Device configuration using interference

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9615052-B2
Application number	US-201414282752-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2014
Priority date	Oct 1, 2013
Publication date	Apr 4, 2017
Grant date	Apr 4, 2017

Abstract

Methods and systems for generating and providing signals to a device, and configuring the device are disclosed. An example method can comprise identifying a device tuned to a first frequency, determining a signal configured to provide interference at the first frequency, and providing the signal to the device such that the device is caused to no longer be tuned to the first frequency.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
providing a first signal comprising a main portion at a first frequency and a side lobe at a second frequency, wherein the first signal comprises a data signal;
identifying a device tuned to the side lobe at the second frequency of the first signal;
determining a signal parameter for generating second signal configured to provide interference at the second frequency; and
providing the second signal based on the signal parameter to the device such that the device is caused to no longer be tuned to the first frequency, wherein a side lobe of the second signal is configured to interfere with the side lobe at the second frequency of the first signal without disrupting data transmission at the first frequency.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining responsiveness of the device to the first signal at the first frequency.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the signal parameter for generating the second signal configured to provide interference at the second frequency comprises selecting a third frequency at which to provide a main portion of the second signal such that the device is caused to no longer be tuned to the second frequency.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein providing the second signal based on the signal parameter to the device such that the device is caused to no longer be tuned to the second frequency comprises providing the second signal to the device at the third frequency, and wherein the third frequency is selected such that the second signal provides the interference at the second frequency in an amount sufficient to cause the device to no longer be tuned to the second frequency.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the second signal based on the signal parameter to the device comprises providing the second signal to the device such that the interference causes the device to enter a signal detection mode configured to search one or more frequencies for a data carrying signal.

6. A method, comprising:
providing a first portion of a first signal at a first frequency and a side lobe of the first signal at a second frequency, wherein the first signal comprises a data signal;
detecting a device locked to the side lobe of the first signal at the second frequency;
determining a signal parameter for generating a second signal configured to provide interference at the second frequency; and
providing the second signal based on the signal parameter such that the device releases the lock from the second frequency, wherein a side lobe of the second signal is configured to interfere with the side lobe of the first signal without disrupting data transmission at the first frequency.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising determining responsiveness of the device to the first signal at the first frequency.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising determining that the device has a tuning lock on the second frequency.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein determining the signal parameter for generating the second signal comprises determining the signal parameter for the second signal such that the side lobe of the second signal is provided at the second frequency.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein determining the signal parameter for generating the second signal configured to provide interference at the second frequency comprises selecting a third frequency at which to provide a main portion of the second signal such that the device releases the lock from the second frequency.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein providing the second signal based on the signal parameter such that the device releases the lock from the second frequency comprises providing the second signal to the device at the third frequency, and wherein the third frequency is selected such that the second signal provides the interference at the second frequency in an amount sufficient to cause the device to release the lock from the second frequency.

12. A method, comprising:
providing a first signal at a first frequency, wherein a side lobe of the first signal is provided at a second frequency, wherein the first signal comprises a data signal;
identifying a device tuned to the side lobe of the first signal at the second frequency instead of the first frequency;
determining a signal parameter for generating a second signal configured to provide interference at the second frequency; and
providing, based on the signal parameter, the second signal as interference to the device tuned to the second frequency such that the device is caused to tune to the first signal at the first frequency, wherein a side lobe of the second signal is provided at the second frequency and the side lobe of the second signal is configured to interfere with the side lobe of the first signal without disrupting data transmission at the first frequency.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein identifying the device tuned to the side lobe of the first signal at the second frequency instead of the first frequency comprises determining responsiveness of the device to the first signal at the first frequency.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising selecting a third frequency at which to provide a main portion of the second signal such that the device is caused to tune to the first signal at the first frequency.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein providing, based on the signal parameter, the second signal as interference to the device tuned to the second frequency such that the device is caused to tune to the first signal at the first frequency comprises providing the second signal to the device at the third frequency, and wherein the third frequency is selected such that the second signal provides the interference at the second frequency in an amount sufficient to cause the device to no longer be tuned to the second frequency.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the side lobe comprises a portion of the first signal weaker than the main portion.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the side lobe at the second frequency of the first signal is a portion of the first signal that does not sufficiently carry the data signal for transmission of data.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device is a set-top box configured to receive media content by tuning to one or more channels at corresponding frequencies.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein first signal is an out-of-band signal.

20. The method of claim 6 , wherein the device is a set-top box configured to receive media content by tuning to one or more channels at corresponding frequencies.

Assignees

• Comcast Cable Comm Llc

Inventors

• Giardino Jason Sydney

Classifications

• H04N5/50

  Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control · CPC title

• H04N7/102 Primary

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

• H04K3/62

  by exposing communication, processing or storing systems to electromagnetic wave radiation, e.g. causing disturbance, disruption or damage of electronic circuits, or causing external injection of faults in the information · CPC title

• H04K3/65

  using deceptive jamming or spoofing, e.g. transmission of false signals for premature triggering of RCIED, for forced connection or disconnection to/from a network or for generation of dummy target signal · CPC title

• H04N21/4383

  Accessing a communication channel · CPC title