Systems and methods for implementing high-speed waveguide transmission over wires
Various embodiments describe communication systems for implementing high-speed transmission systems using waveguide-mode transmission over wires. In certain examples, a communication system uses wire pairs as “waveguides” that transmit data at high frequencies and speeds. The data is transmitted through wave propagation that takes various forms, such as surface waves and Total Internal Reflection (TIR) waves.
1. A data transmission device comprising:
a transmitter that transmits a data-carrying signal over a transmission medium having waveguide properties and supporting a plurality of waveguide modes, the transmitter comprises a precoder that precodes a signal for transmission across a plurality of antennas and excites a first waveguide mode within the plurality of waveguide modes;
the plurality of antennas transmits the precoded signal onto the transmission medium based on a training method that transmits a plurality of signals through the plurality of antennas to determine precoder parameters;
wherein the training method providing a plurality of channel response measurements across a plurality of insertion angles into the signal-carrying media, wherein further frequencies, amplitudes and phases of the concurrently transmitted signals, the plurality of insertion angles into the signal-carrying media, amplitudes and phases being defined by a precoder coefficient matrix; and
wherein the transmission medium comprises a set of waveguides that have been formed in gaps between two or more wires to transmit electromagnetic waves, wherein at least a portion of the surfaces of the two or more wires serve as waveguide boundaries.
2. The device of claim 1 further comprising a calibration unit coupled within the transmitter, the calibration unit transmits a plurality of test signals into the transmission medium to determine the precoder parameters.
3. The device of claim 2 wherein the calibration unit adjusts settings across a vector precoder within the transmitter, the adjustable settings cause precoder parameters of the plurality of test signals to change based on vector weights generated within the precoder and applied to at least one antenna within the plurality of antennas.
4. The device of claim 3 wherein the preferred precoder parameters are selected based at least in part on feedback from a remote receiver, the feedback identifying a detectability characteristic of at least one of the test signals.
5. The device of claim 4 wherein the detectability characteristic is a signal-to-noise measurement of the at least one of the test signals.
6. The device of claim 1 wherein the precoder is a type selected from a group consisting of: linear, zero-forcing, minimum mean squared error (MMSE), non-linear, generalized decision feedback equalizer (GDFE).
7. The device of claim 1 wherein the signal is transmitted to a second storage device.
8. The device of claim 1 further comprising a symbol encoder coupled within the transmitter, the symbol encoder encodes data on the signal prior to transmission onto the transmission medium.
9. The device of claim 8 further comprising a modulator coupled within the transmitter, the modulator converts the encoded first signal to a passband signal.
10. The device of claim 1 wherein the precoder that performs vectored signal processing on a plurality of signals to distinguish waveguide modes and increase data transfer rates.
11. The device of claim 1 wherein wherein at least some of the waveguides in the set of waveguides transmit a plurality of signals simultaneously.
12. The device of claim 11 wherein each of at least two signals is transmitted on a different carrier frequency.
13. The device of claim 1 wherein at least some of the waveguides in the set of waveguides transmit a plurality of signals simultaneously.
14. The device of claim 1 further comprising a polarizer coupled to the transmitter, the polarizer converts a polarization of the precoded signal received from the transmitter to a first polarization related to a coupling of at least one waveguide mode within the plurality of waveguide modes.
15. The device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of waveguide modes comprises at least one mode selected from a group consisting of: transverse magnetic, plasmon traverse electro-magnetic, transmission-line, total internal reflection, and transverse electric modes.
16. A data reception device for receiving signals comprising:
a plurality of antennas that receives precoded signals from a transmission medium, the precoded signals being generated based on a training method that transmits the precoded signals onto the transmission medium having waveguide properties and supporting a plurality of transmission modes, each of the precoded signals propagating in a corresponding transmission mode related to the precoder parameters used to generate at least one of the precoded signals;
a receiver coupled to receive the precoded signals from the plurality of antennas, the receiver comprises a channel response feedback processor that receives each of the precoded signals and determines a plurality of channel response measurements across a plurality of frequencies and precoder parameters of each of the precoded signals;
wherein the training method providing a plurality of channel response measurements across a plurality of insertion angles into the signal-carrying media, wherein further frequencies, amplitudes and phases of the concurrently transmitted signals, the plurality of insertion angles into the signal-carrying media, amplitudes and phases being defined by a precoder coefficient matrix; and
wherein the transmission medium comprises a set of waveguides that have been formed in gaps between two or more wires to transmit electromagnetic waves, wherein at least a portion of the surfaces of the two or more wires serve as waveguide boundaries.
17. The device of claim 16 further comprising:
a sensor coupled within the receiver, the sensor converts an electromagnetic wave corresponding to a first precoded signal to an electrical signal;
a vector post-canceller coupled to receive the electrical signal, the vector post-canceller reduces interference on the first electrical signal;
a demodulator coupled to receive the electrical signal, the demodulator coverts the electrical signal from a passband electrical signal to a baseband electrical signal;
a symbol decoder coupled to receive the set of received symbols, the symbol decoder decodes data from the set of received symbols.
18. The device of claim 17 further comprising a symbol decoder coupled within the receiver, the symbol decoder decodes data on the first precoded signal.
19. The device of claim 1 , further comprising an antenna mounted around a wire to couple electromagnetic waves into one or more waveguide modes at a GHz or THz frequency range.
20. The device of claim 1 , further comprising using a polarizer that aligns the electromagnetic waves to a polarization of a waveguide mode that is transmitted in a waveguide and a lens that focusses the electromagnetic waves onto the waveguide.