Method and apparatus for capacity increase and enhanced communications performance in CATV networks

• US 20060008039A1
• Filed: 09/08/2005
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mordechai Segal, Ofir Shalvi, Zvi Reznic
• Inventors: Shalvi, Ofir, Reznic, Zvi, Segal, Mordechai
• Granted Patent: US 7,136,422 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/350
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2383 Channel coding or modulation of digital bit-stream, e.g. QPSK modulation arrangements for detecting or preventing errors in the information received by adapting the channel coding H04L1/0009; analogue front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4382 Demodulation or channel decoding, e.g. QPSK demodulation analog front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/102 Circuits therefor, e.g. noise reducers, equalisers, amplifiers H04N7/108 takes precedence

Abstract

In a cable television (CATV) data communication network, channel throughput and communications robustness are increased in a manner that improves speed of data transmission while maintaining compatibility with existing specifications and equipment. Enhanced throughput can be realized using the return channel of the CATV network. Alternatively, data retransmission and/or diversity techniques can be used to improve throughput.

Claims

1-15. -15. (canceled)

16. An analog front end arrangement for use in a communication system for communicating a data signal using a cable television transmission medium, comprising:

a plurality of band pass filters coupled to receive a modulated radio frequency signal, each of the band pass filters centered around a different frequency, wherein a sampling rate is less than the Nyquist rate so as to cause aliasing deliberately;

a multiplexer coupled to receive output signals from the band pass filters and to couple a selected one of the band pass filter output signals to an output of the multiplexer;

an analog to digital converter, responsive to the output of the multiplexer and to an output of a clock signal generator and configured to provide a digital signal, generated as a function of the output of the multiplexer and the output of the clock signal generator, to a digital receiver; and

sample rate logic configured to provide, as a function of the center frequency, a select signal to the multiplexer, a rate parameter to the clock signal generator, and a spectrum inversion indication to the digital receiver.

17-30. -30. (canceled)