# US 9,882,607 B2 · Surface-wave communications and methods thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,882,607 B2 - Document ID: US9882607B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/490,954 - Filed: 2017-04-19 - Published: 2017-08-03 - Granted: 2018-01-30 - Earliest claimed: 2013-11-06 - Assignees: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. - Applicants: At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. - Inventors: Robert Bennett; Donald J. Barnickel; Farhad Barzegar; Irwin Gerszberg; Paul Shala Henry; Thomas M. Willis, III - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9882607B2 ## CPC - H01Q 1/46: Electric supply lines or communication lines - H04B 3/36: Repeater circuits (H04B3/58 takes precedence) - H04B 3/52: Systems for transmission between fixed stations via waveguides - H04B 3/54: Systems for transmission via power distribution lines - H04B 3/56: Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals - H04B 7/022: Site diversity; Macro-diversity (using two or more spaced independent antennas H04B7/04) - H04W 16/26: Cell enhancers {or enhancement}, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow - H04W 52/52: using AGC [Automatic Gain Control] circuits or amplifiers - H02J 50/10: using inductive coupling - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY ## Abstract Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system including a frequency mixer that combines a signal and a carrier wave to form a combined signal, and a transmitter that generates a transmission based on the combined signal. The system can also include a coupling device that emits the transmission as an electromagnetic wave guided by an outer surface of a transmission medium. The electromagnetic wave can propagate longitudinally along the surface of the transmission medium and at least partially around the surface of the transmission medium. Other embodiments are disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: an antenna; a memory that stores executable instructions; and a processor, coupled to the memory, to facilitate execution of the executable instructions to perform operations, the operations comprising: generating a first electromagnetic wave based on a first wireless signal received by the antenna, wherein the first electromagnetic wave conveys first data; and sending, via a coupling device, the first electromagnetic wave to propagate along a transmission medium, wherein the coupling device has a central axis that is not coaxially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the transmission medium. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first electromagnetic wave comprises one or more propagation wave modes. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first electromagnetic wave comprises a non-fundamental wave mode. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first electromagnetic wave comprises a fundamental wave mode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein a wavelength of the first electromagnetic wave is less than a circumference of the transmission medium. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the transmission medium is coupled to the antenna. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the transmission medium comprises a dielectric transmission medium. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise: receiving, via the coupling device, a second electromagnetic wave from the transmission medium; and transmitting, via the antenna, the second electromagnetic wave as a second wireless signal conveying second data. ### Claim 9 A method, comprising: receiving, by a system including a processor, a first wireless signal conveying first data; generating, by the system, a first electromagnetic wave based on the first wireless signal, wherein the first electromagnetic wave conveys the first data; and coupling, via a coupling device, the first electromagnetic wave to a transmission medium, wherein the first electromagnetic wave propagates along the transmission medium, and wherein the coupling device has a central axis that is not coaxially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the transmission medium. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the first electromagnetic wave comprises one or more propagation wave modes. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the first electromagnetic wave comprises a non-fundamental wave mode. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the first electromagnetic wave comprises a fundamental wave mode. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein a wavelength of the first electromagnetic wave is less than a circumference of the transmission medium. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the receiving comprises receiving via an antenna. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the transmission medium comprises a dielectric transmission medium. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the system includes an antenna, and wherein the method further comprises: receiving, via the coupling device, a second electromagnetic wave from the transmission medium; and converting, by the system, the second electromagnetic wave to a second wireless signal conveying second data, wherein the converting comprises transmitting the second wireless signal by the antenna. ### Claim 17 An apparatus, comprising: an antenna, the antenna being configured to receive a wireless signal; and a coupling device in operative communication with the antenna, the coupling device being configured to send a guided electromagnetic wave, according to the wireless signal, along a transmission medium, the coupling device having a central axis that is not coaxially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the transmission medium. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the guided electromagnetic wave comprises one or more propagation wave modes. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the guided electromagnetic wave comprises a non-fundamental wave mode. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the guided electromagnetic wave comprises a fundamental wave mode.