Passive enhanced MoCA entry device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10212392-B2
Application number	US-201715638933-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2017
Priority date	Jun 30, 2016
Publication date	Feb 19, 2019
Grant date	Feb 19, 2019

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a passive, enhanced MoCA entry device. The entry device includes an entry port, a broadband port, high-band ports, and a filter device. The entry device also includes a broadband path connecting the entry port to the broadband port and a high-band path connecting the entry port to the plurality of high-band ports. The filter device generates a broadband signal and a high-band signal. The filter device provides the broadband signal to broadband port via the broadband path. And, the filter device provides the high-band signal to the high-band ports via the high-band path.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A passive, Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) entry device comprising:
an entry port configured to connect the MoCA entry device to a provider, and to communicate cable television (CATV) signals with the provider;
a broadband port configured to connect the MoCA entry device to a premises, and to communicate the CATV signals with a gateway device at the premises;
a plurality of high-band ports configured to connect the MoCA entry device to the premises, and to communicate MoCA signals with a plurality of MoCA devices at the premises;
a filter device comprising a low-band filter and configured to block the MoCA signals from the entry port;
a broadband path connecting the broadband port to the entry port and the plurality of high-band ports, the broadband path being configured to communicate the CATV signals between the broadband port and the entry port, and to communicate the MoCA signals between with the broadband port and the plurality of high-band ports; and
a high-band path connecting the plurality of high-band ports to the broadband port, the high-band path being configured to pass only the MoCA signals to the plurality of high-band ports,
wherein:
the MoCA entry device is configured to be installed between the premises and a headend of the provider, and
the high-band path comprises a high-band splitter configured to only pass the MoCA signals.

2. The MoCA entry device of claim 1 , wherein:
the filter device comprises a low-pass filter and a high-pass filter;
the low-pass filter is configured to pass the CATV signals to the entry port and to block the MoCA signals from the entry port; and
the high-pass filter is configured to block the CATV signals from the plurality of high-band ports and to block the CATV signals from the plurality of high-band ports.

3. The MoCA entry device of claim 1 , wherein the broadband port is the sole broadband port included in the MoCA entry device.

4. The MoCA entry device of claim 1 , wherein the broadband path comprises a directional coupler configured to split the CATV signals between the broadband port and a second broadband port.

5. The passive, MoCA entry device of claim 4 , wherein the directional coupler is configured to:
attenuate the broadband signal by less than one decibel (dB) between the input port and the through port, and
attenuate the broadband signal provided to the second broadband port by greater than 6 dB between the input port and the coupled port.

6. The passive, MoCA entry device of claim 4 , wherein the directional coupler is configured to prevent signal reflections from an active device connected the first broadband port from affecting a telephone device connected to the second broadband port.

7. The passive MoCA entry device of claim 4 , wherein the directional coupler is configured to allow the telephone device connected to second broadband port to communicate in situations when the passive MoCA entry device is unpowered.

8. The MoCA entry device of claim 1 wherein the filter device comprises a diplexer.

9. The MoCA entry device of claim 1 , wherein the MoCA entry device is separate from the premises.

10. The MoCA entry device of claim 9 , wherein the MoCA entry device is not within the premises.

11. The MoCA entry device of claim 9 , wherein:
the entry port is configured to:
transmit an upstream CATV signal out from the MoCA entry device to the provider, and
receive a downstream CATV signal transmitted from the provider into the MoCA entry device,

the broadband port is configured to:
transmit a downstream CATV signal out from the MoCA entry device to the premises, and
receive an upstream CATV signal transmitted out the premises into the MoCA entry device, and

the plurality of high-band ports are configured to:
transmit a downstream high-band signal out from the MoCA entry device to the premises, and
receive an upstream high-band signal transmitted out the premises into the MoCA entry device.

12. The RF entry device of claim 9 , wherein the broadband splitter comprises one or more components optimized to operate at frequencies at or below 1675 MHz.

13. The MoCA entry device of claim 1 , further comprising a reflection filter located between the broadband port and the plurality of high-band ports, the reflection filter configured to:
reflect the MoCA signals received by the high-band ports to all of the plurality of high-band ports, and
attenuate the MoCA signals bidirectionally passed between the broadband path and the high-band path.

14. The MoCA entry device of claim 13 , wherein the reflection filter is separate from the filter device.

15. A radio-frequency (RF) entry device comprising:
an entry port configured to connect the RF entry device to a RF signal provider;
a broadband port configured to connect the RF entry device to a premises;
a plurality of high-band ports configured to connect the RF entry device to the premises;
a filter device configured to communicate low-band RF signals with the entry port;
a broadband path configured to communicate broadband RF signals with the broadband port; and
a high-band path configured to communicate a plurality of high-band RF signals with the plurality of high-band ports,
wherein:
the filter device is configured to block communication of any RF signals having frequencies greater than a frequency band of the low-band RF signals,
the high-band path is configured to reject any RF signals having frequencies less than a frequency band of the high-band RF signals,
the broadband path is configured to pass RF signals having frequencies in the frequency bands of the low-band RF signals and the high-band RF signals,
the high-band path comprises a high-band splitter configured to only pass Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) signals, and
the RF device is configured to be installed between the RF signal provider and the premises.

16. The RF entry device of claim 15 , wherein:
the frequency band of the low-band RF signal is below 1000 megahertz (MHz); and
the frequency band of the high-band RF signal is between 1000 MHz and 2000 MHz.

17. The RF entry device of claim 15 , wherein the filter device comprises a diplexer configured to:
receive the broadband RF signals from the broadband path;
provide a low-band portion of the broadband RF signal to the entry port; and
provide a high-band portion of the broadband RF signal to the high-band path.

18. The RF entry device of claim 15 , wherein:
the broadband path is configured to communicate the broadband RF signals with the filter device and the high-band path;
the filter device is configured to pass a low-band portion of the broadband RF signals to the entry port, and to block a high-band portion of the broadband RF signals from the entry port; and
the high-band path is configured to pass a high-band portion of the broadband RF signals to the plurality of high-band ports, and to block the low-band portion of the broadband RF signals from the plurality of high-band ports.

19. The RF entry device of claim 15 , wherein the filter device comprises:
a first filter configured to only pass frequencies below about 1000 MHz; and
a second filter configured to only pass frequencies above 1000 MHz.

20. The RF entry device of claim 15 , wherein the broadband port is the sole broadband port included in the MoCA entry device.

21. The RF entry device of claim 15 , wherein the broadband path comprises a directional coupler configured to bidirectionally communicate the br

Assignees

• Ppc Broadband Inc

Inventors

• Bailey Paul
• Li Yan
• Wells Chad

Classifications

• H04H20/78

  CATV [Community Antenna Television] systems · CPC title

• H04H20/79

  using downlink of the CATV systems, e.g. audio broadcast via CATV network · CPC title

• H04N21/6168

  involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem · CPC title

• H04N7/17309 Primary

  Transmission or handling of upstream communications · CPC title

• H04N7/10

  Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable (H04N7/12 takes precedence) · CPC title