Communication systems using passive RF routing
First Claim
1. A system for communicating between a radio-frequency signal upstream point arranged for operating over a radio-frequency spectrum and a plurality of radio-frequency signal downstream points each arranged for operating over a specified portion of the radio-frequency spectrum, comprising:
- a radio-frequency signal electrical upstream lead coupled to the radio frequency signal upstream point;
a plurality of radio-frequency signal electrical downstream leads each connected to a radio-frequency signal downstream point;
a surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) demultiplexer-multiplexer connecting said radio-frequency signal electrical upstream lead to said plurality of radio-frequency signal electrical downstream leads;
said surface-acoustic-wave demultiplexer-multiplexer including a wavelength-separating acoustic wavelength array having a plurality of unequal-length waveguides such that different frequency bands appear at each of said leads.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Communication between an upstream point, such as a TV-source headend followed by a fiber optic line, and a number of downstream points, such as coaxial cable connected subscriber locations, is achieved by wavelength or frequency demultiplexing a spectrum of downstream radio-frequency signals with a surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) demultiplexer-multiplexer and distributing the demultiplexed signals to the downstream points, for example through the cables.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A system for communicating between a radio-frequency signal upstream point arranged for operating over a radio-frequency spectrum and a plurality of radio-frequency signal downstream points each arranged for operating over a specified portion of the radio-frequency spectrum, comprising:
a radio-frequency signal electrical upstream lead coupled to the radio frequency signal upstream point; a plurality of radio-frequency signal electrical downstream leads each connected to a radio-frequency signal downstream point; a surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) demultiplexer-multiplexer connecting said radio-frequency signal electrical upstream lead to said plurality of radio-frequency signal electrical downstream leads; said surface-acoustic-wave demultiplexer-multiplexer including a wavelength-separating acoustic wavelength array having a plurality of unequal-length waveguides such that different frequency bands appear at each of said leads. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for communicating between a radio-frequency signal upstream point arranged for operating over a radio-frequency signal spectrum and a plurality of radio-frequency signal downstream points each arranged for operating over a specified portion of the radio-frequency spectrum, comprising:
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passing signals covering a spectrum of radio frequencies between the radio-frequency signal upstream point and a radio-frequency signal electrical upstream lead; passing specified portions of the radio-frequency spectrum between a plurality of radio-frequency signal electrical downstream leads and the plurality of radio-frequency signal downstream points; and multiplexing-demultiplexing signals in the radio-frequency spectrum and portions of the radio-frequency spectrum with a surface-acoustic-wave wavelength demultiplexer-multiplexer connecting said radio-frequency signal electrical upstream lead to said plurality of radio-frequency signal electrical downstream leads; said demultiplexing-multiplexing step including establishing surface acoustic waves (SAWs) on a surface acoustic wave (SAW) supporting material from said radio-frequency signal electrical upstream lead and to said downstream leads; forming interferences between the SAWs with a wavelength-separating array of a plurality unequal length waveguides such that different frequency bands appear at each of said downstream leads. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A router for routing radio frequency signals between a radio-frequency signal upstream point and a plurality of radio-frequency signal downstream points, comprising:
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a surface acoustic wave (SAW) supporting material; an electrical SAW upstream transducer deposited on said material at the radio-frequency signal upstream point; a SAW upstream coupler coupled to the upstream transducer; a electrical-SAW downstream transducer deposited on said material at the radio-frequency signal downstream points; a SAW downstream coupler coupled to said downstream transducer; and a plurality of unequal length acoustic paths forming an acoustic wavelength array having upstream ends coupled to said SAW upstream coupler and downstream ends coupled to said SAW downstream coupler such that different frequency bands appear at each of said downstream leads. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification