HOME NETWORK FREQUENCY CONDITIONING DEVICE AND METHOD

• US 20120054819A1
• Filed: 07/11/2011
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PPC Broadband Incorporated (Belden Inc.)
• Original Assignee: John Mezzalingua Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Alkan, Erdogan, Shafer, Steven K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,561,125 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/153
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24

Abstract

An in-home entertainment network conditioning device for use with a coaxial device in a CATV network includes an input node adapted to conduct CATV signals in a first and second frequency range, and in-home entertainment signals in a third frequency range that is different from the first frequency range and the second frequency range. The device includes a first signal path branched from the input node that includes a low-pass filter adapted to conduct the CATV signals and reject the in-home entertainment signals. A second signal path in parallel electrical communication with the first signal path includes a high-pass filter in series electrical connection with a signal conditioning circuit. The high-pass filter is adapted to conduct the in-home entertainment signals and reject the CATV signals. The signal conditioning circuit attenuates and equalizes the in-home entertainment signals when coupled to the coaxial device.

Claims

1. An in-home entertainment network conditioning device for use with a coaxial device, the conditioning device comprising:

an input node, wherein the input node conducts community access television signals and in-home entertainment signals, the community access television signals comprising downstream signals in a first frequency range and upstream signals in a second frequency range that is different from the first frequency range, the in-home entertainment signals comprising signals in a third frequency range that is different from the first frequency range and the second frequency range;

a first signal path branched from the input node, wherein the first signal path comprises a low-pass filter, wherein the low-pass filter conducts the community access television signals and wherein the low-pass filter rejects the in-home entertainment signals;

a second signal path branched from the input node and in parallel electrical communication with the first signal path, wherein the second signal path comprises a high-pass filter in series electrical connection with a signal conditioning circuit, wherein the high-pass filter conducts the in-home entertainment signals and rejects the community access television signals, and wherein the signal conditioning circuit attenuates the in-home entertainment signals in response to being coupled to the coaxial device;

and

an output node joining the first signal path and the second signal path.

2. The conditioning device of claim 1, wherein the signal conditioning circuit comprises an equalizer, wherein the equalizer equalizes a frequency response of the in-home entertainment network conditioning device in the third frequency range, in response to being coupled to the coaxial device.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the signal conditioning circuit attenuates in-home entertainment signals an amount in the range of −

1 decibels to −

30 decibels in response to being coupled to a coaxial device.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the signal conditioning circuit attenuates in-home entertainment signals an amount in the range of −

5 decibels to −

10 decibels in response to being coupled to a coaxial device.

5. The conditioning device of claim 1, wherein a frequency response of the in-home entertainment network conditioning device has a positive gain slope in the third frequency range.

6. The conditioning device of claim 1, wherein the low-pass filter of the first signal path comprises a Chebyshev filter.

7. The conditioning device of claim 1, wherein the high-pass filter of the second signal path comprises a Chebyshev filter.

8. The conditioning device of claim 1, wherein the high-pass filter is a first high-pass filter, and further comprising a second high-pass filter in series electrical connection with the second signal path, wherein the second high-pass filter conducts the in-home entertainment signals and rejects the community access television signals, and wherein the first high-pass filter is located between the input node and the signal conditioning circuit, and the second high-pass filter is located between the signal conditioning circuit and the output node.

9. The conditioning device of claim 8, wherein the second high-pass filter of the second signal path comprises a Chebyshev filter.

10. The conditioning device of claim 1, wherein the first frequency range is from 54-1002 megahertz, the second frequency range is from 5-42 megahertz, and the third frequency range is from 1125-1675 megahertz.

11. A signal conditioning circuit for use in a community access television network device, wherein the signal conditioning circuit comprises an equalizer circuit.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein a frequency response of the equalizer circuit has a positive gain slope in an in-home entertainment signal frequency band.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the in-home entertainment signal frequency band is from 1125-1675 megahertz.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the equalizer circuit comprises resistive elements.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the resistive elements comprise a Pi-type attenuator.

16. A method of conditioning in-home entertainment signals in a community access television network device comprising the steps of:

providing an in-home entertainment network conditioning device comprising an input node and an output node, a first signal path and a second signal path, wherein the first signal path and the second signal path branch from the input node in parallel electrical connection and rejoin at the output node, and wherein the first signal path conducts community access television signals and rejects in-home entertainment signals, and wherein the second signal path conducts the in-home entertainment signals and rejects the community access television signals;

and

coupling the in-home entertainment network conditioning device to the community access television network device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the second signal path comprises a high-pass filter in series electrical connection with a signal conditioning circuit.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the signal conditioning circuit comprises an equalizer.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the in-home entertainment network conditioning device has a frequency response with a positive gain slope in the in-home entertainment signal frequency range.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the attenuator comprises resistive elements.