RF signal injector

• US 20070016933A1
• Filed: 07/13/2005
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilson, Brian, Wollmershauser, Steven
• Application Number:
  US11/181,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20070016933A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/81
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution

Abstract

A content delivery system is described that includes a processing unit and a remote device. A signal injector located in proximity to the remote device is coupled to the processing unit via a wired connection. The signal injector collects and filters RF signals from a remote control device and communicates the filtered RF signal to the processing unit over the wired connection.

Claims

1. A radio frequency signal injector comprising:

input connection conductively coupled to an output connection via a conductor;

an antenna connection; and

a band pass filter coupled between the antenna connection and the conductor to couple radio frequency signals received on the antenna connection having a frequency between upper and lower frequency limits to the input connection.

2. The radio frequency signal injector of claim 1 further comprising an antenna connected to the antenna connection, wherein the antenna is tuned to a frequency that matches the Remote control center frequency.

3. The radio frequency signal injector of claim 1 wherein the input and output connections are sized to interface with female coaxial cable connectors.

4. The radio frequency signal injector of claim 1 further comprising a directional coupler connected between the band pass filter and the conductor, wherein the directional coupler reduces a level of the radio frequency signals coupled to the output connection relative to a level of the radio frequency signals coupled to the input connection.

5. The radio frequency signal injector of claim 1 wherein the upper and lower frequency limits are 435 and 432 Mhz, respectively.

6. A radio frequency signal injector comprising:

an input connection to provide an interface to a processing unit conductor;

an output connection to provide an interface to a remote device conductor, wherein the input and output connections are connected together an internal conductor;

an antenna connection to connect to an antenna;

a directional coupler connected to the internal conductor; and

a band pass filter coupled between the antenna connection and the directional coupler to couple radio frequency signals received on the antenna connection having a frequency between upper and lower frequency limits to the internal connector.

7. The radio frequency signal injector of claim 6 wherein the upper and lower frequency limits are 435 and 432 Mhz, respectively.

8. The radio frequency signal injector of claim 7 wherein the antenna is tuned to a center frequency of 433 MHz.

9. The radio frequency signal injector of claim 6 wherein the input and output connections are threaded male connections sized to interface with threaded female coaxial cable connectors.

10. A system comprising:

a processing unit;

a remote device; and

a radio frequency signal injector comprising,

an input connection coupled to the processing unit via a multi-conductor input cable,

an output connection coupled to the remote unit via a multi-conductor output cable, the input and output connections are electrically connected via internal conductors, wherein signals transmitted by the processing unit are coupled to the remote unit via the input cable, internal conductors and output cable;

an antenna connection to receive radio frequency signals, and

a band pass filter coupled between the antenna connection and the internal conductors to couple the radio frequency signals having a frequency between upper and lower frequency limits to the internal conductors.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the upper and lower frequency limits are 435 and 432 Mhz, respectively.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the antenna is a wire loop having a length tuned to a 433 MHz frequency.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the input and output cables are shielded coaxial cables.

14. A method comprising:

receiving radio frequency (RF) signals using an antenna;

filtering the RF signals to reject components of the RF signals having a frequency outside of a predetermined frequency window; and

coupling the filtered RF signals to a conductor to provide control commands to a processing unit coupled to the conductor.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the radio frequency (RF) signals comprise the control commands.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the predetermined frequency window is between about 432 and 435 MHz.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the antenna is tuned to a frequency of about 433 MHz.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein coupling the filtered RF signals to the conductor comprises directionally coupling the filtered RF signals to the conductor to provide a greater signal loss in one direction of the conductor.