Television distribution system and processing unit used in said distribution system

• US 7,784,075 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2002
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Casanova
• Original Assignee: Casanova
• Inventors: Lee, Henri
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendleton; Brian T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Saint Cyr; Jean D
• Application Number:
  US10/529,053
• Publication Number:
  US 20060143663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,891 Days
• Field of Search: 725/151
• US Class Current: 725/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/108 the cable being constituted by a pair of wires

Abstract

The invention concerns a system for distribution of television-type (TV) video signals comprising: a first input processing unit (1) including a coaxial input terminal (10), at least a low-current output terminal (11) for twisted wire pairs and processing means (14) for processing the TV signals derived from the coaxial cable so as to transform them into signals having substantially the same transmission characteristics on the same frequency band on a twisted wire pair, at least a second output processing unit (3) including a low-current input port (33) for twisted wire pairs (12) connected to the first input processing unit (1) to transform them into signals substantially identical to those derived from said coaxial cable (41), and at least a connection cable (23) consisting of twisted wire pairs connecting the first processing unit (1) to the second processing unit (3).

Claims

1. System for the distribution of television (TV) type video signals with a frequency band of up to about 5 to 900 MHz, the said system comprising:

an input coaxial cable (41) adapted for connection to a TV antenna (4) or to a cable television network,

an output coaxial cable (53) adapted for connection to a television set (5), characterised in that it also comprises;

a first input processing unit (1) comprising a coaxial input terminal (10), at least one low current terminal (11) for twisted wire pairs and processing means (14) for processing TV signals output from the input coaxial cable so as to transform them into signals with substantially the same transmission characteristics on the same frequency band on a twisted wires pair,

at least one second output processing unit (3) comprising a low current input port (33) for twisted wire pairs, a coaxial output terminal (31) and processing means (34) for processing signals output from a twisted wires pair (12) connected to the first input processing unit (1) so as to transform them into signals substantially identical to the signals output from the said input coaxial cable (41), and

at least one connecting cable (12, 23) consisting of twisted wire pairs connecting the first processing unit (1) to the second processing unit (3),

wherein the first input processing unit (1) comprises means of cutting off (16) the signal transmission in the case in which a coaxial cable (53) is not connected to the coaxial output terminal (31) of the second output processing unit (3).

2. System according to claim 1, in which the first input processing unit (1) comprises means of cutting off (16) the signal transmission in the case in which a cable consisting of twisted wire pairs (12) is not connected to the low current output terminal (11) of the first input processing unit (1).

3. System according to claim 2, in which the low current output terminal (11) of the first input processing unit (1) comprises means of detecting the presence (17) of a low voltage connector (18) connected to the twisted wires cable (12) and plugged into the said output terminal (11).

4. System according to claim 1, in which the coaxial output terminal (31) of the second output processing unit comprises means of detecting the presence (35) of a low voltage connector (52) connected to an output coaxial cable (53) and plugged into the said coaxial output terminal (31).

5. System according to claim 1, in which one twisted wires pair in the said connecting cable acts as a loop back line between the second (3) and the first (1) processing unit to transmit a connector present or absent signal to the cut-off means (16).

6. System according to claim 2, in which the first input processing unit (1) comprises signal processing means (14), a cross connect (15) and several low current output terminals (11) for twisted wire pairs each connected to the cross connect (15), the cut-off means (16) acting between the cross connect (15) and the said output terminals (11) so as to cut off transmission of signals between the cross connect and the output terminal for which the lack of a plugged-in connector (18) is detected.

7. System according to claim 1, in which a sub-cross connect assembly (2) is installed between the first (1) and the second (3) processing units, with at least one cable consisting of twisted wire pairs (12) connecting the first processing unit (1) to the sub-cross connect assembly (2), and at least one other cable consisting of twisted wire pairs (23) connecting the sub-cross connect assembly (2) to the second processing unit (3), the said second unit (3) comprising a coaxial output terminal (31) and at least one output terminal (32) for twisted wire pairs.

8. System according to claim 7, in which the second processing unit (3) is in the form of an adapter comprising a low current connector for twisted wire pairs (33) adapted so that it can be plugged onto a low current terminal (24) for twisted wire pairs connected to the said sub-cross connect assembly (2) for a cable consisting of twisted wire pairs (23).

9. System according to claim 1, in which the twisted wires pair that transmits the transformed TV signals is shielded.

10. System according to claim 1, in which the first input processing unit is an active unit comprising active processing means.

11. System according to claim 10, in which the active processing means comprise an amplification stage (14).

12. System according to claim 1, in which the processing means of the second processing unit comprise passive means such as a balun.

13. System according to claim 1, in which the second processing unit is provided with a low current terminal (32) connected to the input port (33) through a modulator to route signals on a loop back twisted pair.

14. TV signals processing unit (1) with a frequency band varying from 5 to 65 MHz for the return channel and 86 to 862 MHz for the down channel, the said processing unit comprising a coaxial input terminal (10), processing means (14) for transforming TV signals output from the input terminal in signals with substantially the same transmission characteristics on the same frequency band and that can be transmitted for a twisted wires pair, and at least one output terminal (11) for twisted wire pairs,

characterised in that it also comprises means of cutting off (16) the signal transmission acting on the input side of output terminals (11) to cut off the signal transmission at an output terminal that is not connected indirectly, advantageously through a second output processing unit (3) connected to the said terminal through a cable consisting of twisted wire pairs, to a coaxial cable (53) connected to a TV set (5).

15. A system for distributing video signals, comprising:

a first input processing unit comprising a coaxial input terminal and at least one twisted wire pair output terminal;

at least one second output processing unit comprising a twisted wire pair input terminal and a coaxial output terminal;

an input coaxial cable connected to the coaxial input terminal of the first input processing unit;

an output coaxial cable connected to the coaxial output terminal of the second output processing unit; and

at least one twisted wire pair cable connecting the first input processing unit to the second output processing unit,

wherein;

the first input processing unit transforms signals from the input coaxial cable into signals on the twisted wire pair cable;

the second output processing unit transforms signals from the twisted wire pair cable into signals on the output coaxial cable; and

the first input processing unit comprises means of cutting off signal transmission when a coaxial cable is not connected to the coaxial output terminal of the second output processing unit.

16. The system for distributing video signals of claim 15, wherein the first input processing unit is an active unit.

17. The system for distributing video signals of claim 16, wherein the first input processing unit further comprises an amplification stage.

18. The system for distributing video signals of claim 15, wherein the system is capable of distributing video signals with a frequency band of up to about 900 MHz.