Distribution network comprising coax and optical fiber paths for transmission of television and additional signals
First Claim
1. A cable television signal distribution network in which television signals on a distribution cable are supplied to customer premises via respective customer taps and drop cables, comprising:
- an optical fiber path and a fiber termination unit for supplying digital signals to the distribution cable modulated at higher frequencies than the television signals, the digital signals including signals addressed to particular customer premises; and
a drop unit coupled in the drop cable of a particular customer premises, the drop unit comprising;
a receiver for receiving and demodulating the digital signals;
a control unit responsive to the addressed signals for identifying digital signals addressed to the particular customer premises; and
a transmitter for modulating the identified digital signals addressed to the particular customer premises and for forwarding the modulated signals to the customer premises with the television signals.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cable television network is supplemented with optical fibers and fiber termination units to communicate additional downstream digital signals and upstream signals. A drop unit for each customer premises is provided in the drop cable. The drop unit demodulates downstream signals and selects for delivery to the customer premises only those downstream signals addressed to the customer premises, modulating the selected signals using binary phase shift keying (BPSK) which provides relative immunity to noise for forwarding the signals to the customer premises. Upstream BPSK signals from the customer premises are demodulated and remodulated in the drop unit to isolate the customer premises wiring from the rest of the network.
143 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A cable television signal distribution network in which television signals on a distribution cable are supplied to customer premises via respective customer taps and drop cables, comprising:
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an optical fiber path and a fiber termination unit for supplying digital signals to the distribution cable modulated at higher frequencies than the television signals, the digital signals including signals addressed to particular customer premises; and a drop unit coupled in the drop cable of a particular customer premises, the drop unit comprising; a receiver for receiving and demodulating the digital signals; a control unit responsive to the addressed signals for identifying digital signals addressed to the particular customer premises; and a transmitter for modulating the identified digital signals addressed to the particular customer premises and for forwarding the modulated signals to the customer premises with the television signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A drop unit for connection via a drop cable between a customer tap and a customer premises in a cable television signal distribution network in which television signals and higher frequency modulated digital signals are supplied to the customer tap via a distribution cable, the digital signals including signals addressed for a particular customer premises, the drop unit comprising:
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a downstream signal receiver for receiving and demodulating the digital signals; a control unit for identifying particular addressed digital signals; a downstream signal transmitter for modulating the identified particular addressed digital signals and for forwarding the modulated signals to the customer premises with the television signals; an upstream signal receiver for receiving and demodulating upstream digital signals from the respective customer premises; and an upstream signal transmitter controlled by the control unit for modulating the demodulated upstream digital signals and for forwarding the modulated upstream digital signals to the distribution cable via the customer tap. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification