Transmission device with channel equalization and control and methods for use therewith

A method, comprising:

• receiving a plurality of first electromagnetic waves in accordance with the surface wave channel dispersion equalization parameters;
• and
• coupling, by a plurality of couplers, at least a portion of each of the plurality of first electromagnetic waves onto an outer surface of a transmission medium to generate a plurality of second electromagnetic waves that longitudinally propagate along the outer surface of the transmission medium to at least one remote transmission device, wherein the at least one remote transmission device is configured to receive the plurality of second electromagnetic waves from the outer surface of the transmission medium, wherein the plurality of second electromagnetic waves includes a first wave having a first electromagnetic field pattern that includes a first lobe at a first azimuthal orientation to a longitudinal axis of the transmission medium and a second wave having a second electromagnetic field pattern that includes a second lobe at a second azimuthal orientation to the longitudinal axis of the transmission medium, and wherein the first azimuthal orientation differs from the second azimuthal orientation, and wherein the surface wave channel dispersion equalization parameters contribute to mitigating a channel dispersion of the plurality of second electromagnetic waves that propagate longitudinally along the outer surface of the transmission medium;
• wherein the channel state information is received from the at least one remote transmission device via third electromagnetic waves that propagate longitudinally along the outer surface of the transmission medium from the at least one remote transmission device.

A transmission device comprising:

• at least one transceiver configured to generate a plurality of first electromagnetic waves in accordance with channel control parameters;
• and
• a plurality of couplers configured to couple at least a portion of the plurality of first electromagnetic waves to a transmission medium as a plurality of second electromagnetic waves that propagate longitudinally along an outer surface of the transmission medium to communicate the data, wherein the plurality of second electromagnetic waves includes a first wave having a first electromagnetic field pattern that includes a first lobe at a first azimuthal orientation to a longitudinal axis of the transmission medium and a second wave having a second electromagnetic field pattern that includes a second lobe at a second azimuthal orientation to the longitudinal axis of the transmission medium, and wherein the first azimuthal orientation differs from the second azimuthal orientation, and wherein the channel control parameters contribute to mitigating a channel dispersion of the plurality of second electromagnetic waves that propagate longitudinally along the outer surface of the transmission medium;
• and
• a training controller configured to generate the channel control parameters based on channel state information received via a plurality of third electromagnetic waves that propagate longitudinally along the outer surface of the transmission medium from at least one other transmission device that is remote from the transmission device, and wherein the at least one other transmission device is further configured to adapt the at least one transceiver based on the channel state information.