Method and apparatus for band selection, switching and diplexing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9380253-B2
Application number	US-201414293725-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 2, 2014
Priority date	Apr 18, 2014
Publication date	Jun 28, 2016
Grant date	Jun 28, 2016

Abstract

Systems and methods for selecting, combining and duplexing signals in a communications network. Several configurations of diplexers and channel selectors are disclosed which use filters, combiners and splitters to select and combine which the signals to be either received or transmitted.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A channel selector comprising:
a first filter and a second filter, the first filter and the second filter each having a first terminal and a second terminal;
a first switch and a second switch, the first switch and the second switch each having a pole and two throws, the pole of the first switch being coupled to the first terminal of the first filter and the pole of the second switch being coupled to the first terminal of the second filter;
a first power amplifier and a second power amplifier, the first power amplifier and the second power amplifier each having an input and an output, the output of the first amplifier being coupled to the first throw of the first switch and the output of the second amplifier being coupled to the first throw of the second switch;
a first low noise amplifier and a second low noise amplifier, the first low noise amplifier and the second low noise amplifier each having an input and an output, the input to the first low noise amplifier being coupled to the second throw of the first switch and the input of the second low noise amplifier being coupled to the second throw of the second switch;
a splitter having a first isolation port, a second isolation port, and a common port, the first isolation port of the splitter being coupled to the input of the first power amplifier, the second isolation port of the splitter being coupled to the input of the second power amplifier; and
a combiner having a first isolation port, a second isolation port, and a common port, the first isolation port of the combiner being coupled to the output of the first low noise amplifier and the second isolation port of the combiner being coupled to the output of the second low noise amplifier.

2. The channel selector of claim 1 , wherein the first filter has a frequency response that passes signals in the lower frequency range of the D-Band used for transmission of cable television signals over coaxial cable and wherein the second filter has a frequency response that passes signals in the higher frequency range of the D-Band used for transmission of cable television signals over coaxial cable, the 3 dB cutoff at the high end of the frequency response of the first filter being no higher in frequency than the low 3 dB cutoff at the low end of the frequency response of the second filter.

3. The channel selector of claim 1 , wherein the first filter has a frequency response that passes signals in the lower frequency range of the E-Band used for transmission of satellite television signals over coaxial cable and wherein the second filter has a frequency response that passes signals in the higher frequency range of the E-Band used for transmission of satellite television signals over coaxial cable, the 3 dB cutoff at the high end of the frequency response of the first filter being no higher in frequency than the low 3 dB cutoff at the low end of the frequency response of the second filter.

4. A receive/transmit selection and combining module comprising:
a splitter having a first isolation port, a second isolation port, and a common port;
a combiner having a first isolation port, a second isolation port, and a common port;
a first power amplifier and a second power amplifier, the first power amplifier and the second power amplifier each having an input and an output, the input of the first power amplifier being coupled to the first isolation port of the splitter, the input of the second power amplifier being coupled to the second isolation port of the splitter;
a first low noise amplifier and a second low noise amplifier, the first power low noise amplifier and the second low noise amplifier each having an input and an output, the input of the first low noise amplifier being coupled to the first isolation port of the combiner and the output of the second low noise amplifier being coupled to the second isolation port of the combiner; and
a first single pole, double throw (SPDT) switch and second SPDT switch, the first throw of the first SPDT switch being coupled to the output of the first power amplifier, the second throw of the first SPDT switch being coupled to the input of the first low noise amplifier, the first throw of the second SPDT switch being coupled to the output of the second power amplifier, and the second throw of the second SPDT switch being coupled to the input of the second low noise amplifier.

5. A diplexer comprising:
a first filter having a first terminal and a second terminal;
a second filter having a first terminal and a second terminal, the second terminal of the first filter being coupled to the second terminal of the second filter, wherein the first filter has a frequency response with a high frequency 3 dB cutoff point that is equal to or lower in frequency than the low frequency 3 dB cutoff point of the second filter;
a third filter having a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal of the first filter being coupled to the first terminal of the third filter;
a fourth filter having a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal of the second filter being coupled to the first terminal of the fourth filter
a first single pole double throw (SPDT) switch, the first throw of the first SPDT switch being coupled to the second terminal of the third filter and the second throw of the first SPDT switch being coupled to the second terminal of the fourth filter;
a second SPDT switch, the first throw of the second SPDT switch being coupled to the second terminal of the first filter and the second throw of the second SPDT switch being coupled to the pole of the first SPDT switch; and
a receive/transmit selection and combining module comprising:
a first filter port;
a second filter port;
a splitter having a first isolation port, a second isolation port, and a common port;
a combiner having a first isolation port, a second isolation port, and a common port;
a first power amplifier and a second power amplifier, the first power amplifier and the second power amplifier each having an input and an output, the input of the first power amplifier being coupled to the first isolation port of the splitter, the input of the second power amplifier being coupled to the second isolation port of the splitter;
a first low noise amplifier and a second low noise amplifier, the first low noise amplifier and the second low noise amplifier each having an input and an output, the input of the first low noise amplifier being coupled to the first isolation port of the combiner and the input of the second low noise amplifier being coupled to the second isolation port of the combiner; and
a third SPDT switch and a fourth SPDT switch, the first throw of the third SPDT switch being coupled to the output of the first power amplifier, the second throw of the third SPDT switch being coupled to the input of the first low noise amplifier, the pole of the third switch being coupled to the first filter port, the first throw of the fourth SPDT switch being coupled to the output of the second power amplifier, the second throw of the fourth SPDT switch being coupled to the input of the second low noise amplifier, and the pole of the fourth switch being coupled to the second filter port.

6. The channel selector of claim 5 , wherein the first filter has a frequency response that passes signals in the lower frequency range of the D-Band used for transmission of cable television signals over coaxial cable and wherein the second filter has a frequency response that passes signals in the higher frequency range of the D-Band used for transmission of cable television signals over coaxial cable, the 3 dB cutoff at the high end of the frequency response of the first filter being no higher in frequency than the low 3 dB cutoff at the low end of the frequency response of the se

Assignees

• Entropic Communications Inc
• Entropic Communications Llc

Inventors

• Petrovic Branislav
• Zeng Yonghuang

Classifications

• H04L5/08

  each combination of signals in different channels being represented by a fixed frequency · CPC title

• H04N5/38

  Transmitter circuitry {for the transmission of television signals according to analogue transmission standards} (H04N5/14 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04N5/50 Primary

  Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control · CPC title