Return Data Path in an HFC Network

• US 20120198510A1
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Published: 08/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stoneback, Dean A., Frederick, Steven F., Picard, Gary A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,978,085 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/129
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25751 Optical arrangements for CATV or video distribution adaptations of television systems for optical transmission H04N7/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/437 Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. for transmitting client requests to a VOD server flow control in data networks H04L47/10; streaming protocols, e.g. RTP or RTCP, H04L65/65; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests in data packet switching networks H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/22 Adaptations for optical transmission

Abstract

Described herein are devices and methods for facilitating the transmission of an upstream data signal from at least one subscriber in a communications network. The device is operable to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal from one or more subscribers. The RF signal includes at least one upstream data signal. The RF signal is demodulated into the upstream data signal by a RF demodulator in the device, which is then converted into an optical signal by an optical transducer in the device for transmission over a fiber optic link in the network.

Claims

1. A device for facilitating a transmission of at least one upstream data signal from at least one subscriber in a communications network comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) demodulator operable to receive an RF signal and demodulate the RF signal into the at least one upstream data signal;

an optical transducer operable to convert the at least one upstream data signal into an optical signal for transmission over a fiber optic link in the communications network, wherein the at least one upstream data signal comprises multiple upstream data signals, each generated by one of multiple pieces of subscriber equipment; and

a controller operable to receive multiple demodulated data signals representing the multiple upstream data signals, the controller is further operable to combine the multiple data signals into a single data signal in accordance with a multiple-access protocol.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is located at the subscriber'"'"'s premises and the communications network is a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) network.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the optical transducer includes an optical multiplexer.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the optical multiplexer further comprises:

an optical receiver operable to receive downstream data signals.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the RF signal is a baseband digital signal impressed on a RF carrier.

6. The device of claim 4, further comprising:

a RF diplexer operable to separate the RF signal that includes the at least one upstream signal from the downstream signals.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the RF signal is generated by a piece of subscriber equipment and wherein the device facilitates the transmission of the upstream data signal from the subscriber equipment to a head-end terminal using a data over cable service interface specification (DOCSIS) protocol.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the multiple-access protocol is a time division multiple access (TDMA) protocol.

8. (canceled)

10. A method for facilitating a transmission of at least one upstream data signal from at least one subscriber in a communications network comprising:

receiving at least one upstream radio frequency (RF) signal, wherein the RF signal includes the at least one upstream data signal;

demodulating the at least one upstream RF signal into the at least one upstream data signal;

converting the demodulated at least one upstream data signal into at least one optical signal; and

transmitting the at least one optical signal upstream via a fiber optic link in the communications network, wherein the at least one upstream data signals includes a plurality of upstream data signals, each originated by one of multiple pieces of subscriber equipment, and transmitting the at least one optical signal via a fiber optic link in the communication network includes combining at least some of the plurality of upstream data signals for transmission via the fiber optic link using a multiple-access protocol.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving at least one downstream RF signal;

separating the at least one upstream RF signal from the at least one downstream data signal;

routing the at least one downstream RF signal to the at least one subscriber; and

routing the at least one upstream RF signal to the demodulating.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one upstream data signal is a baseband digital signal, and demodulating the at least one upstream RF signal comprises:

demodulating the at least one upstream RF signal into the baseband digital signal.

12. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

16. A device for facilitating a transmission of upstream data signals from at least one subscriber in a communications network comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) demodulator operable to receive RF signals and demodulate the RF signals into the upstream data signals;

a controller operable to combine a plurality of the upstream data signals for transmission at a higher rate than which the upstream data signals were received; and

an optical transducer operable to convert the combined upstream data signals into at least one optical signal for transmission over a fiber optic link in the communications network at the higher rate.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the upstream data signals are received from multiple subscribers.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the upstream data signals are received from multiple pieces of subscriber equipment.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein the communications network is a hybrid fiber coax (HFC) network using a DOCSIS protocol.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the optical transmission is sent to a cable head-end in the HFC network.