Method of locating radio frequency leaks in a CATV system
First Claim
1. A method of determining a source of a leakage signal from a distribution cable of a community antenna television distribution system, such method comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of theoretical signal profiles that each relate theoretical leakage signals to source locations by distance;
sampling the leakage signal from the distribution cable of the community antenna television distribution system at each of a plurality of geographic locations within an environs of the cable;
matching the sampled leakage signals with a theoretical signal profile of the plurality of theoretical signal profiles; and
determining a source location of where the leakage signals leak from the distribution cable based upon the matched theoretical signal profile.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for determining a source of a leakage signal from a distribution cable of a cable television distribution system. The method includes the steps of sampling the leakage signal from the distribution cable of the cable television distribution system at each of a plurality of geographic locations within an environs of the cable, forming a leakage signal profile relating each sample with a respective location of the plurality of geographic locations; and determining a source location of the leakage signal based upon the formed profile.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. A method of determining a source of a leakage signal from a distribution cable of a community antenna television distribution system, such method comprising the steps of:
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providing a plurality of theoretical signal profiles that each relate theoretical leakage signals to source locations by distance;
sampling the leakage signal from the distribution cable of the community antenna television distribution system at each of a plurality of geographic locations within an environs of the cable;
matching the sampled leakage signals with a theoretical signal profile of the plurality of theoretical signal profiles; and
determining a source location of where the leakage signals leak from the distribution cable based upon the matched theoretical signal profile. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for determining a source of a leakage signal from a distribution cable of a community antenna television distribution system, such apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of theoretical signal profiles that relate theoretical leakage signals to source locations by distance;
means for sampling the leakage signal from the distribution cable of the community antenna television distribution system at each of a plurality of geographic locations within an environs of the cable;
means for matching the signals sampled by the means for sampling with a theoretical signal profile of the plurality of profiles; and
means for determining a source location of where the leakage signals leak from the distribution cable based upon the matched theoretical profile. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for determining a source of a leakage signal from a distribution cable of a community antenna television distribution system, such apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of theoretical signal profiles that relate theoretical leakage signals to source locations by distance;
a signal detector adapted to sample the leakage signal from the distribution cable of the community antenna television distribution system at each of a plurality of geographic locations within an environs of the cable;
a sample processor adapted to match the sampled leakage signals with a theoretical signal profile of the plurality of theoretical signal profiles; and
a locator processor adapted to determine a source location of where the leakage signals leak from the distribution cable based upon the matched theoretical profile. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of calculating distance between a moving vehicle acquiring data through an antenna attached to a detection device and an rf leak from a distribution cable of a CATV communication system, such method comprising the steps of:
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providing a plurality of theoretical signal profiles that relate theoretical leakage signals to source locations by distance;
acquiring sample data characterizing the rf leak using the detection device;
rejecting reflected artifacts of the rf leak being detected contained within the acquired data;
correlating simultaneously collected GPS or differential GPS terrestrial location data with the acquired sample data;
matching the correlated location data and sample data with a theoretical signal profile of the plurality of theoretical signal profiles; and
providing an adjusted distance to a location of the rf leak in increments of feet or meters, from the matched theoretical signal profile for transfer to a map, graph or chart of the geographical area under survey where the rf leak is a source location on the distribution cable where an rf signal leaks from the distribution cable.
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28. An apparatus for calculating distance between a moving vehicle and an rf leak from a distribution cable of a CATV communication system, such apparatus further comprising:
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a plurality of theoretical signal profiles that relate theoretical leakage signals to source locations by distance;
a leak detection device mounted on the moving vehicle and adapted to acquire sample data characterizing the rf leak;
a global positioning system;
a central processing unit coupled to the leak detection device and global positioning system, such central processing unit further comprising;
a peak detector receiving data from the leak detection device and adapted to identify a relative peak by rejecting reflected artifacts of the rf leak within the acquired data;
a correlator adapted to generate leakage signal profiles by correlating the sampled data and the correlated peak to geographic locations provided by the global positioning system and for matching the correlated peaks to a theoretical signal profile of the plurality of theoretical signal profiles; and
a distance detector adapted to discern a distance to a location of the rf leak from the vehicle based upon the matched theoretical signal profile, where the rf leak is a source location on the distribution cable where an rf signal leaks from the distribution cable. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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31. An apparatus for calculating distance between a leak detection apparatus and an rf leak from a distribution cable of a CATV communication system, such apparatus further comprising:
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a plurality of theoretical signal profiles that relate theoretical leakage signals to source locations by distance;
a leak detection device with a distance display and adapted to acquire sample data characterizing the rf leak;
a central processing unit with a storage media coupled to the leak detection device, such central processing unit further comprising;
a peak detector receiving data from the leak detection device and adapted to identify a relative peak by rejecting reflected artifacts of the rf leak within the acquired data;
a correlator adapted to generate leakage signal profiles; and
a distance detector adapted to discern a distance to the leak based upon a comparison of the plurality of theoretical signal profiles and the generated leakage signal profiles, wherein the rf leak is a source location on the distribution cable where the leakage signal leaks from the distribution cable, and wherein said central processing unit and storage media is shared among the leak detection device, peak detector, correlator and distance detector. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification