Method and apparatus for communications management in a neighborhood network

US9960809B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. · US

Inventors

• David Gross · South River, US
• Joshua Lackey · Lake Stevens, US
• Donald E. Levy · Holmdel, US
• Roger Piqueras Jover · New York, US
• Jayaraman Ramachandran · Plainsboro, US
• Cristina Serban · Middletown, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 11, 2017
• Grant date: May 1, 2018
• Expiry date: Jul 11, 2037

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04B2203/5445
• WIPO field: Digital communication
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, receiving data from an external network device positioned outside of a neighborhood network, wherein the first waveguide system is a first network node of the neighborhood network. Electromagnetic waves are sent to a second waveguide system via a transmission medium, wherein the electromagnetic waves are guided by the transmission medium without utilizing an electrical return path, wherein the electromagnetic waves convey the data. The second waveguide system is determined according to a neighborhood routing scheme that limits delivery of the data to a group of recipient devices within a service area of the neighborhood network and the second waveguide system is a second network node of the neighborhood network. Other embodiments are disclosed.