Method and apparatus for reducing isolation in a home network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10021343-B2
Application number	US-201113333060-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2011
Priority date	Dec 21, 2010
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

This invention disclosure relates to a community access television (CATV) signal distribution system which improves signal isolation issues for systems which are distributing both CATV signals and in-home entertainment (IHE) signals. The signal distribution system includes a signal input port, a first multi-port signal splitter and a second multi-port signal splitter. The first multi-port signal splitter is coupled to the signal input port through a first diplexer, and the second multi-port signal splitter is coupled to the signal input port through a second diplexer. In some embodiments the first diplexer high-pass node and the second diplexer high-pass node are coupled together. In some embodiment the signal distribution system includes a signal output port coupled to the signal input port through a third diplexer. The high-pass node of the third diplexer is coupled to the high-pass node of the first diplexer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A community access television (CATV) signal distribution comprising:
a CATV signal input port configured for connection to a CATV network;
a signal splitter comprising a common terminal configured to be coupled to the CATV signal input port, and two output terminals, the signal splitter configured to divide a CATV downstream signal received at the common terminal into multiple CATV downstream signals supplied at its output terminals, the signal splitter also configured to communicate upstream signals received at each output terminal to the common terminal;
a first diplexer comprising a common node, a high-pass node, and a low-pass node, the first diplexer configured to communicate in-home entertainment signals within a predetermined high frequency band between the common node of the first diplexer and the high-pass node of the first diplexer, and further configured to communicate signals at a predetermined low frequency band between the common node and the low pass node, the low-pass node configured to be coupled to one of the output terminals of the signal splitter;
a second diplexer comprising a common node, a high-pass node, and a low-pass node, the second diplexer configured to communicate the in-home entertainment signals within the predetermined high frequency band between the common node of the second diplexer and the high-pass node of the second diplexer, and further configured to communicate signals at the predetermined low frequency band between the common node and the low-pass node, the low-pass node configured to be coupled to the other of the output terminals of the signal splitter;
an attenuator circuit configured to:
couple the high-pass node of the first diplexer to the high-pass node of the second diplexer, and
bidirectionally conduct the in-home entertainment signals within a predetermined high frequency band,

a first plurality of device ports configured to connect to a first plurality of in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices;
a second plurality of device ports configured to connect to a second plurality of in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices;
a first multi-port signal splitter comprising an input terminal and a plurality of output terminals, wherein:
the input terminal of the first multi-port splitter is coupled to the common node of the first diplexer;
the plurality of output terminals of the first multi-port splitter are connected to the first plurality of device ports and configured to bidirectionally communicate signals within the predetermined low frequency band and the in-home entertainment signals within the predetermined high frequency band with the first plurality of in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices; and

a second multi-port signal splitter comprising an input terminal and a plurality of output terminals, wherein:
the input terminal of the second multi-port splitter is coupled to the common node of the second diplexer,
the plurality of output terminals of the second multi-port splitter are connected to the second plurality of device ports and configured to bidirectionally communicate signals within the predetermined low frequency band and the in-home entertainment signals within the predetermined high frequency band with the second plurality of in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices;

wherein the attenuator circuit is further configured to:
control a level of attenuation of the in-home entertainment signals within the predetermined high frequency band between the first plurality of in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices and the second plurality of in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices passing from the high-pass node of the first diplexer to the high-pass node of the second diplexer and passing from the high-pass node of the second diplexer to the high-pass node of the first diplexer, and
adjust a frequency response tilt of the in-home entertainment signals within the predetermined high frequency band bidirectionally communicated between the first plurality of in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices and the second plurality of in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices through the high-pass node of the first diplexer and the high-pass node of the second diplexer.

2. The CATV signal distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the first multi-port splitter comprises at least four output ports.

3. The CATV signal distribution system of claim 2 , wherein the first multi-port splitter comprises three two-way splitters.

4. The CATV signal distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the second multi-port splitter comprises at least four output ports.

5. The CATV signal distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the attenuator circuit includes an equalizer circuit configured to equalize the in-home entertainment signals conducted between the first and second in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices.

6. The CATV signal distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the attenuator circuit includes a reflectance circuit configured to control signal reflection of the in-home entertainment signals conducted between the first and second in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices.

7. The CATV signal distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the level of attenuation in the attenuator circuit is adjustable.

8. The CATV signal distribution system of claim 7 , wherein the level of attenuation is adjustable from 0 dB to a predetermined level of attenuation.

9. The CATV signal distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the high-pass node of the first diplexer is configured to couple to the high-pass node of the second diplexer via the attenuator without any splitting of the in-home entertainment signals conducted between the first and second in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices.

10. A community access television (CATV) signal distribution system comprising:
a CATV signal input port configured for connection to a CATV network;
a signal splitter comprising a common terminal configured to be coupled to the CATV signal input port, and two output terminals, the signal splitter configured to divide a CATV downstream signal received at the common terminal into multiple CATV downstream signals supplied at each of its output terminals, the signal splitter also configured to communicate upstream signals received at each output terminal to the common terminal;
a first diplexer comprising a common node, a high-pass node, and a low-pass node, the first diplexer configured to communicate signals within a predetermined high frequency band between the common node and the high-pass node, and further configured to communicate signals at a predetermined low frequency band between the common node and the low pass node, the low-pass node configured to be coupled to one of the output terminals of the signal splitter;
a second diplexer comprising a common node, a high-pass node, and a low-pass node, the second diplexer configured to communicate signals within the predetermined high frequency band between the common node and the high-pass node, and further configured to communicate signals at the predetermined low frequency band between the common node and the low-pass node, the low-pass node configured to be coupled to the other of the output terminals of the signal splitter;
an attenuator circuit configured to bidirectionally communicate the signals within the predetermined high frequency band transmitted between the common node of the first diplexer and the common node of the second diplexer via the high-pass node of the first diplexer to the high-pass node of the second diplexer without signal attenuation due to splitting the signals within the predetermined high

Assignees

• Alkan Erdogan
• Ppc Broadband Inc

Inventors

• Alkan Erdogan

Classifications

• H04N7/104 Primary

  Switchers or splitters · CPC title

• H04N21/436

  Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB {or one or more peripheral devices} inside the home · CPC title