DYNAMICALLY CONFIGURABLE FREQUENCY BAND SELECTION DEVICE BETWEEN CATV DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND CATV USER

• US 20100100921A1
• Filed: 10/16/2008
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PPC Broadband Incorporated (Belden Inc.)
• Original Assignee: John Mezzalingua Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Kelma, David, Shafer, Steven K., Lai, Joseph, Olson, Thomas A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,832,767 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/118
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6168 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/643 Communication protocols network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP], H04L65/65
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/102 Circuits therefor, e.g. noise reducers, equalisers, amplifiers H04N7/108 takes precedence

Abstract

A frequency band selection device that can be inserted into a signal transmission line of a CATV system on the premise of a user includes at least two signal path sets between a tap side and a premise side. Each signal path set includes two discrete signal paths, a high frequency signal path for a downstream bandwidth and a low frequency signal path for an upstream bandwidth. The high frequency signal path and the low frequency signal path are separated by a cut-off transition frequency that is different for each signal path set. The device further includes a switch controller having at least two discrete switch positions. The switch controller chooses one of the switch positions as a result of an information signal. Each of the switch positions corresponds to a respective one of the signal path sets.

Claims

1. A frequency band selection device that can be inserted into a signal transmission line of a CATV system on the premise of a user, the device comprising:

at least two signal path sets between a tap side and a premise side, each signal path set comprising two discrete signal paths, a high frequency signal path allowing a downstream bandwidth to pass from the tap side to the premise side and a low frequency signal path allowing an upstream bandwidth to pass from the premise side to the tap side, the high frequency signal path and the low frequency signal path being separated by a cut-off transition frequency that is different for each signal path set; and

a switch controller having at least two discrete switch positions, the switch controller choosing one of the switch positions as a result of an information signal, each of the switch positions corresponding to a respective one of the signal path sets.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a tap side filter set including at least two frequency band splitting devices selectable by a tap side switch set; and

a premise side filter set including at least two frequency band splitting devices selectable by a premise side switch set,

wherein the tap side switch set and the premise side switch set are actuated by the switch controller.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the tap side switch set comprises a tap side downstream switch and a tap side upstream switch and wherein the premise side switch set comprises a premise side downstream switch and a premise side upstream switch.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the information signal is a continuous tone.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the information signal contains a coded operational signal.

6. The device of claim 2 wherein one of the frequency band splitting devices in each of the tap side filter set and the premise side filter set is configured to separate the upstream bandwidth from the downstream bandwidth according to DOCSIS-1 and DOCSIS-2 standards.

7. The device of claim 2 wherein one of the frequency band splitting devices in each of the tap side filter set and the premise side filter set is configured to separate the upstream bandwidth from the downstream bandwidth according to a DOCSIS-3 standard.

8. The device of claim 1 comprising three or more signal path sets and three or more discrete switch positions.

9. A method for varying CATV frequency bands on a premise of a user of CATV services, the method comprising:

providing a frequency band selection device on the premise, the device comprising;

at least two signal path sets between a tap side and a premise side, each signal path set comprising two discrete signal paths, a high frequency signal path allowing a downstream bandwidth to pass from the tap side to the premise side and a low frequency signal path allowing an upstream bandwidth to pass from the premise side to the tap side, the high frequency signal path and the low frequency signal path being separated by a cut-off transition frequency that is different for each signal path set; and

a switch controller having at least two discrete switch positions, the switch controller choosing one of the switch positions as a result of an information signal, each of the switch positions corresponding to a respective one of the signal path sets; and

actuating the switch controller as a result of the information signal.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the device further comprises:

a tap side filter set including at least two frequency band splitting devices selectable by a tap side switch set; and

a premise side filter set including at least two frequency band splitting devices selectable by a premise side switch set,

wherein the tap side switch set and the premise side switch set are actuated by the switch controller.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the tap side switch set comprises a tap side downstream switch and a tap side upstream switch and wherein the premise side switch set comprises a premise side downstream and a premise side upstream switch.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the information signal is a continuous tone.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the information signal contains a coded operational signal.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein one of the frequency band splitting devices in each of the tap side filter set and the premise side filter set is configured to separate the upstream bandwidth from the downstream bandwidth according to DOCSIS-1 and DOCSIS-2 standards.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein one of the frequency band splitting devices in each of the tap side filter set and the premise side filter set is configured to separate the upstream bandwidth from the downstream bandwidth according to a DOCSIS-3 standard.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the device comprises three or more signal path sets and three or more discrete switch positions.

17. A dynamically configurable CATV system, the system comprising:

a plurality of frequency band selection devices, each of the devices being located on a premise of a user and each device comprising;

at least two signal path sets between a tap side and a premise side, each signal path set comprising two discrete signal paths, a high frequency signal path allowing a downstream bandwidth to pass from the tap side to the premise side and a low frequency signal path allowing an upstream bandwidth to pass from the premise side to the tap side, the high frequency signal path and the low frequency signal path being separated by a cut-off transition frequency that is different for each signal path set; and

a switch controller having at least two discrete switch positions, the switch controller choosing one of the switch positions as a result of an information signal, each of the switch positions corresponding to a respective one of the signal path sets;

a head end transmitter being connected to each of the plurality of devices via a main distribution line, the head end transmitter providing the information signal to the switch controller in each of the devices.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein each of the devices further comprises:

a tap side filter set including at least two frequency band splitting devices selectable by a tap side switch set; and

a premise side filter set including at least two frequency band splitting devices selectable by a premise side switch set,

wherein the tap side switch set and the premise side switch set are actuated by the switch controller.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the tap side switch set comprises a tap side downstream path switch and a tap side upstream path switch and wherein the premise side switch set comprises a premise side downstream path switch and a premise side upstream path switch.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the information signal is a continuous tone.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein the information signal contains a coded operational signal.

22. The system of claim 18 wherein one of the frequency band splitting devices in each of the tap side filter set and the premise side filter set is configured to separate the upstream bandwidth from the downstream bandwidth according to DOCSIS-1 and DOCSIS-2 standards.

23. The system of claim 18 wherein one of the frequency band splitting devices in each of the tap side filter set and the premise side filter set is configured to separate the upstream bandwidth from the downstream bandwidth according to a DOCSIS-3 standard.

24. The system of claim 17 wherein each of the frequency band selection device comprises three or more signal path sets and three or more discrete switch positions.