Method and apparatus for guiding an electromagnetic wave to a transmission medium

1. A device, comprising:

a transmitter that facilitates generation of an electromagnetic wave; and

a coupler having a body that is coupled to the transmitter and coupled to a first portion of a surface of a transmission medium, wherein an inner surface of the body of the coupler is in contact with the first portion of the surface of the transmission medium without a dielectric material positioned therebetween,

wherein the coupler includes a plurality of tapered endpoints integrally formed with the body,

wherein the coupler facilitates guiding the electromagnetic wave to the plurality of tapered endpoints, and

wherein the plurality of tapered endpoints facilitates reducing a radiation of the electromagnetic wave as the electromagnetic wave propagates to a second portion of the surface of the transmission medium that differs from the first portion of the surface of the transmission medium.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the transmitter facilitates generation of the electromagnetic wave according to a communication signal, and wherein the communication signal operates in a first spectral segment, and wherein the electromagnetic wave operates in a second spectral segment that differs from the first spectral segment.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the communication signal conforms to a signaling protocol, and wherein the electromagnetic wave conveys the communication signal in the second spectral segment without modifying the signaling protocol.

4. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a receiver coupled to the coupler, wherein the receiver facilitates receiving another electromagnetic wave that propagates from the second portion of the surface of the transmission medium to the coupler via the plurality of tapered endpoints.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the coupler, the plurality of tapered endpoints, or both are conductive.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the coupler, the plurality of tapered endpoints, or both are non-conductive.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the transmission medium comprises an uninsulated conductor, an insulated conductor, or a dielectric core.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the plurality of tapered endpoints vary in at least one physical dimension.

9. A device, comprising:

a receiver; and

a coupler coupled to the receiver,

wherein the coupler includes a plurality of tapered endpoints integrally formed with a body of the coupler,

wherein a portion of the coupler surrounds a first portion of a surface of a transmission medium, wherein an inner surface of the body of the coupler is in contact with the first portion of the surface of the transmission medium without a dielectric material positioned therebetween,

wherein the receiver facilitates receiving from the coupler an electromagnetic wave propagating on a second portion of the surface of the transmission medium,

wherein the plurality of tapered endpoints facilitates reducing a radiation of the electromagnetic wave as the electromagnetic wave propagates from the second portion of the surface of the transmission medium to the coupler.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the electromagnetic wave conveys a communication signal, wherein the communication signal operates in a first spectral segment, wherein the electromagnetic wave operates in a second spectral segment that differs from the first spectral segment.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the electromagnetic wave is generated by another device without modifying a signaling protocol of the communication signal.

12. The device of claim 9 , further comprising a transmitter coupled to the coupler, wherein the transmitter facilitates generation of another electromagnetic wave, and wherein the coupler facilitates guiding the another electromagnetic wave to the plurality of tapered endpoints.

13. The device of claim 9 , wherein the coupler, the plurality of tapered endpoints, or both are conductive.

14. The device of claim 9 , wherein the coupler, the plurality of tapered endpoints, or both are non-conductive.

15. The device of claim 9 , wherein the transmission medium comprises an uninsulated conductor, an insulated conductor, or a dielectric core.

16. The device of claim 9 , wherein at least two of the plurality of tapered endpoints vary in at least one physical dimension.

17. A method, comprising:

generating, by a system including a transmitter, an electromagnetic wave; and

coupling, by a coupler coupled to a first portion of a surface of a transmission medium, the electromagnetic wave to a second portion of the surface of the transmission medium via a plurality of tapered endpoints integrally formed with a body of the coupler, wherein an inner surface of the body of the coupler is in contact with the first portion of the surface of the transmission medium without a dielectric material positioned therebetween,

wherein the coupler facilitates guiding the electromagnetic wave to the plurality of tapered endpoints, and

wherein the plurality of tapered endpoints facilitates reducing a radiation of the electromagnetic wave as the electromagnetic wave propagates to the second portion of the surface of the transmission medium.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the transmitter facilitates generation of the electromagnetic wave according to a communication signal, and wherein the communication signal operates in a first spectral segment, and wherein the electromagnetic wave operates in a second spectral segment that differs from the first spectral segment.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the communication signal conforms to a signaling protocol, and wherein the electromagnetic wave conveys the communication signal in the second spectral segment without modifying the signaling protocol.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the coupler, the plurality of tapered endpoints, or both are conductive.