60 GHz RF CATV repeater
First Claim
1. A wireless cable television (CATV) broadcast signal repeater, comprising:
- an up-converter, to receive an original CATV amplitude modulated link (AML) broadcast signal having an original form and up convert the signal to a millimeter wavelength up-converted signal having a nominal base frequency of 60 gigahertz (GHz);
a transmitter, operatively coupled to the up-converter, to transmit the up-converted signal via free space;
a receiver antenna, to receive the transmitted up-converted signal from the transmitter; and
a down-converter, operatively coupled to the 60 GHz receiver antenna, to down convert the up-converted signal to produce a repeated CATV AML broadcast signal substantially matching the original CATV AML broadcast signal, wherein the nominal 60 GHz base frequency corresponds to a frequency within the range of 57-64 GHz and the transmitter and receiver antennas operate at a corresponding frequency.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for extending the reach of cable television (CATV) broadcast networks via 60 GHz (nominally) wireless radio frequency (RF) repeaters. An original CATV AML broadcast signal, having a bandwidth of 55-860 MHz, is up-converted to a millimeter wavelength RF signal having a nominal base frequency of 60 GHz (57-64 GHz) such that the up-converted signal has a bandwidth of the base frequency plus the bandwidth of the CATV broadcast signal (e.g., 60.055-60.860 GHz). This up-converted signal is then transmitted from a transmitter antenna to a receiver antenna, which collectively define the end points of a point-to-point wireless link between network nodes. The up-converted signal is then down converted at the receiver end to produce a repeated CATV AML broadcast signal having substantially the same characteristics as the original signal. The radio transmission operations may be performed in accordance with FCC part 15.255 transmissions, enabling unlicensed operation.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A wireless cable television (CATV) broadcast signal repeater, comprising:
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an up-converter, to receive an original CATV amplitude modulated link (AML) broadcast signal having an original form and up convert the signal to a millimeter wavelength up-converted signal having a nominal base frequency of 60 gigahertz (GHz);
a transmitter, operatively coupled to the up-converter, to transmit the up-converted signal via free space;
a receiver antenna, to receive the transmitted up-converted signal from the transmitter; and
a down-converter, operatively coupled to the 60 GHz receiver antenna, to down convert the up-converted signal to produce a repeated CATV AML broadcast signal substantially matching the original CATV AML broadcast signal, wherein the nominal 60 GHz base frequency corresponds to a frequency within the range of 57-64 GHz and the transmitter and receiver antennas operate at a corresponding frequency. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A cable television (CATV) network, comprising:
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a head end, to transmit an original CATV amplitude modulated link (AML) broadcast signal having an original form; and
a wireless CATV broadcast signal repeater, comprising;
an up-converter including an input operatively linked to the head end via cable infrastructure, to receive the original CATV AML broadcast signal and up convert the signal to an millimeter wavelength up-converted signal having a nominal base frequency of 60 gigahertz (GHz);
a transmitter antenna, operatively coupled to the up-converter, to transmit the up-converted signal via free space;
a receiver antenna, to receive the transmitted up-converted signal from the transmitter antenna; and
a down-converter, operatively coupled to the receiver antenna, to down convert the up-converted signal to produce a repeated CATV AML broadcast signal substantially matching the original CATV AML broadcast signal at an output to which one of a CATV sub-network or customer premise equipment may be operatively coupled via cable infrastructure, wherein the nominal 60 GHz base frequency corresponds to a frequency within the range of 57-64 GHz and the transmitter and receiver antennas operate at a corresponding frequency. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for extending the reach of a cable television (CATV) network, comprising:
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providing an original CATV amplitude modulated link (AML) broadcast signal to a first network node;
transmitting the CATV AML broadcast signal from the first network node to a second network node via a wireless link by performing operations including, up converting the original CATV AML broadcast signal to a millimeter wavelength up-converted signal having base frequency of 57-64 GHz, transmitting the up-converted signal between a transmitter antenna operatively coupled to the first network node and a receiver antenna operatively coupled to the second network node;
down-converting the up-converted signal to produce a repeated CATV AML broadcast signal having waveform characteristics substantially similar to the original CATV AML broadcast signal; and
outputting the repeated CATV AML broadcast signal to the second network node. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification