Guided Wave Coupler for High-Bandwidth Data Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless infrastructure faces challenges in providing sufficient bandwidth to meet increasing data demands, particularly in urban areas with high usage of smart devices and broadband services, as traditional systems require higher capacity and often rely on electrical return paths for signal propagation.
Innovation Solution
A guided wave communication system that utilizes electromagnetic waves bound to transmission media like wires or dielectric materials, allowing for propagation without an electrical return path, using couplers and transceivers to launch and receive waves along the surface or within these media, enabling efficient data transmission over long distances with low loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional wireless infrastructure is used to provide broadband access, then coverage area is extended, but bandwidth capacity becomes insufficient to meet increasing data demands
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a guided wave transmission system that uses existing utility infrastructure (power lines, communication cables) as intermediaries to carry high-capacity data signals. Instead of deploying additional traditional wireless base stations, the system couples data signals onto existing conductive infrastructure, which then guides the signals to remote locations where they are extracted and transmitted wirelessly to end devices. This intermediary approach leverages already-deployed infrastructure to provide high bandwidth capacity without proportionally increasing infrastructure complexity.
2Productivity
If small cell deployment is pursued to provide additional mobile bandwidth, then bandwidth capacity increases, but infrastructure complexity and deployment cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables existing utility infrastructure to serve multiple functions simultaneously. The same power lines or communication cables that provide electrical power or traditional communication services are also used to guide high-capacity guided wave data signals. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated wireless infrastructure deployments, as the existing infrastructure is repurposed to carry additional data traffic, thereby increasing mobile bandwidth without proportionally increasing infrastructure complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows existing infrastructure to serve itself by carrying both its original function (power delivery or traditional communication) and the new guided wave data transmission function through the same physical medium. The infrastructure automatically provides the guidance path for the waves without requiring separate supporting structures, reducing deployment complexity.
3Ease of operation
If electromagnetic waves are transmitted through free space, then wireless communication is achieved, but signal loss increases over distance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a guided wave transmission medium (existing conductive infrastructure) as an intermediary between the transmitter and receiver. Instead of allowing signals to propagate through free space where they experience high attenuation, the signals are coupled onto the guided infrastructure that channels and confines the electromagnetic energy, significantly reducing loss over distance. The guided waves travel along the infrastructure to remote locations before being extracted for wireless transmission to end devices.
4Productivity
If conventional wireless transmission is used, then data transmission is achieved, but network capacity becomes insufficient for high data usage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical wireless transmission systems (requiring line-of-sight propagation and susceptible to environmental interference) with a guided wave system that uses electromagnetic fields bound to physical infrastructure. This substitution provides more stable and higher-capacity transmission by confining the electromagnetic energy to the guided medium, increasing network capacity while the modular coupling/extraction architecture keeps the added complexity manageable.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution provides a high-bandwidth, low-loss data transmission method that can propagate along various transmission media without requiring an electrical return path, enhancing network capacity and reliability while reducing infrastructure complexity.
Implementation Method 1
A waveguide may be used to couple the electromagnetic waves onto a transmission medium so that the waves propagate along a surface or within the medium
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, a system for generating electromagnetic signals that resonate in a cavity having a plurality of reflectors resulting in resonating electromagnetic signals and combining the resonating electromagnetic signals to form an electromagnetic wave that traverses a reflector and couples onto a physical transmission medium. Other embodiments are disclosed.