Method and apparatus for spurious signal detection and disconnection in a hybrid fiber/coax network architecture

• US 5,615,246 A
• Filed: 03/31/1995
• Issued: 03/25/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Comcast MO Group Incorporated (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: West Hill Technology Counsel, Inc.
• Inventors: Beveridge, Gregory J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chernoff, Michael B.
• Application Number:
  US08/415,107
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 379/56, 379/406, 379/407, 379/414, 379/417, 379/187, 379/413, 379/183, 379/194, 379/177, 379/195, 379/184, 379/7, 379/8, 379/32, 379/35, 359/179, 359/173, 359/123, 359/124, 359/125, 359/118, 359/137, 359/171, 359/174, 359/176, 359/177, 370/110.1, 370/14, 370/17, 370/13, 370/85.3, 370/85.1, 370/16, 370/85.2, 348/6, 348/7, 348/8, 348/12, 348/13, 348/14, 348/16, 348/17, 380/6, 380/7, 380/10, 380/15, 380/20, 380/23, 380/8, 455/1, 455/5.1, 455/26.1, 455/4.2, 455/4.1, 455/63, 455/67.3, 395/180, 395/181, 395/183.01, 395/184.01, 395/185.01
• US Class Current: 379/56.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/12 Arrangements for observation, testing or troubleshooting
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/79 using downlink of the CATV systems, e.g. audio broadcast via CATV network
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/94 Telephonic networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/84
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/97 using uplink of the CATV systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/12 Marking faulty circuits "busy"; Enabling equipment to disengage itself from faulty circuits ; Using redundant circuits; Response of a circuit, apparatus or system to an error
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/205 Eavesdropping prevention - indication of insecurity of line or network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/30 for subscriber's lines , for the local loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/303 and using PCM multiplexers, e.g. pair gain systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/025 Time division multiplex systems, e.g. loop systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/02 for frequency-division multiplexing H04Q11/0001 takes precedence

Abstract

A device for detecting the presence of spurious energy on a bus based network. The device identifies the subscriber location which is the source of spurious energy and includes disconnection capability to remove that subscriber location from the network.

Claims

1. A system for providing telephony services to a subscriber location comprising:

a logical bus network including a coaxial cable network;

a jamming detection and disconnection device electromagnetically connected to said logical bus network, said jamming detection and disconnection device including;

means, connected to said coaxial cable network, for providing a signal path to said subscriber location;

means, connected to said signal path, for detecting spurious energy on said signal path;

means, responsive to said detecting means, for interrupting said signal path; and

means, connected to said detecting means, for identifying said subscriber location to said network;

wherein said interrupting means prevents said spurious energy from disrupting service to another subscriber location on said bus based coaxial cable network.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said detecting means includes:

a foreign signal detector; and

a pilot and protocol detector.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein said interrupting means includes:

a relay;

a relay control electromagnetically connected to said relay; and

means, electromagnetically connected to said relay control, for resetting said relay control from a network location.

4. A device according to claim 1 wherein said identifying means includes an identification transmitter responsive to a signal from said detecting means.

5. A device according to claim 2 further including:

a switch electromagnetically connected to said interrupting means; and

means, electromagnetically connected to said switch, for remotely resetting said switch from a network location.

6. A device according to claim 1 wherein said disrupted service includes telephony service.

7. A device according to claim 1 wherein said disrupted service includes video service.

8. A device according to claim 7 wherein said video service includes an interactive video service.

9. A method for supplying services to a subscriber location comprising:

transporting signals over a logical bus network including a coaxial cable system; and

monitoring said signals on said coaxial cable system to and from said subscriber location to prevent spurious energy from being introduced onto said network, said step of monitoring including;

providing a signal path to said subscriber location;

detecting spurious energy on said signal path;

interrupting said signal path in response to said step of detecting; and

identifying said subscriber location to said network;

wherein said step of interrupting prevents said spurious energy from disrupting service to another subscriber location on said bus based coaxial cable network.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein said step of detecting includes the steps of:

sensing foreign signals on said signal path; and

sensing pilot and protocol signals on said signal path.

11. A method according to claim 9 wherein said step of interrupting includes the steps of:

shunting signals on said signal path by means of a relay; and

remotely controlling said relay from a network location.

12. A method according to claim 9 wherein said disrupted service includes telephony service.

13. A method according to claim 9 wherein said disrupted service includes video service.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein said video service includes an interactive video service.

15. A method according to claim 9 further including the steps of remotely controlling a switch from a network location to start or stop said step of interrupting.

16. A system for providing video and telephony services to a subscriber comprising:

a telecommunications system for providing telephony signals to and from a logical bus network transmission system, said logical bus network transmission system including a fiber optic transmission system and a network coaxial cable system;

a video system electromagnetically connected to said logical bus network transmission system, for supplying video signals on said logical bus network transmission system;

a converter electromagnetically connected with said fiber optic transmission system, for converting said telephony and video optical signals on said fiber optic transmission system to telephony electrical signals and video electrical signals on said network coaxial cable system, and for converting said video and said telephony electrical signals on said network coaxial cable system to video and telephony optical signals on said fiber optic transmission system;

a video delivery system electromagnetically connected with said logical bus network transmission system, for selectively delivering said video signals;

a jamming detection and disconnection device electromagnetically connected to said logical bus network, said jamming detection and disconnection device including;

means, connected to said coaxial cable network, for providing a signal path to said subscriber location;

means, connected to said signal path, for detecting spurious energy on said signal path;

means, responsive to said detecting means, for interrupting said signal path; and

means, connected to said detecting means, for identifying said subscriber location to said network;

wherein said interrupting means prevents said spurious energy from disrupting service to another subscriber location on said bus based coaxial cable network.

17. A device according to claim 16 wherein said detecting means includes:

a foreign signal detector; and

a pilot and protocol detector.

18. A device according to claim 16 wherein said interrupting means includes:

a relay;

a relay control electromagnetically connected to said relay; and

means, electromagnetically connected to said relay control, for resetting said relay control from a network location.

19. A device according to claim 16 wherein said identifying means includes an identification transmitter responsive to a signal from said detecting means.

20. A device according to claim 16 further including:

a switch electromagnetically connected to said interrupting means; and

means, electromagnetically connected to said switch, for remotely resetting said switch from a network location.

21. A device according to claim 16 wherein said disrupted service includes telephony service.

22. A device according to claim 16 wherein said disrupted service includes video service.

23. A device according to claim 22 wherein said video service includes interactive video service.

24. A method for providing video and telephony services to a subscriber over a logical bus network, said method comprising:

supplying a set of video signals and a modulated telephony signal to a fiber optic transmission system;

converting optical signals on said fiber optic transmission system to electrical signals on a network coaxial cable system and converting electrical signals on said network coaxial cable system to signals on said fiber optic transmission system;

monitoring said telephony signals on said coaxial cable system to and from said subscriber location to prevent spurious energy from being introduced onto said network, said step of monitoring including;

providing a signal path to said subscriber location;

detecting spurious energy on said signal path;

interrupting said signal path in response to said step of detecting; and

identifying said subscriber location to said network;

wherein said step of interrupting prevents said spurious energy from disrupting service to another subscriber location on said bus based coaxial cable network.

25. A method according to claim 24 wherein said step of detecting includes the steps of:

sensing foreign signals on said signal path; and

sensing pilot and protocol signals on said signal path.

26. A method according to claim 24 wherein said step of interrupting includes the steps of:

shunting signals on said signal path by means of a relay; and

remotely controlling said relay from a network location.

27. A method according to claim 24 wherein said disrupted service includes telephony service.

28. A method according to claim 24 wherein said disrupted service includes video service.

29. A method according to claim 28 wherein said video service includes an interactive video service.

30. A method according to claim 24 further including the steps of remotely controlling a switch from a network location to start or stop said step of interrupting.

31. A video and telephony logical bus network including a plurality of telephones operatively connected thereto comprising:

a fiber optic transmission system;

a coaxial cable transmission system connected to said fiber optic transmission system;

a telephone switching system electromagnetically connected to said fiber optic transmission system;

a video provisioning system electromagnetically connected to said fiber optic transmission system; and

a jamming detection and disconnection device electromagnetically connected to said logical bus network, said jamming detection and disconnection device including;

means, connected to said coaxial cable network, for providing a signal path to said subscriber location;

means, connected to said signal path, for detecting spurious energy on said signal path;

means, responsive to said detecting means, for interrupting said signal path; and

means, connected to said detecting means, for identifying said subscriber location to said network;

wherein said interrupting means prevents said spurious energy from disrupting service to another subscriber location on said bus based coaxial cable network.

32. A device according to claim 31 wherein said detecting means includes:

a foreign signal detector; and

a pilot and protocol detector.

33. A device according to claim 31 wherein said interrupting means includes:

a relay;

a relay control electromagnetically connected to said relay; and

means, electromagnetically connected to said relay control, for resetting said relay control from a network location.

34. A device according to claim 31 wherein said identifying means includes an identification transmitter responsive to a signal from said detecting means.

35. A device according to claim 31 further including:

a switch electromagnetically connected to said interrupting means; and

means, electromagnetically connected to said switch, for remotely resetting said switch from a network location.

36. A device according to claim 31 wherein said disrupted service includes telephony service.

37. A device according to claim 31 wherein said disrupted service includes video service.

38. A device according to claim 37 wherein said video service includes interactive video service.