Monitoring signal quality on a cable network
First Claim
1. A method of monitoring signal quality in a cable network comprising a headend connected by a cable network to a plurality of set-top boxes (STBs), the method comprising:
- at selected ones of the STBs, monitoring and collecting information about signals received by the STB.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Information related to signal quality on the downstream and upstream paths (104) in a cable network may be monitored (116, 208) at selected ones of a plurality of set-top boxes (110) and sent by the set-top box to the headend (102) as it is collected, or when the set-top box is polled by the headend. The information may be collected with the set-top box is in an idle state (204), by the set-top box tuning through the channels in the channel map (206) and by applying a time stamp to the information (208). Ping messages may be transmitted from the set-top box to the headend and back to the set-top box. Methods and apparatus are disclosed.
-
Citations
30 Claims
-
1. A method of monitoring signal quality in a cable network comprising a headend connected by a cable network to a plurality of set-top boxes (STBs), the method comprising:
at selected ones of the STBs, monitoring and collecting information about signals received by the STB. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
7. A method of monitoring statistics about cable transmissions on a cable network comprising a headend and a plurality of set-top boxes (STBs), the method comprising:
using at least one of the plurality of STBs, collecting statistics on plant health by monitoring signals on downstream and upstream paths, and reporting information related to the quality of these signals from the STB back to the headend. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
28. Apparatus for monitoring signal quality in a cable network comprising a headend connected by cable to a plurality of set-top boxes (STBs), wherein at least one of the STBs comprises:
-
in-band tuner means for receiving first signals from the cable operator;
out-of-band tuner means for receiving second signals from the cable operator;
monitor means for generating information related to signal quality;
controller means for controlling the overall operation of the STB; and
non-volatile memory means for storing the information generated by the monitor means. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
-
Specification