A signal transmission system including: a first connector apparatus, and a second connector apparatus that is coupled with the first connector apparatus. The first connector apparatus and the second connector apparatus are coupled together to form an electromagnetic field coupling unit, and a transmission object signal is converted into a radio signal, which is then transmitted through the electromagnetic field coupling unit, between the first connector apparatus and the second connector apparatus.

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.

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.

Methods, systems, and apparatus for monitoring and controlling electronic devices through the use of wired and wireless protocols. The systems and apparatuses may monitor their environment for signals from electronic devices. They may then take and disambiguate the signals that are received from the devices in their environment in order to identify said devices and associate control signals with them. The systems and apparatuses may then use communication means to send control signals to the identified electronic devices. Input and output transmission means for the systems and apparatuses may include, but are not limited to, powerline communication, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ZigBee, and 6LoWPAN. Signal processing and device identification may be done onboard the device, or may be done at a remote location. Multiple apparatuses or systems may be connected together into networks, including mesh networks, in order to make for a more robust architecture.

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a coupling device includes a circuit that receives a signal. At least one passive electrical circuit element generates an electromagnetic field in response to the signal. A portion of the electromagnetic field is guided by a surface of a transmission medium to propagate as a guided electromagnetic wave longitudinally along the transmission medium. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a coupling device includes a circuit that receives a signal. At least one passive electrical circuit element generates an electromagnetic field in response to the signal. A portion of the electromagnetic field is guided by a surface of a transmission medium to propagate as a guided electromagnetic wave longitudinally along the transmission medium. Other embodiments are disclosed.

The present disclosure includes systems and techniques relating to power line communications (PLC) systems and apparatus. In some implementations, a method includes determining information regarding a potential data rate to be used with a powerline communications (PLC) channel, reducing a bias current or voltage of an analog front end of a PLC transceiver based on the determined information to reduce power consumption of the analog front end of the PLC transceiver, and transmitting or receiving data over the PLC channel with the reduced bias current or voltage of the analog front end of the PLC transceiver.

The present disclosure includes systems and techniques relating to power line communications (PLC) systems and apparatus. In some implementations, a method includes determining information regarding a potential data rate to be used with a powerline communications (PLC) channel, reducing a bias current or voltage of an analog front end of a PLC transceiver based on the determined information to reduce power consumption of the analog front end of the PLC transceiver, and transmitting or receiving data over the PLC channel with the reduced bias current or voltage of the analog front end of the PLC transceiver.

A transmitter path of a power line communication (PLC) device is described. In an embodiment, the transmitter path may include an amplifier, a capacitor coupled to the amplifier, a shared transformer coupled to the capacitor, and a plurality of line interface coupling circuits coupled to the shared transformer, where each of the line interface coupling circuits is configured to be connected to a different phase of an electrical power circuit.

A transmitter path of a power line communication (PLC) device is described. In an embodiment, the transmitter path may include an amplifier, a capacitor coupled to the amplifier, a shared transformer coupled to the capacitor, and a plurality of line interface coupling circuits coupled to the shared transformer, where each of the line interface coupling circuits is configured to be connected to a different phase of an electrical power circuit.