US 10,623,057 B1Granted

Guided wave directional coupler and methods for use therewith

AssigneeAT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.

InventorsRobert Bennett, Farhad Barzegar, Irwin Gerszberg, Thomas M. Willis, III, Paul Shala Henry

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Abstract

In accordance with one or more embodiments, a directional coupler includes a first dielectric cable is configured to receive a first electromagnetic wave from the first port and to generate a second electromagnetic wave that propagates along a transmission medium in a first direction without requiring an electrical return path. A second dielectric cable is configured to couple a first portion of the second electromagnetic wave to a second port, wherein a second portion of the second electromagnetic wave continues to propagate in the first direction along the transmission medium. A third dielectric cable is configured to couple the second portion of the second electromagnetic wave to a third port and to isolate the third port from a third electromagnetic wave propagating along the transmission medium in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A directional coupler comprising:

a first port;
a second port;
a third port;
a first dielectric cable configured to receive a first electromagnetic wave from the first port and to generate, in response to the first electromagnetic wave, a second electromagnetic wave that propagates in a first direction along a transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path;
a second dielectric cable configured to couple a first portion of the second electromagnetic wave to the second port, wherein a second portion of the second electromagnetic wave continues to propagate in the first direction along the transmission medium;
and
a third dielectric cable configured to couple the second portion of the second electromagnetic wave to the third port;
wherein the second dielectric cable is further configured to receive a third electromagnetic wave from the second port and to generate, in response to the third electromagnetic wave, a fourth electromagnetic wave that propagates along the transmission medium in a second direction;
and
wherein the third dielectric cable isolates the third port from the fourth electromagnetic wave and wherein the transmission medium is a bare or insulated wire.

7 more elements

A method comprising:

receiving, via a first dielectric cable, a first electromagnetic wave from a first port;
generating, via the first dielectric cable and in response to the first electromagnetic wave, a second electromagnetic wave that propagates in a first direction along a transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the transmission medium is a bare or insulated wire;
coupling, via a second dielectric cable, a first portion of the second electromagnetic wave to a second port, wherein a second portion of the second electromagnetic wave continues to propagate in the first direction along the transmission medium;
and
coupling, via a third dielectric cable, the second portion of the second electromagnetic wave to a third port, wherein the third dielectric cable isolates the third port from a third electromagnetic wave propagating along the transmission medium in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.