Controlled isolation splitter apparatus and methods

• US 20050289632A1
• Filed: 06/01/2005
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Brooks, Paul D., Romerein, Robert L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,763,063 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/126
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/461 particularly adapted for use in common antenna systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/61 Network physical structure; Signal processing H04B takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/104 Switchers or splitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for controlled splitting and isolation of signals in a radio frequency network. In one embodiment, the network comprises a cable television network, and the apparatus comprises a signal splitter having controlled isolation loss at its output ports in at least one frequency band, thereby enabling communications between terminal devices at the subscriber premises that would otherwise be isolated by high losses typical of prior art splitters. The splitter apparatus can also be utilized with a filter/reflector circuit that advantageously provides maximal downstream frequency spectrum bandwidth while suitably reflecting the aforementioned communications to maintain them within the subscriber-side network without interference.

Claims

1. A network signal splitting apparatus for use in a cable television (CATV) network, said apparatus being adapted to provide reduced isolation loss in at least one frequency band of interest, said reduced loss enabling communication between a plurality of terminal devices in signal communication with said apparatus.

2. The network signal splitting apparatus of claim 1, wherein one of said at least one frequency bands of interest comprises approximately 800 MHz to 1200 MHz.

3. The network signal splitting apparatus of claim 1, wherein said terminal devices are coupled to said apparatus via at least coaxial cable, said apparatus, cable and terminal devices comprising a premises network.

4. The network signal splitting apparatus of claim 3, wherein the number of said plurality of terminal devices is greater than two.

5. The network signal splitting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a filter circuit adapted to block only frequencies used by said terminal devices for said communications there between.

6. The network signal splitting apparatus of claim 5, wherein said filter circuit is adapted to:

substantially attenuate first signals within a first frequency band and traveling in a first direction relative to said apparatus;

pass second signals within a second frequency band and traveling in said first direction; and

pass substantially all of third signals within both said first and second frequency bands and traveling in a second direction relative to said apparatus.

7. The network signal splitting apparatus of claim 2, wherein said communication between said plurality of terminal devices is a bidirectional communication.

8. Network signal splitting apparatus, comprising:

at least one input port adapted to receive an input signal from a network;

a circuit operatively coupled with said at least one input port and adapted to substantially split said input signal; and

a plurality of output ports operatively coupled with said circuit, respective ones of said ports at least receiving portions of said split input signal;

wherein said plurality of output ports are substantially isolated from one another except over at least one specified frequency band; and

wherein said plurality of output ports are adapted for signal communication with respective ones of a plurality of terminals, said terminals being able to communicate with one another over said at least one specified frequency band.

9. The network signal splitting apparatus of claim 8, further comprising reflector apparatus adapted to reflect at least a portion of radio frequency signals transmitted between said terminals, said reflect apparatus being disposed within said splitting apparatus so as not to substantially interfere with said communications between said terminals.

10. The network signal splitting apparatus of claim 9, wherein one of said at least one specified frequency band comprises approximately 800 MHz to 1200 MHz.

11. The network signal splitting apparatus of claim 9, wherein said reflector apparatus is adapted to:

substantially attenuate first signals within a first frequency band and traveling in a first direction relative to said splitting apparatus;

pass second signals within a second frequency band and traveling in said first direction; and

pass substantially all of third signals within both said first and second frequency bands and traveling in a second direction relative to said splitting apparatus.

12. The network signal splitting apparatus of claim 8, wherein at least one of said plurality of output ports is in operative communication with a transceiver adapted for transmission of a signal over at least a portion of a wireless network.

13. The network signal splitting apparatus of claim 8, wherein said plurality of output ports are electrically coupled to a signal bypass circuit, said signal bypass circuit comprising:

at least one capacitive elements;

at least one inductive element; and

at least one resistive element.

14. A method of transmitting data signals over a network, comprising:

propagating a first data signal from a first device onto said network and to a first output port of a splitter; and

propagating said first data signal to a second device on said network via a second output port of said splitter;

wherein said splitter is configured to provide reduced isolation loss between said second output port and said first output port in at least one frequency band.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising reflecting at least a portion of signals disposed within said at least one frequency band using a reflector of said splitter.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein sending said first data signal over said network comprises sending said first signal at least partly over a wireless network.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said at least one frequency band comprises approximately 800 MHz to 1200 MHz.

18. A passive broadband coaxial network architecture, comprising:

a controlled isolation splitter having an input port and at least first and second output ports;

a signal splitter in signal communication with said first output port, said signal splitter having a plurality of output ports and being operative to split signals transmitted via said one output port;

a plurality of terminal devices;

wherein at least a first one of said terminal devices is electrically coupled to said second output port of said controlled isolation splitter;

wherein at least a second one of said terminal devices is electrically coupled to one of said output ports of said signal splitter; and

wherein said controlled isolation splitter is operative to permit communications between said first and second terminal devices by providing reduced isolation loss in at least one frequency band between said first and second output ports.

19. The architecture of claim 18, wherein at least one of said at terminal devices comprises a set-top box (STB).

20. The architecture of claim 18, wherein said controlled isolation splitter is further adapted to:

substantially attenuate first signals within a first frequency band and traveling in a first direction relative to said controlled splitter;

pass second signals within a second frequency band and traveling in said first direction; and

pass substantially all of third signals within both said first and second frequency bands and traveling in a second direction relative to said controlled splitter.

21. The architecture of claim 20, wherein said at least one frequency band and said first frequency band substantially overlap.

22. A network signal splitting apparatus adapted to permit communication in at least one frequency band, the apparatus comprising:

a splitter sub-circuit comprising first, second and third nodes;

an input port electrically coupled to said first node via a first resistive element;

a first signal path comprising a first output port electrically coupled to said second node via at least one second resistive element;

a second signal path comprising a second output port electrically coupled to said third node via at least one third resistive elements;

a bypass circuit electrically coupled to said first path and said second path, wherein said bypass circuit comprises a plurality of circuit elements adapted to pass signals between said second and third nodes within said at least one frequency band.

23. The signal splitting apparatus of claim 22, wherein said bypass circuit comprises:

at least one capacitive element;

at least one resistive element; and

at least one inductive element.

24. The signal splitting apparatus of claim 23, wherein said at least one capacitive element, said at least one resistive element, and said at least one inductive element are disposed in electrical series with one another.

25. The signal splitting apparatus of claim 24, wherein said at least one capacitive elements, said at least one resistive element, and said at least one inductive element are disposed in electrical series with one another between two nodes formed in respective ones of said first and second paths, said two nodes each being disposed electrically between first and second resistors of first and second resistor pairs, said first and second resistor pairs comprising said at least one second and third resistive elements, respectively.

26. The network signal splitting apparatus of claim 22, wherein one of said at least one frequency bands comprises approximately 800 MHz to 1.2 GHz.

27. A method for providing subscriber-side networking capability within a cable network having a public portion, subscriber-side network, and a demarcation point, comprising:

passing first signals within a first frequency band, said first signals traveling towards said demarcation point within said subscriber-side network;

substantially attenuating second signals within a second frequency band, said second signals also traveling towards said demarcation point within said subscriber-side network; and

passing said first signals when they are traveling away from said demarcation point;

wherein said first signals are utilized at least in part to provide communications between individual nodes within said subscriber-side network.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising substantially reflecting first said signals at or near said demarcation point to cause said signals to travel away from said point.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising splitting third signals traveling from said public portion to said subscriber-side network.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

passing third signals within a third frequency band, said third signals traveling towards said demarcation point within said subscriber-side network; and

passing fourth signals within both said third frequency band, said third signals traveling away from said demarcation point within said subscriber-side network.

31. Network signal splitting apparatus, comprising:

at least one input means adapted to receive an input signal from a network;

splitter means operatively coupled with said at least one input means for substantially splitting said input signal; and

a plurality of output means operatively coupled with said splitter means, respective ones of said output means at least receiving portions of said split input signal;

wherein said plurality of output means are substantially isolated from one another except over at least one specified frequency band; and

wherein said plurality of output means are adapted for signal communication with respective ones of a plurality of terminals, said terminals being able to communicate with one another over said at least one specified frequency band.