Electromagnetic communication from waveguide confinement

A system for a gas turbine engine, the system comprising:

• a network of a plurality of sensing/control/identification devices distributed throughout the gas turbine engine, each of the sensing/control/identification devices associated with at least one sub-system component of the gas turbine engine and operable to communicate through a plurality of electromagnetic signals;
• shielding surrounding at least one of the sensing/control/identification devices to contain the electromagnetic signals proximate to the at least one sub-system component;
• a waveguide operable to route a portion of the electromagnetic signals through a waveguide transmitter interface, a waveguide medium, and a waveguide transition interface to the at least one of the sensing/control/identification devices;
• and
• a remote processing unit operable to communicate with the network of the sensing/control/identification devices through the electromagnetic signals.

A method of establishing electromagnetic communication from waveguide confinement, the method comprising:

• configuring a remote processing unit to power and communicate with a network of a plurality of sensing/control/identification devices in the machine using a plurality of electromagnetic signals;
• forming a shielded volume associated with at least one sub-system component of the machine, wherein the shielded volume surrounds at least one of the sensing/control/identification devices to contain the electromagnetic signals proximate to the at least one sub-system component;
• routing a portion of the electromagnetic signals to the at least one of the sensing/control/identification devices through a waveguide comprising a waveguide transmitter interface, a waveguide medium, and a waveguide transition interface;
• and
• linking a transmission path between the remote processing unit and the shielded volume.