Up-converter and down-converter for in-building CATV system

• US 6,581,208 B1
• Filed: 02/18/2000
• Issued: 06/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Masprodenkoh Kabushikikaisha.
• Original Assignee: Masprodenkoh Kabushikikaisha.
• Inventors: Inaguma, Mitsuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): BELIVEAU, SCOTT E
• Application Number:
  US09/507,713
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 725/78, 725/118, 725/127, 725/148, 725/149, 725/111, 725/128, 725/80, 725/74, 725/126, 725/71
• US Class Current: 725/149
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/102 Circuits therefor, e.g. noise reducers, equalisers, amplifiers H04N7/108 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution

Abstract

An in-building CATV system having a down-converter for converting the in-building upward signal to the signal for a bi-directional CATV system provided with a high-pass filter disposed between an internal terminal and a converter for eliminating input of the downward signal passed through the downward signal path and selectively passing the in-building upward signal, a low-pass filter disposed between the converter and an external terminal for eliminating the downward signal inputted from the external terminal and selectively passing the upward signal outputted from the converter, a high-pass filter disposed between the external terminal and the downward signal path for eliminating input of the upward signal outputted from the converter and selectively passing the downward signal inputted from the external terminal and a low-pass filter disposed between the downward signal path and the internal-terminal for eliminating the in-building upward signal inputted from the internal terminal and selectively passing the downward signal.

Claims

1. An up-converter for an in-building CATV system, disposed between an terminal and a terminal unit on a subscriber side for frequency-converting an upward signal inputted from the terminal unit to an in-building upward signal, in the in-building CATV system in which a lead-in wire from an external bi-directional CATV system is led into a building, a downward signal of said bi-directional CATV system inputted via said lead-in wire is transmitted to the terminal via a transmission line in the building, the in-building upward signal inputted from the terminal and having a frequency higher than a transmission frequency in said bi-directional CATV system is transmitted to said lead-in wire via said transmission line, and the in-building upward signal is converted to provide the transmission frequency in said bi-directional CATV system by a down-converter disposed between said lead-in wire and said transmission line, and outputted to the side of said bi-directional CATV system, said up-converter comprising:

a first terminal connected to the side of said terminal unit;

a second terminal connected to the side of said terminal;

a frequency converter for frequency-converting the upward signal inputted from the side of said terminal unit via said first terminal to said in-building upward signal and outputting the in-building upward signal to the side of said second terminal;

a downward signal path for transmitting the downward signal inputted from said second terminal to said first terminal;

a low-pass filter disposed between said first terminal and said frequency converter for cutting off the input of the downward signal passed through said downward signal path and selectively passing the upward signal from the side of said terminal unit;

a high-pass filter disposed between said frequency converter and said second terminal for cutting off the downward signal inputted from the second terminal and selectively passing the in-building upward signal outputted from said frequency converter;

a low-pass filter disposed between said second terminal and said downward signal path for cutting off the input of the in-building upward signal outputted from said frequency converter and selectively passing the downward signal inputted from said second terminal; and

a high-pass filter disposed between said downward signal path and said first terminal for cutting off the upward signal inputted from the first terminal and selectively passing said downward signal.

2. The up-converter for the in-building CATV system according to claim 1 wherein:

said frequency converter is constituted to use a reference signal with a predetermined frequency superposed to said downward signal and to frequency-convert said upward signal to the in-building upward signal, and

said downward signal path is provided with a branch circuit for branching a part of the downward signal inputted from said second terminal via said low-pass filter and inputting the part to said frequency converter.

3. A down-converter for an in-building CATV system disposed between a lead-in wire and a transmission line in a building for converting an in-building upward signal to an upward signal which has a frequency lower than that of a downward signal and suitable for a transmission frequency in an external bi-directional CATV system and outputting the upward signal to said lead-in wire, in the in-building CATV system in which the lead-in wire from the external bi-directional CATV system is led into the building, the downward signal inputted from said lead-in wire is transmitted to an terminal in the building via the transmission line in the building, and the in-building upward signal inputted to the terminal via an up-converter and having the frequency higher than the frequency of said downward signal is transmitted to said lead-in wire, said down-converter comprising:

an external connection terminal connected to said lead-in wire;

an internal connection terminal connected to the transmission line in said building;

a downward signal path for outputting the downward signal inputted from the side of said external connection terminal to the side of said internal connection terminal;

a frequency converter for frequency-converting the in-building upward signal inputted from the side of the internal connection terminal to the upward signal for said bi-directional CATV system and outputting the upward signal to the side of said external connection terminal;

a high-pass filter disposed between said internal connection terminal and said frequency converter for cutting off the input of the downward signal passed through said downward signal path and selectively passing said in-building upward signal;

a low-pass filter disposed between said frequency converter and said external connection terminal for cutting off the downward signal inputted from the external connection terminal and selectively passing the upward signal outputted from said frequency converter;

a high-pass filter disposed between said external connection terminal and said downward signal path for cutting off the input of the upward signal outputted from said frequency converter and selectively passing the downward signal inputted from said external connection terminal; and

a low-pass filter disposed between said downward signal path and said internal connection terminal for cutting off the in-building upward signal inputted from the internal connection terminal and selectively passing said downward signal.