Wideband node in a CATV network

• US 7,904,932 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2008
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ATX Networks Incorporated (United Communications Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Xtend Networks Ltd. (National Vision Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dounaevski, Oleg, Weinstein, Hillel, Strull, Yeshayahu
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendleton; Brian T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chokshi; Pinkal R
• Application Number:
  US12/166,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20090119735A1
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 725/127, 725/129
• US Class Current: 725/127
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/102 Circuits therefor, e.g. noise reducers, equalisers, amplifiers H04N7/108 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/104 Switchers or splitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

A novel node device enables transmission of a wideband signal, in compliance with various acceptable transmission standards and protocols. The signal consists of the legacy spectrum of about 5-860 MHz as well as a new downstream spectrum of about 1000-2000 MHz and a new upstream spectrum of about 2000-3000 MHz or about 930-1100 MHz. The novel device enables transfer of additional data in the upstream direction employing multiple upstream bands without making substantial investment in upstream physical node splitting thus providing networking services to residential subscribers, as well as to small and medium-sized businesses (SMB), which may operate under existing DOCSIS protocols and controlled by standard DOCSIS routers (CMTSs).

Claims

1. In a hybrid fiber cable signal distribution network, a node apparatus for the division, frequency conversion and multiplexing of at least four signal sub-bands included in a high frequency band signal of a wideband signal of about 5 to 3000 MHz, said wideband signal received in the upstream direction from a distribution segment of a CATV network, the apparatus comprising the elements of:

a triplexer device to separate in an upstream direction the wideband signal into the high frequency band signal and a CATV signal of about 5 to 860 MHz, wherein said high frequency band signal includes at least four frequency sub-bands, each frequency sub-band carry respective upstream data;

an amplifier device to amplify the high frequency band signal in the upstream direction;

a splitter device to split the amplified high frequency band signal into at least four reproduced signals in the upstream direction, each reproduced signal in the respective frequency sub-band of said high frequency band signal;

a first frequency converter device to down-convert the first frequency sub-band of the first reproduced signal into a first down-converted signal of about 12 to 42 MHz in the upstream direction;

a second frequency converter device to down-convert the second frequency sub-band of the second reproduced signal into a second down-converted signal in the upstream direction;

a third frequency converter device to down-convert the third frequency sub-band of the third reproduced signal into a third down-converted signal in the upstream direction;

a fourth frequency converter device to down-convert the fourth frequency sub-band of the fourth reproduced signal into a fourth down-converted signal in the upstream direction, wherein each of said first down-converted signal, second down-converted signal, third down-converted signal and fourth down-converted signal has substantially the same bandwidth and substantially the same frequency range as the other down-converted signals, and wherein each of said down-converted signals carries the respective upstream data of the respective frequency sub-band from which said down-converted signal was down-converted; and

a multiplexer device to multiplex the first down-converted signal, the second down-converted signal, the third down-converted signal and the fourth down-converted signal into a combined signal in the upstream direction.

2. The node apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the high frequency upstream band signal is of about 2000 to 3000 MHz.

3. The node apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the high frequency upstream band signal is of about 860 to 1100 MHz.

4. The node apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the high frequency band signal further comprises a plurality of channels, which may be operating under the DOCSIS standards and protocols.

5. The node apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the high frequency band signal further comprises a plurality of channels, which may be operating under the DOCSIS standards and protocols.

6. The node apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first or second or third or fourth frequency sub bands are about 30 MHz wide, which may be operating under the DOCSIS standards and protocols.

7. The node apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first frequency sub-band is in the about 2250 to 2280 MHz or in the about 900 to 930 MHz frequency range.

8. The node apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second frequency sub-band is in the about 2300 to 2330 MHz or in the about 931 to 960 MHz frequency range.

9. The node apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the third frequency sub-band is in the about 2350 to 2380 MHz or in the about 961 to 990 MHz frequency range.

10. The node apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fourth frequency sub-band is in the about 2400 to 24300 MHz or in the about 991 to 1100 MHz frequency range.

11. The node apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first or second or third or fourth down-converted signal is in the about 12 to 42 MHz.

12. The node apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprises an RF-to-optical converter in the upstream direction and an Optical-to-RF converter in the downstream direction.

13. The node apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprises an optical transmitter device in the upstream and an optical receiver in the downstream direction.

14. The node apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the triplexer device combines into the wideband signal a low frequency signal.

15. The node apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprises a fifth frequency converter device to up-convert a downstream signal to a low frequency band signal in a downstream direction.

16. The node apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein the low frequency downstream band signal is in the about 1000 to 2000 MHz.

17. The node apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein the downstream signal is in the about 150-860 MHz.

18. In a hybrid fiber cable signal distribution network, a method for the division, frequency conversion and multiplexing of at least four signal sub-bands included in a high frequency upstream band signal of a wideband signal of about 5 to 3000 MHz, said wideband signal received in the upstream direction from a distribution segment of a CATV network, the method comprising the steps of separating in an upstream direction the wideband signal into the high frequency band signal and a CATV signal of about 50 to 860 MHz, wherein said high frequency band signal includes at least four frequency sub-bands, each frequency sub-band carry respective upstream data;

amplifying the high frequency band signal in the upstream direction;

splitting the amplified high frequency band signal into at least four reproduced signals in the upstream direction, each reproduced signal in the respective frequency sub-band of said high frequency band signal;

down-converting the first frequency sub-band of the first reproduced signal into a first down-converted signal in the upstream direction;

down-converting the second frequency sub-band of the second reproduced signal into a second down-converted signal in the upstream direction;

down-converting the third frequency sub-band of the third reproduced signal into a third down-converted signal in the upstream direction;

down-converting the fourth frequency sub-band of the fourth reproduced signal into a fourth down-converted signal in the upstream direction, wherein each of said first down-converted signal, second down-converted signal, third down-converted signal and fourth down-converted signal has substantially the same bandwidth and substantially the same frequency range as the other down-converted signals, and wherein each of said down-converted signals carries the respective upstream data of the respective frequency sub-band from which said down-converted signal was down-converted; and

multiplexing the first down-converted signal, the second down-converted signal, the third down-converted signal and the fourth down-converted signal into a combined signal in the upstream direction.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18 wherein the high frequency band signal is of about 2000 to 3000 MHz.

20. The method as claimed in claim 18 wherein the first frequency sub-band is in the about 2250 to 2280 MHz or in the about 900 to 931 MHz frequency range.

21. The method as claimed in claim 18 wherein the second frequency sub-band is in the about 2300 to 2330 MHz or in the about 931 to 960 MHz frequency range.

22. The method as claimed in claim 18 wherein the third frequency sub-band is in the about 2350 to 2380 MHz or in the about 961 to 990 MHz frequency range.

23. The method as claimed in claim 18 wherein the fourth frequency sub-band is in the about 2400 to 2430 MHz or in the about 991 to 1100 MHz frequency range.

24. The method as claimed in claim 18 wherein the first or second or third or fourth down-converted signal is in the about 12 to 42 MHz.

25. The method as claimed in claim 18 further comprising the step of combining into the wideband signal a low frequency signal.

26. The method as claimed in claim 18 further comprises the step of up-converting a downstream signal to a low frequency band signal in a downstream direction.

27. The method as claimed in claim 25 wherein the low frequency band signal is in the about 1000 to 2000 MHz.

28. The method as claimed in claim 24 wherein the low frequency band signal is in the about 1000 to 2000 MHz.

29. The method as claimed in claim 25 wherein the low frequency band signal further comprises a plurality of channels.

30. The method as claimed in claim 26 wherein the low frequency band signal further comprises a plurality of channels.

31. The method as claimed in claim 26 wherein the downstream signal is in the about 150-860 MHz.