Amplifier for extended spectrum DOCSIS

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12493403-B2
Application number	US-202418424482-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 26, 2024
Priority date	Jan 26, 2023
Publication date	Dec 9, 2025
Grant date	Dec 9, 2025

Abstract

Systems and methods for amplifying signals propagated along a span of cable that imposes a loss tilt, and such that the loss tilt is canceled so as to provide unity gain, by modulating amplification as a function of frequency of an amplifier adjacent the span.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . An amplifier having a northbound port and a southbound port and positioned adjacent a span of a transmission medium that propagates a signal to be amplified by the amplifier, the span causing a loss profile of the propagated signal specified by a magnitude of loss that varies as a function of frequency, the amplifier comprising:
a first gain block proximate the northbound port and a second gain block proximate the southbound port, the first and second gain blocks together arranged along a signal path of the amplifier; and a respective attenuator and a respective equalizer, each positioned between the first and second gain blocks, and together configured to modify at least one of a tilt and a gain of the amplifier so as to be equal and opposite the loss profile of the span; wherein the signal path of the amplifier between the first gain block and the second gain block is at least one of (1) free from receptacles that receive a plug-in cable simulator and (2) free from a plug-in cable simulator needed to achieve unity gain of the amplifier.

2 . The amplifier of claim 1 , wherein the amplifier is designed to achieve unity gain.

3 . The amplifier of claim 1 , wherein the signal path of the amplifier is a downstream path.

4 . The amplifier of claim 1 , wherein the signal path of the amplifier is an upstream path.

5 . The amplifier of claim 1 wherein the signal path of the amplifier between the first gain block and the second gain block is free from receptacles that receive said plug-in cable simulator.

6 . The amplifier of claim 1 wherein the signal path of the amplifier between the first gain block and the second gain block is free from said plug-in cable simulator needed to achieve unity gain of the amplifier.

7 . A method of amplifying a signal, received by a first amplifier and propagated by a span of cable adjacent the first amplifier, the span of cable causing a loss tilt comprising a signal power as a function of frequency, the method comprising:
amplifying the signal by a first gain block and thereafter attenuating the amplified signal by a first magnitude; and equalizing the attenuated and amplified signal to provide an equalized signal having an amplifier tilt of a second magnitude, and amplifying the attenuated and amplified signal by a second gain block; wherein the first magnitude and the second magnitude together cancel the loss tilt caused by the span of cable; wherein a signal path between the first gain block and the second gain block is at least one of (1) free from receptacles that receive a plug-in cable simulator and (2) free from a plug-in cable simulator needed to achieve unity gain of the amplifier.

8 . The method of claim 7 wherein the first magnitude and the second magnitude together modulate the gain of the first amplifier to be equal and opposite the loss tilt.

9 . The method of claim 7 wherein the amplified signal is an upstream signal.

10 . The method of claim 7 wherein the amplified signal is a downstream signal.

11 . The method of claim 7 wherein the span of cable separates the first amplifier from a second amplifier, and the first magnitude and the second magnitude are selected to achieve unity gain at an input of the second amplifier.

12 . The method of claim 7 wherein the first magnitude and the second magnitude are selected to achieve unity gain at an output of the first amplifier.

13 . The method of claim 7 wherein the step of equalizing the attenuated and amplified signal is performed by successive equalizers.

14 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the first amplifier is free from simulating an additional length of cable along the span of cable.

15 . An amplifier having a northbound port and a southbound port, the amplifier comprising:
a first gain block proximate the northbound port and a second gain block proximate the southbound port, the gain blocks together arranged along a signal path of the amplifier; and at least one first receptacle configured to receive a respective attenuator, and at least one second receptacle configured to receive a respective equalizer, the at least one first receptacle and the at least one second receptacle positioned between the first gain block and the second gain block; wherein the signal path of the amplifier between the first gain block and the second gain block is free from a receptacle for a plug-in cable simulator needed to achieve unity gain of the amplifier.

16 . The amplifier of claim 15 , wherein the signal path of the amplifier is a downstream path.

17 . The amplifier of claim 15 , wherein the signal path of the amplifier is an upstream path.

18 . The amplifier of claim 15 , wherein the amplifier is including successive receptacles for different said respective equalizers.

Assignees

• Arris Entpr Llc

Inventors

• Bowler David B
• Boast Jeffrey A
• Morisseau Michael R
• Francois Samuel D
• Arnold Brent D

Classifications

• H04L12/2801

  Broadband local area networks · CPC title

• H04B3/04

  Control of transmission; Equalising · CPC title

• H04N7/102

  Circuits therefor, e.g. noise reducers, equalisers, amplifiers (H04N7/108 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F3/04817

  using icons (graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34) · CPC title

• H04N7/104

  Switchers or splitters · CPC title