with 114. In other embodiments, the transmitter / receiver device 506 can form part of a repeater system for a backhaul network.

One or more waveguide modes of the waveguide generated by the transmitter / receiver device 506 before coupling to the dielectric waveguide 502 are coupled to the dielectric waveguide 502 and one of the waveguides 504. Alternatively, a plurality of wave propagation modes can be induced. The wave propagation mode of the waveguide 504 may differ from the hollow metal waveguide mode due to the difference in characteristics between the hollow metal waveguide and the dielectric waveguide. For example, the wave propagation mode of the waveguide 504 is the basic transverse electromagnetic mode (pseudo TEM).₀₀) Can be included, in which mode only a small electric and / or magnetic field extends in the propagation direction while the waveguide propagates along the dielectric waveguide 502, and the electric and magnetic fields are conducted in the dielectric. It extends radially outward from the waveguide 502. Basic lateral electromagnetic mode The wave propagation mode may not exist inside a hollow waveguide. Therefore, the hollow metal waveguide mode used by the transmitter / receiver device 506 is a waveguide mode that can be effectively and efficiently coupled to the wave propagation mode of the dielectric waveguide 502.

With reference to FIG. 6, a block diagram of a non-limiting embodiment of an example of a double dielectric waveguide coupling system 600 according to the various aspects described herein is shown. In one embodiment, two or more dielectric waveguides (eg, 604 and 606) can be positioned around wire 602 to receive the waveguide 608. In one embodiment, the waveguide 608 can be characterized as a surface wave or other electromagnetic wave. In one embodiment, one dielectric waveguide is sufficient to receive the waveguide 608. In that case, the waveguide 608 couples to the dielectric waveguide 604 and propagates as a waveguide 610. When the field structure of the waveguide 608 vibrates or oscillates around the wire 602 due to various external factors, the dielectric waveguide 606 is arranged so that the waveguide 608 is coupled to the dielectric waveguide 606. be able to. In some embodiments, waveguides that may oscillate or rotate around wire 602, guided in different axial orientations, or, for example, orientation-dependent lobes and / or nulls or other asymmetry. In order to receive a waveguide having a non-basic mode or a higher order mode having a property, four or more dielectric waveguides are placed around a part of the wire 602, for example, at 90 degrees to each other, or separately. Can be placed at intervals of. However, it will be appreciated that less than four or more than four dielectric waveguides may be placed around some of the wires 602 without departing from the exemplary embodiment. Also, some exemplary embodiments have presented a plurality of dielectric waveguides around at least a portion of wire 602, which is a plurality of dielectric waveguide subcomponents. It will also be appreciated that it can also be considered as part of a single dielectric waveguide system with. For example, two or more dielectric waveguides can be manufactured as a single system that can be installed around the wire in a single installation so that the dielectric waveguides are pre-installed according to a single system. Positioned or adjustable relative to each other (manually or Can be either automatic). The receiver coupled to the dielectric waveguides 606 and 604 can combine the signals received from both dielectric waveguides 606 and 604 using diversity synthesis to maximize signal quality. .. In another embodiment, if either one of the dielectric waveguides 604 and 606 receives a transmission above a predetermined threshold, the receiver will have selective diversity when deciding which signal to use. Can be used.

It should be noted that the graphic representation of the waves 608 and 610 is only presented to illustrate the principle by which the waveguide 608 guides the wave 610 over the dielectric waveguide 604 or otherwise delivers it. I want to. The actual electric and magnetic fields generated as a result of such wave propagation are the frequencies utilized, the design of the dielectric waveguide 604, the dimensions and composition of the wire 602, and its surface properties, its optional insulation, It may differ depending on the electromagnetic characteristics of the surrounding environment.

With reference to FIG. 7, a block diagram of a non-limiting embodiment of an example of a bidirectional dielectric waveguide coupling system 700 according to the various aspects described herein is shown. In system 700, two dielectric waveguides 704 and 714 are placed near wire 702 so that the waveguide (eg, surface wave or other electromagnetic wave) propagating along wire 702 is dielectric as wave 706. It can be coupled to the body waveguide 704 and then boosted or reproduced by the repeater device 710 so that it is delivered over the dielectric waveguide 714 as the waveguide 716. The waveguide 716 can then be coupled to wire 702 and continue to propagate along wire 702. In one embodiment, the repeater device 710 can receive at least a portion of the power used to boost or reproduce through magnetic coupling with an electric wire 702, which can be a power line.

In some embodiments, the repeater device 710 can reproduce the transmission associated with the wave 706, and in other embodiments, the repeater device 710 is a distributed antenna system and / or base located near the repeater device 710. Can be associated with station devices. The receiver waveguide 708 can receive the wave 706 from the dielectric waveguide 704 and the transmitter waveguide 712 can transmit the waveguide 716 over the dielectric waveguide 714. Between the receiver waveguide 708 and the transmitter waveguide 712, the signal can be amplified to compensate for signal loss and other inefficiencies associated with waveguide communication, or the signal is received and there. The data contained in can be processed to extract and replayed for transmission. In one embodiment, the signal can be extracted from the transmission for processing and then otherwise radiated to a nearby mobile device via a distributed antenna communicably coupled to the repeater device 710. it can. Similarly, the signal and / or communication received by the distributed antenna can be inserted into the transmission generated by the transmitter waveguide 712 and transmitted over the dielectric waveguide 714. Therefore, the repeater system 700 shown in FIG. 7 can be functionally equivalent to the dielectric waveguide coupling devices 108 and 110 of FIG.

Note that FIG. 7 shows the waveguide 706 entering from the left and the waveguide 716 exiting to the right, but this is for simplicity only and is not intended to be limited. In other embodiments, the receiver waveguide 708 and the transmitter waveguide 712 can also serve as transmitters and receivers, respectively, thereby allowing the repeater device 710 to be bidirectional.

In one embodiment, the repeater device 710 can be placed on the wire 702 where there is a break or obstacle. These obstacles can include transformers, connections, utility poles and other such power line devices. The repeater device 710 can help the waveguide (eg, surface waves) jump over these obstacles on the line and at the same time boost the transmission power. In other embodiments, dielectric waveguides can be used to jump over obstacles without the use of repeater devices. In that embodiment, both ends of the dielectric waveguide can be connected or fixed to a wire, thereby providing a path for the waveguide to proceed unobstructed by obstacles.

Referring now to FIG. 8, a block diagram of a non-limiting embodiment of the bidirectional dielectric waveguide detector 800 according to the various aspects described herein is shown. The bidirectional dielectric waveguide coupler 800 can utilize the diversity path when two or more wires are stretched over a utility pole. Waveguided transmission has different transmission and coupling efficiencies in the case of insulated and non-insulated wire, based on weather, rainfall and atmospheric conditions, so that at a particular point in time, either insulated or non-insulated wire. It may be advantageous to selectively transmit.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the repeater device uses a receiver waveguide 808 that receives the waveguide traveling along the non-insulated wire 802 and isolates its transmission using the transmitter waveguide 810. Reproduced as a waveguide along the wire 804. In other embodiments, the repeater device can switch from insulated wire 804 to non-insulated wire 802, or its transmission can be reproduced along the same path. The repeater device 806 may include or communicate with sensors that indicate conditions that may affect transmission. Based on the feedback received from the sensor, the repeater device 806 can make a decision as to whether to keep the transmission along the same wire or to transfer the transmission to another wire.

Here, with reference to FIG. 9, a block diagram showing a non-limiting embodiment of an example of the bidirectional repeater system 900 is shown. The bidirectional repeater system 900 includes waveguide coupling devices 902 and 904 that receive and transmit transmissions from distributed antenna systems or other coupling devices located within the backhaul system.

In various embodiments, the waveguide coupled device 902 can receive a transmission from another waveguide coupled device, the transmission having a plurality of subcarriers. The diplexer 906 can separate the transmission from other transmissions and send the transmission to a low noise amplifier ("LNA") 908. The frequency mixer 928, with the help of the local oscillator 912, makes its transmission (it is in the millimeter wave band or about 38 GHz in some embodiments) at a lower frequency, i.e. the cellular band in the case of a distributed antenna system. It can be shifted down to (about 1.9GHz), the original frequency, or other frequencies in the case of backhaul systems. The extractor 932 can extract a signal on the subcarrier corresponding to the antenna or other output component 922 and send the signal to the output component 922. For signals that have not been extracted at this antenna position, the extractor 932 can redirect those signals to another frequency mixer 936, where they are used to local oscillators. Modulates the carrier wave produced by the 914. The carrier, along with its subcarrier, is sent to the power amplifier ("PA") 916 and resent to another repeater system by the waveguide coupling device 904 via the diplexer 920.

At the output device 922 (antenna in the distributed antenna system), the PA924 can boost the signal for transmission to the mobile device. The LNA926 can be used to amplify a weak signal received from a mobile device, which can then be sent to the multiplexer 934, which receives the signal from the waveguide coupling device 904. Fuse with the signal. The signal received from the coupling device 904 is split by the diplexer 920, then passed through the LNA 918 and shifted downwards with respect to frequency by the frequency mixer 938. When the signals are combined by the multiplexer 934, they are shifted upwards with respect to frequency by the frequency mixer 930 and then boosted by the PA910 and sent back to the transmitter or another by the waveguide coupling device 902. Sent to repeaters. In one embodiment, the bidirectional repeater system 900 can be merely a repeater without the antenna / output device 922. It will be appreciated that in some embodiments, the bidirectional repeater system 900 can also be implemented with two different and separate unidirectional repeaters. In an alternative embodiment, the bidirectional repeater system 900 can be a booster or can otherwise perform retransmissions without downward and upward shifts. In practice, in an exemplary embodiment, retransmissions include receiving a signal or waveguide and some signal or waveguide processing or shaping, filtering and / or amplification prior to retransmission of the signal or waveguide. It can be based on what you do.

Here, with reference to FIGS. 10A, 10B and 10C, a block diagram of a non-limiting embodiment of an example of a slotted waveguide coupler system 1000 according to the various aspects described herein is shown. .. In FIG. 10A, the waveguide coupler system comprises a wire 1006 positioned relative to the waveguide 1002, which is in a slot formed in the waveguide 1002 extending longitudinally with respect to the wire 1004. It is designed to fit in or near. Both ends 1004a and 1004b of the waveguide 1002, as well as the waveguide 1002 itself, surround less than 180 degrees of the wire surface of the wire 1006.

In FIG. 10B, the waveguide coupler system comprises a wire 1014 positioned with respect to the waveguide 1008, which is in a slot formed in the waveguide 1008 extending longitudinally with respect to the wire 1004. It is designed to fit in or near. The slot surface of waveguide 1008 can be non-parallel, and two different exemplary embodiments are shown in Figure 10B. In the first embodiment, the slot surfaces 1010a and 1010b can be non-parallel, slightly wider than the width of the wire 1014 and facing outward. In other embodiments, the slot surfaces 1012a and 1012b can still be non-parallel, but can be narrowed to form a slot opening narrower than the width of the wire 1014. Any range of angles on the non-parallel slot surface is possible, and these are two exemplary embodiments.

In FIG. 10C, the waveguide coupler system shows a wire 1020 that fits within a slot formed within the waveguide 1016. The slot surfaces 1018a and 1018b in this exemplary embodiment can be parallel, but the axis 1026 of the wire 1020 is not aligned with the axis 1024 of the waveguide 1016. The waveguide 1016 and wire 1020 are therefore not coaxially aligned. In another embodiment illustrated, the possible positions of the wires in 1022 also have an axis 1028 that is not aligned with the axis 1024 of the waveguide 1016.

In FIGS. 10A, 10B and 10C, three different implementations showing a) a waveguide surface surrounding less than 180 degrees of wire, b) a non-parallel slot surface, and c) a wire and waveguide that are not coaxially aligned. Although the forms have been shown separately, it should be understood that in various embodiments, various combinations of listed features are possible.

Referring now to FIG. 11, a non-limiting embodiment of an example of a waveguide coupling system 1100 according to the various aspects described herein is shown. FIG. 11 shows a cross-sectional representation of the embodiments of the waveguide and the electric wire shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and the like. As can be seen at 1100, the wire 1104 is adjacent to and in contact with the waveguide 1102 and can be positioned. In another embodiment, as shown in the waveguide coupling system 1200 of FIG. 12, the wire 1204 can still be placed near the waveguide strip 1202, but is not in actual contact. In either case, the electromagnetic wave traveling along the waveguide can induce other electromagnetic waves on the wire and vice versa. Also, in any embodiment, the wires 1104 and 1204 are arranged outside the cross-sectional area defined by the outer surfaces of the waveguides 1102 and 1202.

In the present disclosure, when a waveguide does not surround an axial region of a surface that exceeds 180 degrees when viewed in cross section, the waveguide does not surround the wire surface of the wire in a substantial portion. To avoid misunderstanding, when a waveguide surrounds an axial region of a surface of 180 degrees or less when viewed in cross section, the waveguide does not surround the surface of the wire in a substantial portion.

11 and 12 show the wires 1104 and 1204 having a circular shape and the waveguides 1102 and 1202 having a rectangular shape, but it should be understood that this does not mean a limitation. In other embodiments, the wires and waveguides can have various shapes, sizes and configurations. Shapes can include, but are not limited to, oval or other elliptical shapes, octagons with sharp or rounded edges, quadrangles or other polygons, or other shapes. Further, in some embodiments, the wires 1104 and 1204 can be stranded wires, including thinner gauge wires such as helical strands, blades, or other connections from individual strands to a single wire. Any of the wires and waveguides illustrated and described throughout the present disclosure may include one or more of these embodiments.

FIG. 13 shows the processes associated with the above system. The process of FIG. 13 can be carried out, for example, by the systems 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800 and 900 shown in FIGS. 1-9, respectively. For simplicity, the process is illustrated and described as a series of blocks, some of which are in a different order than illustrated and described herein, and / or other blocks. Please understand and recognize that the claimed subject matter is not limited by the order of the blocks, as it may occur at the same time. Moreover, not all illustrated blocks are required to implement the methods described below.

FIG. 13 shows a flow diagram of a non-limiting embodiment of an example of a method for transmitting transmission with a dielectric waveguide coupler described herein. Method 1300 can be initiated at 1302, where the first electromagnetic wave is radiated by the transmitting device as a waveguide that propagates at least partially over the waveguide surface of the waveguide, and the waveguide surface of the waveguide. Does not surround the entire or substantive portion of the wire surface of the wire. The transmission produced by the transmitter can be based on signals received from base station devices, access points, networks, mobile devices or other sources.

In 1304, based on configuring or positioning the waveguide in close proximity to the wire, the waveguide then couples at least part of the first electromagnetic wave to the wire surface and at least partially around the wire surface. It forms a propagating second electromagnetic wave (eg, a surface wave) and the wire is in close proximity to the waveguide. This can be done in response to positioning a portion of the dielectric waveguide (eg, the tangent to the curve of the dielectric waveguide) near the wire and parallel to the wire, and the wavelength of the electromagnetic wave is , Smaller than the outer circumference of wires and dielectric waveguides. Waveguides or surface waves remain parallel to the wire as the wire bends and bends. Bending can increase transmission loss, which also depends on wire diameter, frequency and material. As described herein, a coupling interface between the wire and the wire can also be configured to achieve the desired coupling level, which is the impedance between the waveguide and the wire. Tapering the ends of the waveguide can be included to improve matching.

The transmission radiated by the transmitter can exhibit one or more waveguide modes. The waveguide mode can depend on the shape and / or design of the waveguide. The propagation mode on the wire may differ from the waveguide mode due to the difference in characteristics between the waveguide and the wire. Waveguides exhibit multiple wave propagation modes when the outer circumference of the wire is comparable to or greater than the size of the transmission wavelength. Therefore, the waveguide can include two or more types of electric and magnetic field configurations. When a waveguide (eg, a surface wave) propagates downstream through a wire, the electric and magnetic field configurations may remain substantially the same between the ends of the wire, or rotation, dispersion, attenuation, or other effects. May change as the transmission crosses the wave.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram of a non-limiting embodiment of an example waveguide system 1402 according to the various aspects described herein. The waveguide system 1402 can include a sensor 1404, a power management system 1405, a waveguide 1406, and a communication interface 1408.

The waveguide system 1402 can be coupled to power line 1410 to facilitate data communication according to the embodiments described in the present disclosure. In an exemplary embodiment, the waveguide 1406 guides an electromagnetic wave propagating longitudinally along the surface of the power line 1410 onto the surface of the power line 1410, as described in the present disclosure. It can be equipped with all or part of the system 500 as shown in. Non-limiting techniques for coupling the waveguide 1406 to the power line 1410 are shown in FIGS. 2-4 and 6. The waveguide 1406 can also serve as a repeater for retransmitting electromagnetic waves on the same power line 1410 or for routing electromagnetic waves between power lines 1410, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

The communication interface 1408 can include the communication interface 501 shown in FIG. 5 in an exemplary embodiment. The communication interface 1408 couples the signal operating at the original frequency to the waveguide 1406 in order to upconvert it to an electromagnetic wave operating at the carrier frequency, and the electromagnetic wave is the electromagnetic wave of the waveguide 1406, such as the dielectric 502 of FIG. It propagates on the surface of the coupled device and also induces the corresponding electromagnetic wave propagating on the surface of the power line 1410. The power line 1410 can be an electric wire having a conductive surface or an insulating surface (for example, a single wire or a stranded wire). The communication interface 1408 can also receive from the waveguide 1406 a signal down-converted from an electromagnetic wave operating at a carrier frequency to a signal at its original frequency.

The signal received by the communication interface 1408 for up-conversion is, but is not limited to, the signal supplied by the central station 1411 via the wired or wireless interface of the communication interface 1408, via the wired or wireless interface of the communication interface 1408. Signals supplied by base station 1414, wireless signals transmitted by mobile device 1420 to base station 1414 for delivery via wired or wireless interface of communication interface 1408, via wired or wireless interface of communication interface 1408. It can include signals supplied by in-building communication device 1418 and / or wireless signals supplied to communication interface 1408 by mobile device 1412 roaming within the wireless communication range of communication interface 1408. In an embodiment in which the waveguide system 1402 functions as a repeater as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the communication interface 1408 may not be included in the waveguide system 1402.

Electromagnetic waves propagating along the surface of power 1410 include packets or frames of data that include a data payload and further include networking information (such as header information to identify one or more destination waveguide systems 1402). Can be modulated and formatted as follows. Networking information may be provided by the waveguide system 1402, or by a source device such as central station 1411, base station 1414, mobile device 1420 or in-building device 1418, or a combination thereof. Further, the modulated electromagnetic wave can include error correction data for reducing signal disturbance. Networking information and error correction data are voice signals and / or data sent to the receiving communication device communicably coupled to the destination waveguide system 1402 to detect transmissions sent to the destination waveguide system 1402. It can be used by the destination waveguide system 1402 to downconvert transmissions containing signals and process them with error correction data.

Here, referring to the sensor 1404 of the waveguide system 1402, the sensor 1404 includes a temperature sensor 1404a, a disturbance detection sensor 1404b, an energy loss sensor 1404c, a noise sensor 1404d, a vibration sensor 1404e, an environment (eg, weather) sensor 1404f, and / Or can include one or more of 1404 g of image sensors. The temperature sensor 1404a is used to measure ambient temperature, waveguide 1406 temperature, power line 1410 temperature, temperature difference (eg, comparison with set point or reference value, between 1046 and 1410), or any combination thereof. can do. In one embodiment, temperature indicators can be periodically collected by base station 1414 and reported to network management system 1601.

The disturbance detection sensor 1404b can perform measurements on the power line 1410 to detect disturbances such as signal reflections, which indicate the presence of downstream disturbances that may interfere with the propagation of electromagnetic waves on the power line 1410. be able to. Signal reflection occurs, for example, as electromagnetic waves transmitted on power line 1410 by waveguide 1406 are totally or partially backward reflected from disturbances in power line 1410 located downstream from waveguide 1406 to waveguide 1406. Can represent distortion.

Signal reflections can be caused by obstacles on power line 1410. For example, if the tree branch shown in FIG. 15 (A) lies on power line 1410 or is very close to power line 1410 and can cause corona discharge 1502, when the tree branch causes electromagnetic reflection. There is. Other examples of obstacles that can cause electromagnetic reflections are, but are not limited to, objects 1506 entwined on power line 1401 (eg, power line 1410 by clothing, shoelaces, as shown in FIG. 15 (C)). (Shoes wrapped around), corroded deposits 1512 on power line 1410, as shown in FIG. 15 (E), or ice deposits 1514, as shown in FIG. 15 (F). Grid components can also interfere with the transmission of electromagnetic waves on the surface of power line 1410. Examples of transmission network components that can cause signal reflection are, but are not limited to, connecting transformer 1504 shown in FIG. 15 (B) and joined power lines as shown in FIG. 15 (D). Includes joint 1510 for. The acute-angled portion 1508 on the power line 1410, as shown in FIG. 15 (C), can also cause electromagnetic reflections.

The disturbance detection sensor 1404b includes a circuit that compares the magnitude of the electromagnetic wave reflection with the magnitude of the original electromagnetic wave transmitted by the waveguide 1406 to determine how much downstream disturbance in the power line 1410 attenuates transmission. be able to. The disturbance detection sensor 1404b can further include a spectrum analyzer circuit for performing spectral analysis on the reflected wave. The spectral data generated by the spectral analyzer circuit is most rigorous, for example, to spectral data compared to the spectral profile by pattern recognition, expert systems, curve fitting, matched filtering, or other artificial intelligence, classification or comparison techniques. The type of disturbance can be identified based on the spectral profile that matches. The spectrum profile can be stored in the memory of the disturbance detection sensor 1404b or can be made remotely accessible by the disturbance detection sensor 1404b. The profile contains spectral data that models the different disturbances that may be encountered on the power line 1410 and can allow the disturbance detection sensor 1404b to identify the disturbances locally. Disturbance identification, if known, can be reported to network management system 1601 via base station 1414. The disturbance detection sensor 1404b can also transmit electromagnetic waves as a test signal using the waveguide 1406 to identify the round trip time for electromagnetic wave reflection. The round trip time measured by the disturbance detection sensor 1404b can be used to calculate the distance that the electromagnetic wave travels to the point of reflection so that the disturbance detection sensor 1404b is downstream from the waveguide 1406 on the power line 1410. You will be able to calculate the distance to the disturbance.

The calculated distance can be reported to the network management system 1601 via base station 1414. In one embodiment, the location of the waveguide system 1402 on the power line 1410 may be known to the network management system 1601, which is used by the network management system 1601 based on the known topology of the grid. The location of the disturbance on the power line 1410 can be identified. In another embodiment, the waveguide system 1402 can provide its own location to the network management system 1601 to assist in locating the disturbance on the power line 1410. The location of the waveguide system 1402 can be obtained from the pre-programmed location of the waveguide system 1402 stored in the memory of the waveguide system 1402, or the waveguide system 1402 can be derived. A GPS receiver (not shown) included in the waveguide system 1402 can be used to locate itself.

The power management system 1405 energizes the above components of the waveguide system 1402. Power management system 1405 can receive energy from solar cells, from a transformer coupled to power line 1410 (not shown), or by inductive coupling to power line 1410 or another nearby power line. The power management system 1405 may also include a backup battery and / or a supercapacitor or other capacitor circuit to provide extra power to the waveguide system 1402. The energy loss sensor 1404c can be used to detect when the waveguide system 1402 has power loss conditions and / or the occurrence of some other malfunction. For example, the energy loss sensor 1404c may have a power loss due to a defective solar cell, an obstacle on the solar cell that causes the solar cell to malfunction, a power loss on the power line 1410, and / or the use of a backup battery. It is possible to detect when the backup power system malfunctions due to a deadline or a detectable defect in the supercapsule. In the event of malfunction and / or power loss, the energy loss sensor 1404c can notify the network management system 1601 via base station 1414.

The noise sensor 1404d can be used to measure noise on power line 1410, which can adversely affect the transmission of electromagnetic waves on power line 1410. The noise sensor 1404d can detect unexpected electromagnetic interference, noise bursts, or other sources of disturbance that can interfere with the transmission of modulated electromagnetic waves on the surface of power line 1410. Noise bursts can be caused, for example, by a corona discharge or other noise source. The noise sensor 1404d stores the noise to be measured remotely from the noise profile's internal database or through pattern recognition, expert systems, curve fitting, matched filtering, or other artificial intelligence, classification or comparison techniques. From the deployed database, it can be compared with the noise profile obtained by the waveguide system 1402. From comparison, the noise sensor 1404d can identify the noise source (eg, corona discharge, etc.), for example, based on the noise profile that gives the tightest match for the noise being measured. The noise sensor 1404d can also detect how noise affects transmission by measuring transmission indicators such as bit error rate, packet loss rate, jitter, and packet retransmission request. The noise sensor 1404d, among others, can report the identity of the noise source, the time of occurrence and the transmission index to the network management system 1601 via base station 1414.

The vibration sensor 1404e includes an accelerometer and / or a gyroscope and can detect 2D or 3D vibration on the power line 1410. Vibrations can be stored locally within the waveguide system 1402, or from a remote database via pattern recognition, expert systems, curve fitting, matched filtering, or other artificial intelligence, classification or comparison techniques. It can be compared with the vibration profile available by the waveguide system 1402. Vibration profiles can be used, for example, to distinguish fallen trees from gusts, for example, based on the vibration profile that gives the tightest match for the vibration being measured. The results of this analysis can be reported to the network management system 1601 via base station 1414 by the vibration sensor 1404e.

The environmental sensor 1404f can include barometers for measuring atmospheric pressure, ambient temperature (which temperature sensor 1404a can provide), wind speed, humidity, wind direction and rainfall, among others. The environmental sensor 1404f collects raw information and derives that information from the memory of the waveguide system 1402 or from pattern recognition, expert systems, knowledge base systems or other artificial intelligence, classification or other meteorological modeling and prediction techniques. It can be processed by comparing with an environmental profile available from a remote database that predicts weather conditions before they occur. The environmental sensor 1404f can report the raw data and its analysis to the network management system 1601.

The image sensor 1404g can be a digital camera (eg, charge-coupling device or CCD imager, infrared camera, etc.) for capturing images in the vicinity of the waveguide system 1402. The image sensor 1404g provides an electromechanical mechanism that controls camera movement (eg, actual position or focus / zoom) to inspect power line 1410 from multiple viewpoints (eg, top, bottom, left, right, etc.). Can include. Alternatively, the image sensor 1404g can be designed so that it does not require an electromechanical mechanism to obtain multiple viewpoints. The collection and retrieval of imaging data generated by the image sensor 1404g can be controlled by the network management system 1601 or can be autonomously collected by the image sensor 1404g and reported to the network management system 1601.

Associated with waveguide system 1402 and / or power line 1410 to detect, predict, and / or mitigate disturbances that may interfere with the transmission of electromagnetic waves on power line 1410 (or any other form of transmission medium of electromagnetic waves). Other sensors that may be suitable for collecting telemetry information may be utilized by the waveguide system 1402.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing a non-limiting embodiment of an example of a system 1600 for managing a power grid 1603 and a communication system 1605 incorporated therein, according to various aspects described herein. Is. The communication system 1605 includes a plurality of waveguide systems 1402 coupled to the power line 1410 of the power grid 1603. At least a portion of the waveguide system 1402 used in communication system 1605 can communicate directly with base station 1414 and / or network management system 1601. A waveguide system 1402 that is not directly connected to base station 1414 or network management system 1601 is routed through base station 1414 or another downstream waveguide system 1402 that is connected to network management system 1601 to base station 1414 or network management system. You can participate in a communication session with any of 1601.

The network management system 1601 can be communicatively coupled to the equipment of the utility 1602 and the equipment of the communication service provider 1604, respectively, to provide each entity with the status information associated with the grid 1603 and the communication system 1605. The equipment of the network management system 1601, the equipment of the utility 1602 and the equipment of the communication service provider 1604 are to give status information and / or to instruct personnel when managing the grid 1603 and / or the communication system 1605. , Can access the communication devices used by the utility personnel 1606 and / or the communication devices used by the communication service provider personnel 1608.

FIG. 17A shows a flow diagram of an example of a non-limiting embodiment of method 1700 for detecting and mitigating disturbances occurring within the communication network of system 1600 of FIG. Method 1700 can be started in step 1702, in which the waveguide system 1402 is embedded in or part of a modulated electromagnetic wave or another type of electromagnetic wave traveling along the surface of the power line 1410. Send and receive messages that form. The message can be a voice message, streaming video, and / or other data / information exchanged between communication devices communicatively coupled to communication system 1605. In step 1704, sensor 1404 in waveguide system 1402 can collect detection data. In one embodiment, the detection data can be collected in step 1704 before, during, or after the transmission and / or reception of the message in step 1702. In step 1706, the waveguide system 1402 (or the sensor 1404 itself) originates from the detection data from the waveguide system 1402 (eg, is transmitted by the waveguide system 1402) or is received by the waveguide system 1402. It is possible to determine the actual or expected occurrence of disturbances in communication system 1605 that may affect communication. The waveguide system 1402 (or sensor 1404) can process temperature data, signal reflection data, energy loss data, noise data, vibration data, environmental data, or any combination thereof to make this determination. The waveguide system 1402 (or sensor 1404) can also detect, identify, estimate, or predict a disturbance source and / or its location within communication system 1605. If the disturbance is not detected / identified and predicted / estimated in step 1708, the waveguide system 1402 can proceed to step 1702 and is buried in the modulated electromagnetic wave traveling along the surface of the power line 1410.

If, in step 1708, a disturbance is detected / identified or predicted / estimated to occur, the waveguide system 1402 proceeds to step 1710, where the disturbance sends a message or sends a message in communication system 1605. Determine if reception is adversely affected (or, alternative, if it is likely to be adversely affected or if it is likely to be adversely affected). In one embodiment, the duration and frequency thresholds can be used in step 1710 to determine when disturbances adversely affect communication within communication system 1605. For illustration purposes only, assume that the duration threshold is set to 500 ms, while the frequency threshold is set to 5 disturbances within the 10 sec observation period. Therefore, a disturbance with a duration greater than 500 ms will trigger the duration threshold. Furthermore, any disturbance occurrence of 6 times or more within the time interval of 10 sec will trigger the occurrence frequency threshold.

In one embodiment, disturbances can be considered to adversely affect signal integrity within communication system 1605 when only the duration threshold is exceeded. In another embodiment, disturbances can be considered to adversely affect signal integrity within communication system 1605 when both duration and frequency thresholds are exceeded. Therefore, the latter embodiment is more conservative than the former embodiment in classifying disturbances that adversely affect signal integrity within communication system 1605. It will be appreciated that according to exemplary embodiments, a number of other algorithms and related parameters and thresholds are available for step 1710.

Referencing Method 1700 again, in step 1710, if the disturbance detected in step 1708 does not meet the conditions for the adversely affected communication (eg, neither the duration threshold nor the frequency threshold is exceeded). System 1402 can proceed to step 1702 and continue processing the message. For example, if the disturbance detected in step 1708 has a duration of 1 ms and occurs only once within a period of 10 sec, neither threshold will be exceeded. As a result, such disturbances can be considered to have little effect on the signal integrity within communication system 1605 and are therefore not warned as disturbances in need of mitigation. Without warning, the occurrence of disturbances, their time of occurrence, their frequency of occurrence, spectral data and / or other useful information may be reported to network management system 1601 as telemetry data for monitoring.

Referencing step 1710 again, on the other hand, if the disturbance meets the conditions for the adversely affected communication (eg, exceeding one or both thresholds), the waveguide system 1402 proceeds to step 1712 to do so. It can be reported to the network management system 1601. The report is the raw detection data collected by sensor 1404, the description of the disturbance, the time of occurrence of the disturbance, the frequency of occurrence of the disturbance, the location associated with the disturbance, the bit error rate, the packet loss rate, if known by the waveguide system 1402. , Retransmission request, jitter, latency, and other parameter readings can be included. If the disturbance is based on predictions from one or more sensors in the waveguide system 1402, the report is the type of disturbance expected, and if predictable, the expected time of occurrence of the disturbance, and its When the prediction is based on history detection data collected by sensor 1404 in waveguide system 1402, it can include the expected frequency of occurrence of the predicted disturbance.

In step 1714, network management system 1601 can determine mitigation, detour or correction techniques, which reroute traffic to waveguide system 1402 and disturbance if the location of the disturbance can be determined. Can include instructing to bypass. In one embodiment, the disturbance detecting waveguide system 1402 connects the waveguide system 1402 from the main power line 1804 affected by the disturbance to the secondary power line 1806 as shown in FIG. 18A. You can instruct 1802 to allow the waveguide system 1402 to reroute traffic to a different transmission medium and avoid disturbance 1801. In an embodiment in which the waveguide system 1402 is configured as a repeater such as a repeater 1802, the waveguide system 1402 itself can perform rerouting of traffic from the main power line 1804 to the secondary power line 1806. For bidirectional communication (eg, full-duplex or half-duplex communication), repeater 1802 is configured to reroute traffic from secondary power line 1806 and back to main power line 1804 for processing by waveguide system 1402. Note that you can do it.

In another embodiment, the waveguide system 1402 causes the first repeater 1812 located upstream of the disturbance and the second repeater 1814 located downstream of the disturbance to avoid the disturbance 1801 as shown in FIG. 18B. Traffic can be redirected by instructing the traffic to be temporarily redirected from the mains line 1804 to the subpower line 1806 and then back to the mains line 1804. Further note that for two-way communication (eg, full-duplex or half-duplex communication), repeaters 1812 and 1814 can be configured to reroute traffic from secondary power line 1806 and back to main power line 1804.

To avoid interrupting existing communication sessions taking place on secondary power line 1806, network management system 1601 commands waveguide system 1402 (in the case of embodiments of FIGS. 18A and 18B) for data traffic and / Or an unused time slot (s) of the secondary power line 1806 (s) and / to the repeater (s) to redirect voice traffic away from the main power line 1804 and bypass the disturbance 1801. Alternatively, it can be instructed to use the frequency band (s).

In step 1716, the network management system 1601 may notify the utility 1602 equipment and / or the communication service provider 1604 equipment while the traffic is being rerouted to avoid disturbances. The device can also notify utility personnel 1606 and / or communications service provider personnel 1608 of the location of the detection and, if known, of the disturbance. Local personnel from any of the affiliates can respond to the resolution of the disturbance at the identified location of the disturbance. If the disturbance is removed or otherwise mitigated by the utility personnel and / or the communication service provider personnel, such personnel will be transferred to the network management system 1601 and / or the utility and / or Field devices (eg, laptop computers, smartphones, etc.) that are communicably coupled to the devices of the communication service provider can be used to notify their own company and / or network management system 1601 respectively. The notification may include an explanation of how the disturbance was mitigated and any changes to power line 1410 that may change the topology of communication system 1605.

When the disturbance is resolved, the network communication system 1601 recovers the previous routing configuration used by the waveguide system 1402, or as a result of the recovery measures used to mitigate the disturbance, the communication system 1605. If a new network topology arises, the waveguide system 1402 can be instructed in step 1720 to route the traffic according to the new routing configuration. In another embodiment, the waveguide system 1402 can be configured to monitor disturbance mitigation by transmitting a test signal over power line 1410 to determine when the disturbance has been removed. If the waveguide 1402 detects that there is no disturbance and determines that the network topology of communication system 1605 has not changed, or if a new routing configuration is available that adapts to the new network topology detected. The waveguide 1402 can autonomously restore its routing configuration without the assistance of the network management system 1601.

FIG. 17B shows a flow diagram of an example of a non-limiting embodiment of method 1750 for detecting and mitigating disturbances occurring within the communication network of system 1600 of FIG. In one embodiment, method 1750 can start at step 1752, in which the network management system 1601 receives maintenance information associated with the maintenance schedule from the equipment of the utility 1602 or the equipment of the communication service provider 1604. Receive. In step 1754, the network management system 1601 can identify maintenance activities that will be performed during the maintenance schedule from the maintenance information. From these activities, the network management system 1601 is scheduled for disturbances resulting from maintenance (eg, scheduled replacement of power line 1410, scheduled replacement of waveguide system 1402 on power line 1410, scheduled replacement of power line 1410 in power grid 1603. Reconstruction, etc.) can be detected.

In another embodiment, the network management system 1601 can receive telemetry information from one or more waveguide systems 1402 in step 1755. Telemetry information, among other things, is the identification information of each waveguide system 1402 that issues telemetry information, the measured values captured by sensor 1404 of each waveguide system 1402, and the prediction detected by sensor 1404 of each waveguide system 1402. , Information related to the estimated or actual disturbance, location information associated with each waveguide system 1402, estimated location of the detected disturbance, identity of the disturbance, etc. can be included. The network management system 1601 can identify from telemetry information the types of disturbances that may be inconvenient for the operation of the waveguide, the transmission of electromagnetic waves along the wire surface, or both. The network management system 1601 can also use telemetry information from a plurality of waveguide systems 1402 to separate and identify disturbances. In addition, the network management system 1601 is affected by receiving similar telemetry information from other waveguide systems 1402 to triangulate the location of the disturbance and / or to identify the disturbance. Telemetry information can be requested from the waveguide system 1402 near the waveguide system 1402.

In yet another embodiment, the network management system 1601 can receive an unscheduled activity report from maintenance personnel in step 1756. Unscheduled maintenance may occur as a result of unplanned site visits or as a result of unexpected site problems discovered during site visits or scheduled maintenance activities. The activity report is a change to the topology configuration of the grid 1603, a change to one or more waveguide systems 1402 (its replacement or repair) resulting from local personnel addressing issues found in the communication system 1605 and / or the grid 1603. Etc.), it is possible to identify the disturbance mitigation, etc. that will be implemented in either case.

In step 1758, the network management system 1601 determines whether the disturbance has occurred or is expected to occur based on the maintenance schedule, or whether the disturbance has occurred or is expected to occur, or the disturbance reports on-site activity. Whether or not it was caused by unplanned maintenance identified in 1756 can be determined from the reports received in accordance with steps 1752 to 1756. From any of these reports, network management system 1601 requires rerouting of traffic by waveguide system 1402 or other waveguide system 1402 where detected or predicted disturbances are affected by communication system 1605. It is possible to judge whether or not.

When a disturbance is detected or predicted in step 1758, the network management system 1601 can proceed to step 1760, and the network management system 1601 directs traffic to bypass the disturbance as in the example of FIG. 18A or FIG. 18B. One or more waveguide systems 1402 can be instructed to reroute. When the disturbance is permanent due to a permanent topology change in the grid 1603, the network management system 1601 can proceed to step 1770 and skip steps 1762, 1764, 1766 and 1772. In step 1770, the network management system 1601 can instruct one or more waveguide systems 1402 to use a new routing configuration that adapts to the new topology. However, if the disturbance is detected in the telemetry information provided by one or more waveguide systems 1402, the network management system 1601 will be assigned to the utility maintenance personnel 1606 and / or the communication service provider maintenance personnel 1608. , The location of the disturbance, the type of disturbance, if known, and relevant information that may be useful for such personnel to mitigate the disturbance. When a disturbance is expected due to maintenance activity, the network management system 1601 routes the traffic route on a given schedule (matching the maintenance schedule) to avoid the disturbance caused by the maintenance activity during the maintenance schedule. One or more waveguide systems 1402 can be instructed to reconfigure.

Revisiting step 1760, upon completion, the process can continue at step 1762. In step 1762, the network management system 1601 can monitor when the disturbance (s) have been mitigated by local personnel. Submitted to network management system 1601 by field personnel via a communication network (eg, a cellular communication system) using field equipment (eg, a laptop computer, or handheld computer / device) in step 1762. Disturbance mitigation can be detected by analyzing field reports. If local personnel report that the disturbance has been mitigated, network management system 1601 may proceed to step 1764 to determine from the field report whether a topology change was required to mitigate the disturbance. it can. Topology changes include rerouting power lines 1410, reconfiguring waveguide system 1402 to utilize different power lines 1410, otherwise using alternative links to bypass disturbances, etc. Can include. In the event of a topology change, the network management system 1601 may instruct one or more waveguide systems 1402 in step 1770 to use a new routing configuration that adapts to the new topology. it can.

However, if local personnel do not report a topology change, network management system 1601 can proceed to step 1766 and send a test signal to use before disturbances (s) are detected. One or more waveguide systems 1402 can be instructed to test the routing configuration that has been done. The test signal can be sent to the affected waveguide system 1402 near the disturbance. The test signal can be used to determine if signal disturbance (eg, electromagnetic reflection) is detected by any of the waveguide systems 1402. If the test signal confirms that the previous routing configuration is no longer subject to previously detected disturbances (s), the network management system 1601 will perform the previous routing configuration in step 1772. The affected waveguide system 1402 can be instructed to recover. However, the test signal analyzed by one or more waveguide systems 1402 and reported to the network management system 1601 has a disturbance (s) or a new disturbance (s). If, network management system 1601 proceeds to step 1768 and reports this information to local personnel to further address field issues. The network management system 1601 can continue to monitor the mitigation of disturbances (s) in step 1762 in this situation.

In the above embodiments, the waveguide system 1402 can be configured to self-adapt to changes within the grid 1603 and / or to mitigation of disturbances. That is, one or more affected waveguide systems 1402 monitor themselves for disturbance mitigation and reconfigure traffic routes without the need for instructions sent by network management system 1601 to the waveguide system. Can be configured to: In this embodiment, one or more self-configurable waveguide systems 1402 allow the network management system 1601 to maintain a macro-level perspective of the communication topology of communication system 1605. Can be notified of its own routing selection.

For simplicity, each process is illustrated and described as a series of blocks, respectively, in FIGS. 17A and 17B, although some blocks are in a different order than illustrated and described herein. Please understand and recognize that the claimed subject matter is not limited by the order of the blocks, as it may occur in and / or at the same time as other blocks. Moreover, not all exemplified blocks are required to carry out the methods described herein.

19A-19C show block diagrams illustrating non-limiting embodiments of an example of a waveguide coupling system according to the various aspects described herein. Figures 19A to 19C are not always drawn to scale. FIG. 19A shows a waveguide system 1900 with a waveguide 1902, a communication device 1904, an antenna 1906, and a coil 1908. In one embodiment, the waveguide 1902 can include a dielectric material or a low loss insulator (eg, Teflon®, polyethylene, etc.). In another embodiment, the waveguide 1902 can include a conductive material. In yet another embodiment, the waveguide 1902 can include a combination of the above materials. Although not shown, the tip 1901 of the waveguide 1902 can be tapered in one or more axes (as shown by referring to 1901 in FIG. 4) or otherwise reflect electromagnetic waves. It can be rounded or slanted to reduce, and reflections result in a waveguide 1902 and a power line, coaxial cable, twisted pair cable, conduit, or transmission medium as described in this disclosure. Coupling loss can occur with transmission media such as other suitable media capable of propagating electromagnetic waves on the surface of the. It should be noted that the junction between the waveguide and the wire or other transmission medium can include voids or non-voids.

In one embodiment, the communication device 1904 may include only a transmitter, whereby the waveguide system 1900 can be configured as a dedicated device for electromagnetic wave transmission. In another embodiment, the communication device 1904 may include only a receiver, whereby the waveguide system 1900 can be configured as an electromagnetic wave reception dedicated device. In yet another embodiment, the communication device 1904 can include both a transmitter and a receiver, whereby the waveguide system 1900 can be configured as, for example, an electromagnetic wave transmitter / receiver device for bidirectional communication. it can. As an electromagnetic wave transmitter / receiver device, the communication device 1904 can include the transmitter / receiver circuit 503 shown in FIG. 5, which can convert an electric signal into an electromagnetic wave (transmitter function) and convert the electromagnetic wave into an electric signal. Can be converted to (receiver function). As a device dedicated to electromagnetic wave transmission, the communication device 1904 can be provided with only the transmitter function of the transmitter / receiver circuit 503. As a device dedicated to receiving electromagnetic waves, the communication device 1904 can be provided with only the receiver function of the transmitter / receiver circuit 503. In another embodiment, the communication device 1904 may include all or part of the transmitter / receiver circuit of the bidirectional repeater system 900 of FIG.

In one embodiment, the communication device 1904 may further include the communication interface 501 of FIG. 5, which communicates with the base station 520 and / or the in-building device 524 via the tethering interface. A transmitter / receiver circuit can be used. In another embodiment, the communication interface 501 can be used by the communication device 1904 to communicate with the base station 520, the in-building device 524 or the mobile device 522 via the RF interface. In one embodiment, the communication interface 501 may include a tethering interface 1920, such as an optical fiber cable, a coaxial cable, or another cable or wire suitable for wired communication. In one embodiment, the communication interface 501 is an antenna 1930 for RF communication (eg, LTE) over RF frequencies ranging from 800MHz to millimeter RF signals (eg, 30GHz to 300GHz) or other microwave signals. Can be provided. Antenna 1930 is shown in an exemplary configuration, but extends beyond the waveguide system 1900 itself, or otherwise separates from the waveguide system 1900 itself, without departing from the exemplary embodiment. It will be appreciated that many other configurations are available, including configurations that are (eg, not configured together). All or part of the transmitter / receiver circuit 503 and / or communication interface 501 of the communication device 1904 is one or more externals that are electrically coupled to one or more feeding points of antenna 1906, antenna 1930 and tether interface 1920. It can be housed in an integrated circuit package that can have pins. The communication device 1904 can further receive energy by inductive action from a power line near the communication device 1904 using a power management circuit coupled to the coil 1908. The power management circuit uses a known technique, according to coil 1908. The energy received can be converted into DC energy that powers the communication device 1904. Although not shown, the communication device 1904 can include a memory for storing instructions and a processor circuit (eg, a microprocessor) that executes the instructions. Instructions can be configured to perform the functions of a waveguide system as described in this disclosure. In one embodiment, the processor and memory can also be housed in an integrated circuit package.

In one embodiment, the communication device 1904, antenna 1906 and coil 1908 have a printed circuit board (PCB) 1903 having contacts that connect to the contact pins of the communication device 1904 using a soldering material or other adhesive / conductive material. Can be placed on top. The contacts on the PCB can be connected to traces and / or vias to connect the communication device 1904 to the connectors of the antennas 1906 and 1930, the coil 1908, and the tethering interface 1920. The PCB1903 can also be placed on the outer surface of the waveguide 1902 as shown in FIG. 19A, and the PCB1903 and the waveguide 1902 are fixed with an adhesive. In other embodiments, communication device 1904, antenna 1906, where contacts are provided on waveguide 1902 to allow communication device 1904 to contact connectors on antennas 1906 and 1930, coil 1908 and tethering interface 1920. The connectors of coil 1908 and tethering interface 1920 can be placed directly on waveguide 1902 as shown in FIGS. 19B and 19C, utilizing adhesive and / or adhesive materials such as solder.

The antenna 1906 can be a patch antenna or a microstrip antenna for radiating electromagnetic waves generated by the communication device 1904. Similarly, antenna 1906 can be used to receive electromagnetic waves propagating over the surface of waveguide 1902, which is converted into electrical signals delivered to communication device 1904. Patch microstrip antennas can be configured for millimeter wave or other microwave electromagnetic communication. The antenna 1930 can have a high frequency antenna structure. In one embodiment, the antenna 1930 can be used for 3G and / or 4G cellular frequencies (eg, 800MHz to 2.5GHz). In one embodiment, the antenna 1930 can be used for millimeter RF communication (eg, 20 GHz and above). Many variants of the antenna 1930 are possible based on the desired operating frequency range (s).

In another embodiment, the waveguide system 1900 can have an antenna 1906 embedded within the material (dielectric material) of the waveguide 1902, the antenna being traced and / or Connected to communication device 1904 via via 1909. In this embodiment, the antenna 1906 can be a patch antenna or a microstrip antenna, but other types of antennas can also be used. In yet another embodiment, the waveguide system 1900 can have an antenna 1910 that surrounds a portion of the waveguide 1902, the antenna being one or more conductive strips 1907, as shown in FIG. 19C. Connected to the communication device 1904 via. In one embodiment, the antenna 1910 serves as a waveguide antenna that transmits electromagnetic waves propagating on the inner surface of the antenna 1910. Antennas 1906 and 1910 can also be used to receive electromagnetic waves propagating on the surface of waveguide 1902, which are converted into electrical signals supplied to communication device 1904.

It will be appreciated that other configurations of antennas 1906, 1908 and 1910 can be used in place of the structures shown in FIGS. 19A, 19B and 19C, which allow transmission or reception of electromagnetic waves. Further note that the waveguide system 1900 can be placed on other structures. For example, the waveguide system 1900 is placed on the outer surface of the transmission medium 2002 (power line 402, etc.) using an adhesive material and / or solder when the contacts are available on the surface of the transmission medium, as described above. be able to. See Figure 20. In this embodiment, the outer surface of the transmission medium 2002 can be an insulating material such as a dielectric material. Figure 20 is not always drawn to scale.

Various embodiments of the waveguide system 1900 of FIGS. 19A-19C and 20 transmit signals from a signal source (eg, base station 520, mobile device 522, in-building device 524) via an RF interface or tethering interface. It can be configured to receive. The communication device 1904 can convert these signals into a first electromagnetic wave transmitted by the antenna 1906, 1908 or 1910. The first electromagnetic wave couples on the outer surface of the waveguide 1902 and propagates in the longitudinal direction on the outer surface of the waveguide 1902. The waveguide 1902 is shown in order to allow the first electromagnetic wave to at least partially couple to the surface of the power line 402 and generate a second electromagnetic wave 408 that propagates at least partially around the outer surface of the power line 402. As shown in 4, it can be positioned close to a transmission medium such as power line 402.

There are various methods of positioning the waveguide 1902 with respect to the transmission medium. In one embodiment, the waveguide 1902 can be positioned relative to the transmission medium so that it is not aligned coaxially with the power line 402, as shown in FIGS. 10C, 11 and 12. In one embodiment, the waveguide 1902 can be positioned outside the cross-sectional area of the transmission medium, or vice versa, outside the cross-sectional area of the waveguide 1902, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. In another embodiment, when the waveguide 1902 is composed of a dielectric material or an insulating material, the waveguide 1902 includes a coaxially aligned position as shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B. It can be placed in any position with respect to 402.

There are also various possible propagation modes for electromagnetic waves propagating on the waveguide 1902 and electromagnetic waves propagating on the transmission medium. In one embodiment, the coupling of the first electromagnetic wave on the transmission medium converts these waves into a second electromagnetic wave having a propagation mode different from the propagation mode of the first electromagnetic wave. For example, the communication device 1904 can be configured to radiate electromagnetic waves in symmetric or basic mode via antennas 1906, 1908 or 1910. When symmetric or basic mode electromagnetic waves are coupled onto the outer surface of the transmission medium, they are converted into symmetric (or basic) and asymmetric (or non-basic) electromagnetic waves and when combined, a second. Form electromagnetic waves. Other combinations are possible.

For example, the communication device 1904 can be configured to radiate a combination of basic and non-basic electromagnetic waves via antennas 1906, 1908 or 1910, and those waves are then configured to radiate other basics on the transmission medium. Form electromagnetic waves and non-basic electromagnetic waves. It is also possible to configure the communication device 1904 to generate a symmetric (or basic) electromagnetic wave on a transmission medium (eg, bare wire) on a waveguide 1902.

The communication device 1904 also receives an electromagnetic wave as shown in FIG. 6 according to any of the above combinations of propagation modes between the electromagnetic wave propagating on the transmission medium and the electromagnetic wave propagating on the waveguide 1902. It can also be configured as follows. It should be further noted that the embodiments of FIGS. 19A-19C and 20 can be used in any of the embodiments described in the present disclosure, or can be combined with any of the embodiments.

With reference to FIG. 21, a block diagram of the computing environment according to the various aspects described herein is shown. To provide further context with respect to the various embodiments described herein, FIG. 21 and the following discussions are concise in a suitable computing environment 2100 capable of implementing the various embodiments of the present disclosure. Intended to provide a general explanation. Although embodiments have been described in the general context of computer executable instructions that can be executed on one or more computers, those embodiments can be combined with other program modules and / or hardware. Those skilled in the art will recognize that it can also be implemented as a combination of hardware and software.

In general, a program module includes routines, programs, components, data structures, etc. that perform a particular task or perform a particular abstract data type. In addition, single-processor or multiprocessor computer systems, minicomputers, mainframe computers and personal computers, handheld computing devices, each of which can operably combine the methods of the invention into one or more related devices. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that it can be implemented with other computer system configurations, including microprocessor-based or programmable household appliances.

Terms such as "first," "second," and "third" should only be clarified when used in the claims, unless otherwise specified by the context. It is intended and does not otherwise indicate or imply any order with respect to time. For example, the "first judgment," "second judgment," and "third judgment" do not imply or imply that the first judgment is made before the second judgment. The reverse is also true.

Illustrative embodiments of embodiments herein can also be performed in a distributed computing environment in which certain tasks are performed by remote processing devices linked through a communication network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules can be located in both local and remote memory storage devices.

Computing devices typically include a variety of media, which can include computer-readable storage media and / or communication media, the two terms of which are different from each other herein, as follows: used. Computer-readable storage media can be any available storage medium accessible by a computer, including both volatile and non-volatile media, removable and non-removable media. By way of example, but not limited to, computer readable storage media are implemented in connection with any method or technique for storing information such as computer readable instructions, program modules, structured or unstructured data. be able to.

Computer-readable storage media include, but are not limited to, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technologies, and compact disk read-only memory. (CD-ROM), digital versatile disk (DVD) or other optical disk storage device, magnetic cassette, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage device or other magnetic storage device, or can be used to store desired information. Other tangible and / or non-temporary media can be included. In this regard, the term "tangible" or "non-temporary" as applied herein to a storage device, memory or computer-readable medium, as a modifier, is the transient propagating signal itself. It should be understood to exclude only, and does not waive any rights to all standard storage, memory or computer readable media, not just the temporary propagating signal itself.

Computer-readable storage media are accessed by one or more local or remote computing devices, eg, via access requests, queries, or other data retrieval protocols, for various actions on the information stored by the media. be able to.

Communication media typically embody computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other structured or unstructured data in data signals to be modulated, such as carrier waves or other transport mechanisms, and any information. Includes delivery or transport medium. The term "modulated data signal" or signal refers to a signal that has one or more of the characteristics that are set or modified to encode information within one or more signals. By way of example, but not limited to, communication media include wired media such as wired networks or directly connected connections, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media.

With reference to FIG. 21 again, signals are transmitted and received via a base station (eg, base station device 102, 104 or 520) or a central station (eg, central station 101, 1411 or 2000), or at least one of them. An exemplary environment for forming parts 2100. At least a portion of the exemplary environment 2100 can also be used for repeater devices (eg, repeater devices 710 or 806). An exemplary environment can include a computer 2102, which includes a processing unit 2104, system memory 2106, and system bus 2108. System bus 2108 binds system components, including, but not limited to, system memory 2106 to processing unit 2104. The processing unit 2104 can be any of a variety of commercially available processors. Dual microprocessors and other multiprocessor architectures are also available as processing unit 2104.

The system bus 2108 can be further interconnected to a memory bus (with or without a memory controller), a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of commercially available bus architectures. It can be any of the types of bus structures. The system memory 2106 includes ROM 2110 and RAM 2112. The basic input / output system (BIOS) can be stored in non-volatile memory such as ROM, erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), EEPROM, etc., and the BIOS transfers information between elements in computer 2102, such as during boot. Includes basic routines to help transfer. RAM2112 can also include high speed RAM such as static RAM for caching data.

The computer 2102 has an internal hard disk drive (HDD) 2114 (eg EIDE, SATA) and a magnetic floppy disk drive (FDD) 2116 (eg) that can also be configured for external use in a suitable chassis (not shown). , For reading or writing to a removable diskette 2118) and an optical disk drive 2120 (for reading, for example, reading or writing a CD-ROM disc 2122, or reading or writing to another high capacity optical medium such as a DVD). The hard disk drive 2114, the magnetic disk drive 2116, and the optical disk drive 2120 can be connected to the system bus 2108 by the hard disk drive interface 2124, the magnetic disk drive interface 2126, and the optical drive interface 2128, respectively. Interface 2124 for implementing external drives includes at least one or both of the Universal Serial Bus (USB) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1394 interface technologies. Other external drive connection techniques are also within the scope of consideration of the embodiments described herein.

The drive and its associated computer-readable storage medium provide non-volatile storage of data, data structures, computer-executable instructions, and the like. For computer 2102, the drive and storage medium correspond to the storage of any data in a suitable digital format. The above description of computer-readable storage media refers to hard disk drives (HDDs), removable magnetic disksets, and removable optical media such as CDs or DVDs, but can be read by a computer such as zip drives, magnetic cassettes, flash memory cards, cartridges, etc. Other types of storage media that are possible can also be used in an exemplary operating environment, and any such storage medium may include computer-executable instructions for performing the methods described herein. What can be done should be understood by those skilled in the art.

Multiple program modules can be stored in the drive and RAM 2112, including the operating system 2130, one or more application programs 2132, other program modules 2134 and program data 2136. It is also possible to cache all or part of the operating system, applications, modules and / or data in RAM2112. The systems and methods described herein can be implemented utilizing various commercially available operating systems or combinations of operating systems. An example of application program 2132 that can be implemented by processing unit 2104 or otherwise executed includes a diversity selection decision performed by repeater device 806. In addition, the base station device 508 shown in FIG. 5 stores in memory a number of applications and programs that can be executed by the processing unit 2104 in this exemplary computing environment 2100.

The user can enter commands and information into computer 2102 through one or more wired / wireless input devices, such as pointing devices such as keyboard 2138 and mouse 2140. Other input devices (not shown) can include microphones, infrared (IR) remote controls, joysticks, gamepads, stylus pens, touch screens, and the like. These input devices and other input devices are often connected to processing unit 2104 through input device interface 2142, which can be coupled to system bus 2108, but parallel port, IEEE1394 serial port, game port, universal. It can also be connected via other interfaces such as a serial bus (USB) port or IR interface.

Monitor 2144 or other types of display devices can also be connected to system bus 2108 via an interface such as video adapter 2146. Also, in an alternative embodiment, the monitor 2144 comprises any display device (eg, a display) for receiving display information associated with computer 2102 via any means of communication, including via the Internet and cloud-based networks. It will be understood that it can be another computer, smartphone, tablet computer, etc. that you have. In addition to monitor 2144, computers typically include other peripheral output devices (not shown) such as speakers and printers.

The computer 2102 may operate in a networked environment using logical connections over wired and / or wireless communication with one or more remote computers, such as the remote computer (s) 2148. it can. The remote computer (s) 2148 can be a workstation, server computer, router, personal computer, portable computer, microprocessor built-in entertainment equipment, peer device or other common network node, typically computer 2102. Although it contains many or all of the elements described with respect to, only one memory / storage device 2150 is shown for brevity. The logical connections shown include wired / wireless connections to local area networks (LAN) 2152 and / or larger networks, such as wide area networks (WAN) 2154. Such LAN and WAN networking environments are common in offices and enterprises, all of which facilitate global communications networks, such as enterprise-scale computer networks such as intranets that can connect to the Internet.

When used in a LAN networked environment, the computer 2102 can connect to the local network 2152 through a wired and / or wireless communication network interface or adapter 2156. The adapter 2156 can facilitate wired or wireless communication with the LAN 2152, and the LAN can also be located there and include a wireless AP to communicate with the wireless adapter 2156.

When used in a WAN networked environment, the computer 2102 can include a modem 2158, can connect to a communication server on the WAN 2154, or establish communication over the WAN 2154, for example via the Internet. Has other means. The modem 2158 can be an internal or external and wired or wireless device and can be connected to the system bus 2108 via the input device interface 2142. In a networked environment, the program modules shown for computer 2102 or parts thereof can be stored in remote memory / storage device 2150. It will be appreciated that the network connection shown is an example and other means of establishing communication links between computers can be used.

The computer 2102 is associated with any wireless device or entity that is operationally positioned in wireless communication, such as a printer, scanner, desktop and / or portable computer, portable data assistant, communications satellite, wirelessly detectable tag. Or it can be operational to communicate with any part of the location (eg, a kiosk, newsstand, dressing room), and a telephone. It can include wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) and BLUETOOTH® wireless technology. In this way, the communication can have a defined structure, as in the case of conventional networks, or simply ad hoc communication between at least two devices.

Wi-Fi allows you to connect to the Internet wirelessly from your chaise lounge at home, from your bed in your hotel room, or from your meeting room at work. Wi-Fi is a wireless technology similar to that used in mobile phones, which allows such devices, such as computers, to send and receive data both indoors and outdoors within the range of a base station. become able to. Wi-Fi networks use a wireless technology called IEEE 802.11 (a, b, g, n, ac, etc.) to provide secure, reliable, and high-speed wireless connectivity. Wi-Fi networks allow computers to connect to each other, to the Internet, and to wired networks (which can use IEEE 802.3 or Ethernet®). Wi-Fi networks operate in, for example, unlicensed 2.4GHz and 5GHz radio bands, or with products that include both bands (dual bands), so networks are the basis used in many offices. It can provide real-world performance similar to a 10BaseT Wired Ethernet® network.

FIG. 22 presents an exemplary embodiment 2200 of a mobile network platform 2210 that can implement and utilize one or more aspects of the disclosed subject matter described herein. In one or more embodiments, the mobile network platform 2210 comprises a base station (eg, base station device 102, 104 or 520), a central station (eg, central station 101, 1411 or 2000) associated with the disclosed subject matter. ) Or a repeater device (eg, repeater device 710 or 806) can generate and receive signals. In general, wireless network platforms 2210 include both packet-switched (PS) traffic (eg, Internet Protocol (IP), Frame Relay, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)) and circuit-switched (CS) traffic (eg, voice and data). It can also include components that facilitate control generation for networked wireless telecommunications, such as nodes, gateways, interfaces, servers or heterogeneous platforms. As a non-limiting example, the wireless network platform 2210 can be included within a telecommunications carrier network and can be considered a carrier-side component, as discussed elsewhere herein. The mobile network platform 2210 is such as a telephone network (s) 2240 (eg, public switched telephone network (PSTN) or public land mobile network (PLMN)), or signaling system # 7 (SS7) network 2270. Includes a CS gateway node (s) 2212 that can have an interface with CS traffic received from the legacy network. Circuit-switched gateway nodes (s) 2212 can allow and authenticate traffic (eg, voice) originating from such networks. further , CS gateway node (s) 2212 may be mobility data or roaming data generated through SS7 network 2270, eg mobility data stored in a visitor location register (VLR) that can reside in memory 2230. Can be accessed. In addition, the CS gateway node (s) 2212 has interfaces with CS-based traffic and signaling as well as the PS gateway node (s) 2218. As an example, in a 3GPP UMTS network, the CS gateway node (s) 2212 can be implemented at least partially in the gateway GPRS support node (s) (GGSN). Features and specific behavior of CS gateway node (s) 2212, PS gateway node (s) 2218 and serving node (s) 2216, mobile network platform for telecommunications It should be understood that it is provided and determined by the radio technology (s) utilized by 2210. In a UMTS network, a CS gateway node (s) 2212 can be implemented at least partially in a gateway GPRS support node (s) (GGSN). Features and specific behavior of CS gateway node (s) 2212, PS gateway node (s) 2218 and serving node (s) 2216, mobile network platform for telecommunications It should be understood that it is provided and determined by the radio technology (s) utilized by 2210. In a UMTS network, a CS gateway node (s) 2212 can be implemented at least partially in a gateway GPRS support node (s) (GGSN). Features and specific behavior of CS gateway node (s) 2212, PS gateway node (s) 2218 and serving node (s) 2216, mobile network platform for telecommunications It should be understood that it is provided and determined by the radio technology (s) utilized by 2210.

In addition to receiving and processing CS exchange traffic and signaling, the PS gateway node (s) 2218 can allow and authenticate PS-based data sessions with served mobile devices. Data sessions are external to wireless network platforms 2210 such as wide area network (s) (WAN) 2250, corporate network (s) 2270 and service network (s) 2280. It can contain traffic or content (s) that are exchanged with a network, which can be embodied in a local area network (s) (LAN), and PS gateway nodes (s). You can also interface with the mobile network platform 2210 through 2218 (in some cases). Note that the WAN 2250 and the corporate network (s) 2260 can at least partially embody a service network (s) such as the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). Based on the wireless technology layer (s) available in the technology resource (s) 2217, the packet-switched gateway node (s) 2218, when a data session is established , Packet data protocol contexts can be generated, and other data structures can be generated that facilitate the routing of packetized data. To that end, in one aspect, the PS gateway node (s) 2218 can facilitate packetized communication with heterogeneous wireless networks (s) such as Wi-Fi networks. It can be equipped with a capable tunnel interface (eg, a tunnel termination gateway (TTG) in a 3GPP UMTS network (s) (not shown)).

In embodiment 2200, the wireless network platform 2210 also comprises a serving node (s) 2216, which is an available radio technology layer (s) within the technical resource (s) 2217. Carry various packetized flows of data streams received through the PS gateway node (s) 2218 based on (s). Technical resources that rely primarily on CS communication (s) 2217, the server node (s) can deliver traffic without relying on the PS gateway node (s) 2218. Please note. For example, a server node (s) can at least partially embody a mobile exchange center. As an example, in a 3GPP UMTS network, a serving node (s) 2216 can be embodied in a serving GPRS support node (s) (SGSN).

For wireless technologies that utilize packetized communications, a server (s) 2214 within the wireless network platform 2210 may generate multiple heterogeneous packetized data streams or flows, such flows. Can run a number of applications that can manage (eg, schedule, queue, format ...). Such applications (s) are standard services provided by the wireless network platform 2210 (eg provisioning, billing, customer support ... ) Can include an add-on mechanism. Transport a data stream (eg, content that is part of a voice call or data session (s) to a PS gateway node (s) 2218 for authorization / authentication and initiation of a data session. Can then be transported to the serving node (s) 2216 for communication. In addition to the application server, the server (s) 2214 can include a utility server (s), which can include provisioning servers, operations and maintenance servers, certification authorities and firewalls as well. It can include security servers and the like that can at least partially implement other security mechanisms. In one aspect, the security server (s) protects the communications served through the wireless network platform 2210, the CS gateway node (s) 2212 and the PS gateway node (s). Ensure network operation and data integrity, in addition to the authorization and authentication procedures that 2218 can specify. In addition, the provisioning server (s) may be a service from an external network (s), such as a network operated by a heterogeneous service provider, eg, WAN2250 or a Global Positioning System (GPS) network (s). (In some cases) (not shown) can be provisioned. The provisioning server (s) is also associated with a wireless network platform 2210, such as the distributed antenna network shown in Figure 1 (s), which improves wireless service coverage by providing additional network coverage (eg, multiple). Through the network (deployed and operated by the same service provider) You can also provision valage. Repeater devices such as those shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 also improve network coverage in order to improve the subscriber service experience with UE2275.

Note that the server (s) 2214 may have one or more processors configured to at least partially provide the functionality of the macro network platform 2210. To that end, one or more processors can, for example, execute code instructions stored in memory 2230. It should be understood that the server (s) 2214 can be equipped with Content Manager 2215, which behaves substantially as described above.

In the exemplary embodiment 2200, the memory 2230 can store information related to the operation of the wireless network platform 2210. Other operational information includes provisioning information for mobile devices served through the wireless platform network 2210, subscriber databases; application intelligence, pricing schemes such as promotional fees, flat-rate programs, coupon distribution campaigns; heterogeneous wireless or wireless, technology. It can include technical specifications (s) that match the telecommunications protocol for layer operation. The memory 2230 can also store information from at least one of the telephone network (s) 2240, WAN2250, corporate network (s) 2260, or SS7 network 2270. In one aspect, memory 2230 can be accessed, for example, as part of a data store component or as a remotely connected memory store.

To provide a situation regarding the various aspects of the disclosed subject matter, FIG. 22 and the following studies provide a concise and general description of the appropriate environment in which the various aspects of the disclosed subject matter can be realized. Intended to do. The subject matter has been described in the general context of computer executable instructions for computer programs running on one and / or multiple computers, but the disclosed subject matter is realized in combination with other program modules. It will be recognized by those in the art that it can also be done. In general, a program module includes routines, programs, components, data structures, etc. that perform a particular task and / or realize a particular abstract data type.

FIG. 23 shows an exemplary embodiment of the communication device 2300. The communication device 2300 can serve as an exemplary embodiment of devices such as mobile devices and in-building devices (eg, FIGS. 1 and 14) referenced by the present disclosure.

The communication device 2300 includes a wired and / or wireless transmitter / receiver 2302 (transmitter 2302 in the present specification), a user interface (UI) 2304, a power supply 2314, a location receiver 2316, a motion sensor 2318, and an orientation sensor 2320. And a controller 2306 for managing its operation. The transmitter / receiver 2302 can support short-range and long-range wireless access technologies such as Bluetooth®, ZigBee®, WiFi, DECT or cellular communication technologies, to name a few. Registered Trademarks) and ZigBee® are Bluetooth® Special Interest Group and ZigBee®, respectively. It is a registered trademark by the Alliance). Cellular technology includes, for example, CDMA1X, UMTS / HSDPA, GSM® / GPRS, TDMA / EDGE, EV / DO, WiMAX, SDR, LTE, and other next-generation wireless communication technologies where cellular technology emerges. be able to. The transmitter / receiver 2302 can also be configured to support circuit-switched wired access technology (PSTN, etc.), packet-switched wired access technology (TCP / IP, VoIP, etc.) and combinations thereof.

The UI2304 can include a pressable or touch-sensitive keypad 2308 equipped with a navigation mechanism such as a rollerball, joystick, mouse or navigation disc for manipulating the operation of the communication device 2300. The keypad 2308 can be an integral part of the housing assembly of the communication device 2300, or can operate on the communication device by a tethering wired interface (such as a USB cable) or, for example, a wireless interface that supports Bluetooth®. It can be an independent device to be combined. The keypad 2308 can represent a numeric keypad commonly used by telephones and / or a QWERTY keypad with alphanumeric keys. UI2304 can further include a display 2310 such as a black and white or color LCD (liquid crystal display), OLED (organic light emitting diode) or other suitable display technology for delivering images to the end user of the communication device 2300. In one embodiment in which the display 2310 is touch sensitive, some or all of the keypad 2308 can be presented by the display 2310 with a navigation mechanism.

The display 2310 can also serve as a user interface for detecting user input using touch screen technology. As a touch screen display, the communication device 2300 can be configured to present a user interface with a graphical user interface (GUI) element that the user can select by touching with a finger. The touch screen display 2310 can be equipped with capacitive, resistive or other forms of detection technology to detect how much surface area of the user's finger is placed on a portion of the touch screen display. This detection information can be used to control the operation of GUI elements or other functions of the user interface. The display 2310 can be an integral part of the housing assembly of the communication device 2300, or it can be an independent device communicatively coupled to the communication device by a tethering wired interface (cable, etc.) or a wireless interface.

In addition, UI2304 is an audio system that uses audio technology to convey low-volume audible sound (such as audible sound that can be heard near the human ear) and high-volume audible sound (such as speakerphone in the case of hands-free operation). System 2312 can be included. The audio system 2312 can further include a microphone for receiving end-user audible signals. The audio system 2312 can also be used for speech recognition applications. UI2304 can further include an image sensor 2313 such as a charge-shift bond (CCD) camera for capturing still images or moving images.

The power supply 2314 is common for replaceable and rechargeable batteries, power regulation technology and / or charging system technology, etc. to energize the components of the communication device 2300 and facilitate long-distance or short-range portable communication. Power management technology can be used. Alternatively, or in combination, the charging system can utilize an external power source such as DC power supplied via a physical interface such as a USB port or other suitable tethering technology.

Location receiver 2316 is an assisted GPS capability to locate the communication device 2300 based on signals generated by a group of GPS satellites, which can be used to facilitate location services such as navigation. Location technology such as Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers can be used. The motion sensor 2318 can detect the motion of the communication device 2300 in three-dimensional space by utilizing motion detection techniques such as accelerometers, gyroscopes or other suitable motion detection techniques. The directional sensor 2320 uses directional detection technology such as a magnetometer to detect the directional of the communication device 2300 (north, south, west and east, as well as the combined directional of degrees, minutes or other appropriate directional indicators). Can be done.

The communication device 2300 uses the transmitter / receiver 2302 and uses detection techniques such as receiving field strength indicator (RSSI) and / or signal arrival time (TOA) or time-of-flight (TOF) measurements to provide cellular, WiFi, Bluetooth. Proximity to (registered trademark) or other wireless access points can also be determined. Controller 2306 is a flash, ROM, RAM, SRAM, DRAM or other storage technology for executing computer instructions, controlling, and processing the data supplied by the above components of the communication device 2300. With related storage memory such as, computing technologies such as microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs), programmable gate arrays, application-specific integrated circuits and / or video processors can be utilized.

Other components not shown in FIG. 23 may be used in one or more of this disclosure. For example, the communication device 2300 may include a slot for adding or removing an identification module such as a subscriber identification module (SIM) card or a general purpose integrated circuit card (UICC). The SIM card or UICC card can be used to identify subscriber services, execute programs, store subscriber data, and so on.

In the present specification, the terms "store", "storage", "data store", "data storage device", "database", and any other information storage component related to the operation and function of the component are referred to as "memory". Refers to an entity or a component having memory embodied in "component" and "memory". The memory components described herein can be either volatile or non-volatile memory, or can include both volatile and non-volatile memory, and are exemplary, but not limited to. However, it will be appreciated that volatile memory, non-volatile memory, disk storage and memory storage can be included. Further, in read-only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), electrically programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable ROM (EEPROM) or flash memory, non-volatile memory can be included. Volatile memory can include random access memory (RAM) that acts as external cache memory. As an example, but not limited to, RAM is synchronous RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), double data rate SDRAM (DDR SDRAM), enhanced SDRAM (ESDRAM), Synchlink DRAM (SLDRAM). And in many forms such as direct RambusRAM (DRRAM®). Further, the disclosed memory components of the systems or methods herein are intended to include, but are not limited to, these, and any other suitable types of memory.

Further disclosed subjects are single-processor or multi-processor computer systems, mini-computing devices, main-frame computers, as well as personal computers, handheld computing devices (eg, PDA, telephones, watches, tablet computers, netbook computers, etc.). Note that it can be practiced in other computer system configurations, including microprocessor-based or programmable home appliances or industrial electronic equipment. The illustrated embodiment can also be practiced in a distributed computing environment where tasks are performed by remote processing devices linked through a communication network. However, some, but not all, aspects of the disclosure can be practiced on a stand-alone computer. In a distributed computing environment, program modules can be located in both local and remote memory storage devices.

Some of the embodiments described herein can also utilize artificial intelligence (AI) to facilitate automation of one or more features described herein. For example, artificial intelligence can be used to determine the location around the wire on which the dielectric waveguides 604 and 606 should be located in order to maximize transmission efficiency. Multiple embodiments (eg, related to automatically identifying the acquired cell site that offers the maximum value / benefit after being added to an existing communication network) are used to perform various embodiments of AI. Various methods based on can be used. In addition, classifiers can be used to determine the ranking or prioritization of each cell site in the acquisition network. A classifier is a function that maps the input attribute vector x = (x1, x2, x3, x4, ..., xn) to the confidence that the input belongs to one class, i.e. f (x) = trust. Degree (class). Such classifications include probabilistic and / or statistical analysis (eg, taking into account the usefulness and cost of the analysis) to predict or infer the behavior that the user wants to be performed automatically. It can be used. A support vector machine (SVM) is an example of a classifier available. The SVM works by finding the hypersurface in the space of possible inputs, which attempts to separate the trigger criteria from non-triggered events. Intuitively, this makes the classification accurate to test data that is close to training data, but not identical. Other directed and undirected model classification techniques can utilize probabilistic classification models that provide different independent patterns, including, for example, naive Bayesian networks, Bayesian networks, decision trees, neural networks, fuzzy logic models. As used herein, classification also includes statistical regression used to develop a model of priority.

As will be readily appreciated, one or more of the embodiments will be implicitly trained (eg, by observing UE behavior, operator preferences, historical information, and receiving external information. ), As well as a classifier that is clearly trained (eg, with general training data) is available. For example, the SVM can be configured via a learning or training stage within the classifier constructor and feature selection module. Therefore, using a classifier (s), but not limited to, which of the acquired cell sites will benefit the largest number of subscribers, and according to predetermined criteria, and / Or can automatically learn and perform multiple functions, including determining which of the acquired cell sites will add a minimum to the existing communication network coverage, etc. it can.

As used in some contexts in this application, in some embodiments, terms such as "component", "system", etc. can be used with a computer-related entity, or one or more specific functions. It is intended to refer to or include an entity associated with a device, which entity can be either hardware, a combination of hardware and software, software or running software. As an example, components can be, but are not limited to, processes, processors, objects, executables, threads of execution, computer executable instructions, programs and / or computers that run on the processor. By way of example, but not limited to, both the application running on the server and the server can be components. One or more components may reside within a thread of process and / or execution, and the components may be localized on one computer and / or distributed among two or more computers. is there. In addition, these components can be run from different computer-readable media with different data structures stored therein. A component interacts with another system over a signal, for example, over a network such as one or more data packets (data from a component that interacts with another component in a local system, a distributed system, and / or the Internet). It is possible to communicate via local and / or remote processes according to the signal having the data) from the component. As another example, the component can be a device with specific functionality provided by a mechanical component operated by an electrical or electronic circuit operated by a software or firmware application performed by the processor. Can be inside or outside the device Run at least part of the software or firmware application. As yet another example, a component can be a device that provides a particular function through an electronic component without the use of mechanical components, where the electronic component provides software or firmware that at least partially provides the functionality of the electronic component. It can include a processor in it for execution. Although various components have been exemplified as separate components, it is possible to realize multiple components as a single component or a single component as multiple components without departing from the exemplary embodiment. Will be understood.

In addition, various embodiments use standard programming and / or engineering techniques to create software, firmware, hardware, or any combination thereof that controls a computer to achieve the disclosed subject matter. , Method, device or product. As used herein, the term "product" is intended to include any computer-readable device, or computer program accessible from a computer-readable storage / communication medium. For example, computer-readable storage media include, but are not limited to, magnetic storage devices (eg, hard disks, floppy disks, magnetic strips), optical disks (eg, compact discs (CDs), digital versatile discs (DVDs)), smart cards and It can include flash memory devices (eg, cards, sticks, key drives). Of course, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that numerous changes can be made to this configuration without departing from the scope or intent of the various embodiments.

In addition, the terms "example" and "exemplary" are used herein to mean serve as an example or an example. Any embodiment or design described herein as "example" or "exemplary" should not necessarily be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or designs. Rather, the use of the word example or exemplary is intended to present the concept concretely. As used in this application, the term "or" is intended to mean an inclusive "or" rather than an exclusive "or". That is, unless otherwise indicated, or unless otherwise apparent in the context, "X utilizes A or B" is intended to mean either a natural inclusive permutation. That is, when X uses A, X uses B, or X uses both A and B, under any of the above cases, "X is A or Use B "is satisfied. In addition, the article "one (" a "and") used in this application and the appended claims. "an") "should generally be construed to mean" one or more "unless otherwise indicated or unless it is clear from the context that it is intended for the singular.

In addition, it represents terms (and / or similar terminology) such as "user device", "mobile station", "mobile subscriber station", "access terminal", "terminal", "handset", "mobile device". Terminology) refers to a wireless device used by a subscriber or user of a wireless communication service to receive or carry data, control, voice, video, sound, games or virtually any data or signaling stream. be able to. The above terms are used interchangeably herein and with reference to the relevant drawings.

In addition, terms such as "user," "subscriber," "customer," and "consumer" are used interchangeably throughout, unless certain differences between the terms are justified in the context. Such terms are supported through real human beings, or artificial intelligence (eg, the ability to reason at least based on complex mathematical forms) that can provide simulated vision, speech recognition, etc. It should be understood that it can refer to automated components.

As used herein, the term "processor" is used, but not limited to, a single-core processor, a single processor capable of software multi-thread execution, a multi-core processor, a multi-core processor capable of software multi-thread execution, or hardware. It can refer to virtually any computing unit or device, including multi-core processors using multi-threaded technology, parallel platforms, and parallel platforms with distributed shared memory. In addition, the processors are integrated circuits, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic controllers (PLCs), complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), discrete gates or It can refer to transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. Processors can utilize nanoscale architectures such as transistors, switches and gates based on molecules or quantum dots to optimize space utilization or improve performance of user equipment. The processor can also be realized as a combination of computing processing units.

As used herein, terms such as "data storage", "database", and virtually any other information storage component related to the operation and function of the component are "memory components", or Refers to an entity embodied in "memory" or a component having memory. It is understood that the memory component or computer-readable storage medium described herein can be either volatile or non-volatile memory, or can include both volatile and non-volatile memory. Yeah.

As used herein, the term "millimeter wave" can refer to electromagnetic waves that fall within the "millimeter wave frequency band" of 30 GHz to 300 GHz. The term "microwave" can refer to electromagnetic waves that fall into the "microwave frequency band" of 300MHz to 300GHz.

What has been described so far includes mere examples of various embodiments. Of course, not all possible combinations of components or methods can be described to illustrate these examples, but one of ordinary skill in the art recognizes that many further combinations and substitutions of this embodiment are possible. be able to. Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed and / or claimed herein are intended to include all such modifications, modifications and modifications that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. .. Further, as long as the term "includes" is used either in the detailed description or in the claims, such terms are claimed by the term "comprising". It is intended to be as comprehensive as it is interpreted when used as a transitional word in the scope of.

Although specific embodiments have been exemplified and described herein, it is possible to use any configuration that serves the same or similar objectives in place of the embodiments described or illustrated by the present disclosure. I want to be understood. The present disclosure is intended to include all possible modifications and variations of various embodiments. Combinations of the above embodiments and other embodiments not specifically described herein can be used in the present disclosure. For example, one or more features from one or more embodiments can be combined with one or more features of one or more other embodiments. In one or more embodiments, features that are positively listed may be passively listed and excluded from the embodiment, with or without replacement by another structural and / or functional feature. it can. The steps or functions described with respect to the embodiments of the present disclosure can be performed in any order. The steps or functions described with respect to embodiments of the present disclosure may be performed alone or in combination with other steps or functions of the present disclosure, from other embodiments not described in the present disclosure, or elsewhere. Can be performed in combination with other steps or functions from one step. In addition, more or less features than all the features described for one embodiment can be utilized.