Customer premises ADSL signal distribution arrangement

• US 5,408,260 A
• Filed: 01/11/1994
• Issued: 04/18/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northern Telecom Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Arnon, Ephraim
• Primary Examiner(s): Groody, James J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GRANT, CHRISTOPHER C
• Application Number:
  US08/180,155
• Time in Patent Office: 462 Days
• Field of Search: 348/6, 348/8, 348/10, 348/12, 348/13, 455/3.1, 455/4.1, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.1
• US Class Current: 725/106
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0421 Circuit arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1319 Amplifier, attenuation circuit, echo suppressor
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13199 Modem, modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13216 Code signals, frame structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13332 Broadband, CATV, dynamic bandwidth allocation

Abstract

A plurality of ADSL (asymmetric digital subscriber line) terminals are coupled to the coaxial cable of a cable television distribution arrangement. Each ADSL terminal is coupled to a respective ADSL path and a respective customer premises telephone line for coupling of telephone signals. Each ADSL terminal comprises a transmitter for supplying asymmetric signals received via the respective ADSL path to the coaxial cable, and transmitters and receivers for communicating bidirectional data and control signals, communicated via the respective ADSL path, via the coaxial cable, in each case modulated at a frequency which is not used for television signals. Customer premises equipment includes corresponding receivers and transmitters. The arrangement permits the ADSL terminals to be used as a resource shared by a plurality of customer premises.

Claims

1. An arrangement for distributing signals to customer premises, comprising:

a coaxial cable for supplying television signals at predetermined frequencies to a plurality of customer premises;

a plurality of ADSL (asymmetric digital subscriber line) terminals each for receiving asymmetric signals from, and for communicating telephone and bidirectional signals via, a respective ADSL path; and

a plurality of telephone lines each coupled to a respective one of the ADSL terminals for communicating the telephone signals to a customer premises;

wherein each ADSL terminal includes means for supplying the asymmetric signals to, and for communicating the bidirectional signals via, the coaxial cable at at least one respective frequency different from said predetermined frequencies;

the arrangement further comprising means at at least one customer premises for receiving the asymmetric signal from, and for communicating the bidirectional signals via, the coaxial cable at said at least one respective frequency.

2. A distribution arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means in each ADSL terminal for supplying the asymmetric signals to the coaxial cable comprises a transmitter tuned to a respective frequency.

3. A distribution arrangement as claimed in claim 2 wherein the tuned transmitters in a plurality of ADSL terminals are tuned each to a respective frequency within a 6 MHz frequency band.

4. A distribution arrangement as claimed in claim 3 wherein each transmitter for supplying the asymmetric signals to the coaxial cable is arranged to supply said asymmetric signals within a respective 1.5 MHz sub-band.

5. A distribution arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means in each ADSL terminal for communicating the bidirectional signals via the coaxial cable comprises at least one transmitter and at least one receiver arranged to transmit and receive the bidirectional signals at respective frequencies.

6. A distribution arrangement as claimed in claim 5 wherein said at least one transmitter and at least one receiver comprise a first transmitter and receiver for transmitting and receiving bidirectional data signals at respective frequencies, and a second transmitter and receiver for transmitting and receiving bidirectional control signals at respective frequencies.

7. A distribution arrangement as claimed in claim 5 wherein said at least one transmitter in each ADSL terminal is tuned to transmit signals at a respective frequency in a first frequency band for a downstream transmission direction on the coaxial cable, and the at least one receiver in each ADSL terminal is arranged to receive signals at a respective frequency in a second frequency band for an upstream transmission direction on the coaxial cable.

8. A distribution arrangement as claimed in claim 7 wherein the first and second frequency bands are below said predetermined frequencies.

9. A signal distribution arrangement comprising:

a coaxial cable for supplying television signals in predetermined television signal channels to a plurality of customer premises;

a plurality of ADSL (asymmetric digital subscriber line) terminals each coupled to the coaxial cable, a respective ADSL path, and a respective telephone line, each ADSL terminal being arranged to couple telephone signals between the respective ADSL path and the respective telephone line, and comprising a transmitter for supplying asymmetric signals received via the respective ADSL path to the coaxial cable modulated at a respective frequency, and a transceiver for communicating bidirectional signals, communicated via the respective ADSL path, via the coaxial cable modulated at a respective frequency; and

customer premises equipment coupled to the coaxial cable and comprising a receiver for receiving asymmetric signals modulated at a respective frequency from the coaxial cable, and at least one transmitter and at least one receiver for communicating bidirectional signals via the coaxial cable at at least one respective frequency.

10. A signal distribution arrangement as claimed in claim 9 wherein the bidirectional signals are communicated by the at least one transmitter and at least one receiver at different frequencies for the two directions of transmission on the coaxial cable.

11. A distribution arrangement as claimed in claim 9 wherein said at least one transmitter and at least one receiver comprise a first transmitter and receiver for transmitting and receiving bidirectional data signals at respective frequencies, and a second transmitter and receiver for transmitting and receiving bidirectional control signals at respective frequencies.

12. Customer premises equipment for use in a signal distribution arrangement, the equipment comprising:

a coupler for coupling signals at first predetermined frequencies from a coaxial cable to a television receiver;

a receiver coupled to the coupler for receiving from the coaxial cable asymmetric signals modulated at a second predetermined frequency different from said first predetermined frequencies;

at least one transmitter and at least one receiver coupled to the coupler for communicating bidirectional signals modulated at at least a third predetermined frequency different from the first and second predetermined frequencies; and

a data and control unit coupled to said receiver and to said at least one transmitter and at least one receiver for processing the asymmetric and bidirectional signals.

13. Customer premises equipment as claimed in claim 12 wherein the asymmetric signals modulated at the second predetermined frequency have a 1.5 MHz bandwidth.

14. Customer premises equipment as claimed in claim 12 wherein the bidirectional signals modulated at the third predetermined frequency have a bandwidth of about 0.3 MHz for each direction of transmission..

15. Customer premises equipment as claimed in claim 12 wherein said at least one transmitter and at least one receiver comprise a first transmitter and receiver for transmitting and receiving bidirectional data signals at respective frequencies, and a second transmitter and receiver for transmitting and receiving bidirectional control signals at respective frequencies.