Guided wave splitter and methods for use therewith

1. A splitter comprising:

a first port;

a second port;

a third port;

a first dielectric cable configured to receive a first electromagnetic wave from the first port and to generate, in response to the first electromagnetic wave, a second electromagnetic wave that propagates in a first direction along a transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the transmission medium is a bare or insulated wire;

a second dielectric cable in proximity to a first side of the transmission medium configured to couple a first portion of the second electromagnetic wave to the second port; and

a third dielectric cable in proximity to a second side of the transmission medium configured to couple a second portion of the second electromagnetic wave to the third port.

2. The splitter of claim 1 , wherein the first dielectric cable, the second dielectric cable and the third dielectric cable are each conductorless.

3. The splitter of claim 1 , wherein the second dielectric cable is further configured to receive a third electromagnetic wave from the second port and to generate, in response to the third electromagnetic wave, a fourth electromagnetic wave that propagates along the transmission medium in a second direction; and

wherein the third dielectric cable isolates the third port from the fourth electromagnetic wave and wherein the transmission medium is a bare or insulated wire.

4. The splitter of claim 1 , wherein the third dielectric cable is further configured to receive a third electromagnetic wave from the third port and to generate, in response to the third electromagnetic wave, a fourth electromagnetic wave that propagates along the transmission medium in a second direction; and

wherein the second dielectric cable isolates the second port from the fourth electromagnetic wave.

5. The splitter of claim 1 , wherein the first dielectric cable includes:

a first unexposed dielectric core portion and a first dielectric cladding portion that surrounds the first unexposed dielectric core portion, the first unexposed dielectric core portion configured to receive the first electromagnetic wave at a first end of the first dielectric cable and to guide the first electromagnetic wave along the first unexposed dielectric core portion; and

a first exposed dielectric core portion that is not surrounded by the first dielectric cladding portion, the first exposed dielectric core portion configured to couple a first portion of the first electromagnetic wave to the transmission medium, wherein the first portion of the first electromagnetic wave coupled to the transmission medium propagates as the second electromagnetic wave along the transmission medium.

6. The splitter of claim 1 , further comprising:

a cable termination at a second end of the first dielectric cable configured to absorb a portion of the first electromagnetic wave that fails to couple to the transmission medium.

7. The splitter of claim 5 , wherein the first exposed dielectric core portion is bent in an arc to facilitate radiation of the first electromagnetic wave from the first exposed dielectric core portion and wherein the arc has a radius of curvature that is in a range of plus or minus 50 percent of a minimum radius required to support guiding of the first electromagnetic wave by the first exposed dielectric core portion.

8. The splitter of claim 5 , wherein the second dielectric cable includes:

a second unexposed dielectric core portion and a second dielectric cladding portion that surrounds the second unexposed dielectric core portion; and

a second exposed dielectric core portion that is not surrounded by the second dielectric cladding portion, the second exposed dielectric core portion configured to couple the first portion of the second electromagnetic wave from the transmission medium to the second unexposed dielectric core portion, wherein the second unexposed dielectric core portion guides the first portion of the second electromagnetic wave to the second port.

9. The splitter of claim 8 , wherein the third dielectric cable includes:

a third unexposed dielectric core portion and a third dielectric cladding portion that surrounds the third unexposed dielectric core portion; and

a third exposed dielectric core portion that is not surrounded by the third dielectric cladding portion, the third exposed dielectric core portion configured to couple the second portion of the second electromagnetic wave from the transmission medium to the third unexposed dielectric core portion, wherein the third unexposed dielectric core portion guides the second portion of the second electromagnetic wave to the second port.

10. The splitter of claim 9 , wherein the first side of the transmission medium is opposite the second side of the transmission medium.

11. A method comprising:

receiving, via a first dielectric cable, a first electromagnetic wave from a first port;

generating, via the first dielectric cable and in response to the first electromagnetic wave, a second electromagnetic wave that propagates in a first direction along a transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the transmission medium is a bare or insulated wire;

coupling, via a second dielectric cable in proximity to a first side of the transmission medium, a first portion of the second electromagnetic wave to a second port; and

coupling, via a third dielectric cable in proximity to a second side of the transmission medium, a second portion of the second electromagnetic wave to a third port.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first dielectric cable, the second dielectric cable and the third dielectric cable are each conductorless.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second dielectric cable is further configured to receive a third electromagnetic wave from the second port and to generate, in response to the third electromagnetic wave, a fourth electromagnetic wave that propagates along the transmission medium in a second direction; and

wherein the third dielectric cable isolates the third port from the fourth electromagnetic wave and wherein the transmission medium is a bare or insulated wire.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the third dielectric cable is further configured to receive a third electromagnetic wave from the third port and to generate, in response to the third electromagnetic wave, a fourth electromagnetic wave that propagates along the transmission medium in a second direction; and

wherein the second dielectric cable isolates the second port from the fourth electromagnetic wave.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first dielectric cable includes:

a first unexposed dielectric core portion and a first dielectric cladding portion that surrounds the first unexposed dielectric core portion, the first unexposed dielectric core portion configured to receive the first electromagnetic wave at a first end of the first dielectric cable and to guide the first electromagnetic wave along the first unexposed dielectric core portion; and

a first exposed dielectric core portion that is not surrounded by the first dielectric cladding portion, the first exposed dielectric core portion configured to couple a first portion of the first electromagnetic wave to the transmission medium, wherein the first portion of the first electromagnetic wave coupled to the transmission medium propagates as the second electromagnetic wave along the transmission medium.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first exposed dielectric core portion is bent in an arc to facilitate radiation of the first electromagnetic wave from the first exposed dielectric core portion and wherein the arc has a radius of curvature that less that a minimum radius required to support guiding of the first electromagnetic wave by the first exposed dielectric core portion.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the second dielectric cable includes:

a second unexposed dielectric core portion and a second dielectric cladding portion that surrounds the second unexposed dielectric core portion; and

a second exposed dielectric core portion that is not surrounded by the second dielectric cladding portion, the second exposed dielectric core portion configured to couple the first portion of the second electromagnetic wave from the transmission medium to the second unexposed dielectric core portion, wherein the second unexposed dielectric core portion guides the first portion of the second electromagnetic wave to the second port.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the third dielectric cable includes:

a third unexposed dielectric core portion and a third dielectric cladding portion that surrounds the third unexposed dielectric core portion; and

a third exposed dielectric core portion that is not surrounded by the third dielectric cladding portion, the third exposed dielectric core portion configured to couple the second portion of the second electromagnetic wave from the transmission medium to the third unexposed dielectric core portion, wherein the third unexposed dielectric core portion guides the second portion of the second electromagnetic wave to the second port.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first side of the transmission medium is opposite the second side of the transmission medium.

20. A splitter comprising:

means for receiving a first electromagnetic wave from a first port;

means for generating, in response to the first electromagnetic wave, a second electromagnetic wave that propagates in a first direction along a transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the transmission medium is a bare or insulated wire;

means for coupling a first portion of the second electromagnetic wave from a first side of the transmission medium to a second port; and

means for coupling a second portion of the second electromagnetic wave from a first side of the transmission medium to a third port.