CATV Entry Adapter and Method Utilizing Directional Couplers for MoCA Signal Communication

• US 20100146564A1
• Filed: 02/12/2010
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PPC Broadband Incorporated (Belden Inc.)
• Original Assignee: PPC Broadband Incorporated (Belden Inc.)
• Inventors: Wells, Chad T., Egan, John M. JR., Halik, Gregory F., Newby, Charles F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,429,695 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/104 Switchers or splitters

Abstract

A cable television (CATV) entry adapter connects to a CATV network and serves as a hub in a Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) network. MoCA signals are communicated between passive and active ports of the entry adapter through a pair of directional couplers which allow a MoCA-enabled embedded multimedia device (eMTA) at the passive port to communicate with multimedia devices of the MoCA network connected to the active ports.

Claims

1. A CATV entry adapter having an entry port, a passive port and a plurality of active ports for communicating CATV signals between a CATV network and subscriber equipment and also communicating MoCA signals between the MoCA-enabled subscriber equipment connected to the passive and active ports in a subscriber premises MoCA network, the CATV entry adapter comprising:

a first bidirectional splitter/combiner having a common terminal and first and second signal component legs, the first splitter/combiner splitting signals at its common terminal into split signals at each of its first and second legs and also combining signals at the first and second legs into a single signal at its common terminal;

a second bidirectional splitter/combiner having a common terminal and a plurality of separate signal component legs, the second splitter/combiner splitting signals at its common terminal into split signals at each of its separate legs and also combining signals at its separate legs into a single signal at its common terminal;

an active-side directional coupler having a input port, a through port, a relatively-lower signal-attenuation main leg between its input and through ports, a coupled port and a relatively-higher signal-attenuation directional leg between its input and coupled ports;

a passive-side directional coupler having a input port, a through port, a relatively-lower signal-attenuation main leg between its input and through ports, a coupled port and a relatively-higher signal-attenuation directional leg between its input and coupled ports; and

wherein;

the common terminal of the first splitter/combiner is operatively connected to the entry port;

the separate legs of the second splitter/combiner are connected individually to the active ports;

the main leg of the passive-side directional coupler is operatively connected between the passive port and the first leg of the first splitter/combiner;

the main leg of the active-side directional coupler is operatively connected between the input port of the second splitter/combiner and the second leg of the first splitter/combiner; and

the coupled ports of the passive-side and active-side directional couplers are operatively connected together to conduct MoCA signals between the passive and active ports through the taps legs of both directional couplers.

2. A CATV entry adapter as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a MoCA signal frequency rejection filter connected between the common terminal of the first signal splitter/combiner and the CATV entry port.

3. A CATV entry adapter as defined in claim 2, wherein:

the operative connection between the second leg of the first splitter/combiner and the common terminal of the second splitter/combiner comprises an active signal communication path; and

the active signal communication path comprises a power-consuming electronic component which conditions a CATV signals conducted in the active signal communication path.

4. A CATV entry adapter as defined in claim 3, wherein:

the active signal communication path comprises an ingress noise mitigation circuit operative to suppress upstream ingress noise originating from subscriber equipment connected to the active ports.

5. A CATV entry adapter as defined in claim 3, wherein:

the active signal communication path further comprises;

an active downstream signal communication path which contains a CATV downstream signal bypass filter which substantially blocks all signals except for CATV downstream signals; and

an active upstream signal communication path which contains a CATV upstream signal bypass filter which substantially blocks all signal except for CATV upstream signals.

6. A CATV entry adapter as defined in claim 5, wherein:

the power-consuming electronic component is connected in the active downstream signal communication path; and

the power-consuming electronic component comprises an amplifier.

7. A CATV entry adapter as defined in claim 1, wherein:

signals conducted through the main legs of the directional couplers experience substantially less signal attenuation than the signals conducted through the directional legs of the directional couplers.

8. A CATV entry adapter as defined in claim 7, wherein:

the main legs attenuate signals conducted therethrough by no greater than approximately 2 dB; and

the directional legs attenuate signals conducted therethrough by at least 20 dB.

9. A method of using a CATV entry adapter having an entry port, a passive port and a plurality of active ports to communicate CATV signals with a CATV network connected to the entry port and subscriber devices connected to the passive and active ports while simultaneously communicating MoCA signals between MoCA-enabled multimedia devices in a MoCA network connected at the passive and active ports, comprising:

conducting CATV signals to and from the CATV network at the entry port;

conducting passive CATV signals through a main leg of a passive-side directional coupler operatively connected between the entry port and the passive port;

conducting active CATV signals through a main leg of an active-side directional coupler operatively connected between the entry port and the plurality of active ports; and

conducting MoCA signals between the passive and active ports through connected directional legs of the passive-side and active-side directional couplers.

10. A method as defined in claim 9, further comprising:

preventing MoCA signals from leaving the entry port to the CATV network.

11. A method as defined in claim 9, further comprising:

attenuating the signals conducted through the main legs of the directional couplers by a relatively lesser amount; and

attenuating the signals conducted through the directional legs of the directional couplers by a relatively greater amount.

12. A method as defined in claim 11, further comprising:

passing the CATV signals through an active electronic component to create the active CATV signals conducted between the entry port and the plurality of active ports.

13. A method as defined in claim 12, further comprising:

passing the passive CATV signals between the entry port and the passive port through electronic components that do not require a supply of electrical power.

14. A method as defined in claim 9, further comprising:

passing the active CATV signals through separate signal communication paths in upstream and downstream directions between the entry port and the active-side directional coupler.

15. A CATV entry adapter having a CATV entry port, a passive port and a plurality of active ports for communicating CATV signals between a CATV network and subscriber equipment and also communicating MoCA signals between MoCA-enabled subscriber equipment connected to the passive and active ports in a subscriber premises MoCA network, the CATV entry adapter comprising:

a housing;

a MoCA frequency rejection filter within the housing connected to the entry port; and

a pair of directional couplers within the housing, each directional coupler having a main leg and a directional leg, the main leg of one directional coupler operatively connected between the MoCA frequency rejection filter and the passive port, the main leg of the other directional coupler operatively connected between the MoCA frequency rejection filter and the active ports, and the directional legs of the directional couplers are operatively connected together to communicate MoCA signals between the passive and active ports.

16. A CATV entry adapter as defined in claim 15, further comprising:

an active electronic component which amplifies or otherwise conditions the CATV signals passing through it, and which is positioned between the entry port and the active ports.

17. A CATV entry adapter as defined in claim 16, further comprising:

a CATV signal bypass filter connected in series with the active electronic component; and

wherein;

the MoCA signals communicated between the passive and active ports are substantially entirely communicated over the MoCA signal bypass path and are substantially prevented from being communicated through the active electronic component by the CATV signal bypass filter.

18. A CATV entry adapter as defined in claim 17, wherein the MoCA signals which are communicated through the directional couplers between the passive and active ports incur a relatively greater amount of signal attenuation than do the CATV signals which are communicated through the directional couplers between the entry port and the passive and active ports.