Conductive cladding for waveguides
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsBenjamin J. Kallman, Daniel C. Wagman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A waveguide structure to allow device to determine its orientation are disclosed. The waveguide may be formed of a dielectric core and a cladding. The dielectric core may be formed of a solid dielectric material that conducts radio waves at millimeter wave frequencies and above. The cladding may encapsulate the core, and may include at least two conductive portions. Each conductive portion may be disposed around less than the entire core. The conductive portions allow electrical signals to flow between two devices to determine an orientation of the waveguide.
Claims20
A waveguide comprising:
- a dielectric core having a circular cross-sectional shape and being formed of a material that conducts radio waves;
- and
- a cladding having an annular cross-sectional shape and encapsulating the dielectric core, the cladding comprising a plurality of conductive portions formed as segments of the cladding that are equally spaced apart from one another and separated by insulation portions.
A waveguide system comprising:
- a waveguide comprising a dielectric core having a circular cross-sectional shape encapsulated by a cladding, the cladding having an annular cross-sectional shape and comprising a plurality of conductive portions that are formed as segments of the cladding that are equally spaced apart from one another and separated by insulation portions;
- a processor configured to interact with the waveguide;
- at least one antenna coupled to the processor, the at least one antenna configured to send data through the dielectric core of the waveguide;
- and
- at least one sensor corresponding to the at least one antenna and coupled to the processor, the at least one sensor configured to couple with the plurality of conductive portions of the waveguide cladding to determine an orientation of the dielectric core.
A method comprising:
- receiving, by at least one sensor, a first electrical signal sent through a cladding of a transmitting waveguide when the transmitting waveguide is mated with a receiving waveguide, the cladding having an annular cross-sectional shape and encapsulating a dielectric core of the transmitting waveguide having a circular cross-sectional shape and being formed of a material that conducts radio waves, and comprising a plurality of conductive portions that are formed as segments of the cladding that are equally spaced apart from one another and separated by insulation portions;
- determining a location of the at least one sensor;
- and
- determining an orientation of the transmitting waveguide by referencing the location of the at least one sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.