QUASI-OPTICAL COUPLER

摘要

A quasi-optical coupling system launches and extracts surface wave communication transmissions from a wire. At millimeter-wave frequencies, where the wavelength is small compared to the macroscopic size of the equipment, the millimeter-wave transmissions can be transported from one place to another and diverted via lenses and reflectors, much like visible light. Transmitters and receivers can be positioned near telephone and power lines and reflectors placed on or near the cables can reflect transmissions onto or off of the cables. The lenses on the transmitters are focused, and the reflectors positioned such that the reflected transmissions are guided waves on the surface of the cables. The reflectors can be polarization sensitive, where one or more of a set of guided wave modes can be reflected off the wire based on the polarization of the guided wave modes and polarization and orientation of the reflector.

主权项

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a transmitter that emits a transmission, wherein a wavelength of the transmission corresponds to a millimeter-wave band; and a reflector, positioned with respect to a wire, that reflects the transmission in a direction substantially parallel to the wire thereby resulting in a reflected transmission, wherein the reflected transmission comprises a guided wave that is guided based on a surface of the wire.