Total bandwidth conditioning device

• US 8,181,211 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2009
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PPC Broadband Incorporated (Belden Inc.)
• Original Assignee: John Mezzalingua Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Olson, Thomas A., Kelma, David, Lai, Joseph, Montena, Noah, Shafer, Steven K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendleton, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Saint Cyr, Jean D
• Application Number:
  US12/629,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20100251314A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 725/107
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44209 Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44245 Monitoring the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. its availability, bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6168 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/637 Control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/104 Switchers or splitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

An apparatus can include a modem and a conditioning device can be provided and coupled at a signal transmission line of a CATV system at a premise of a user according to embodiments of the application. The apparatus can provide selected information (e.g., Table 1) upstream for use that can improve operations or increase capabilities at one or more users.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a housing to connect at a signal transmission line of a CATV system at a premise of a user downstream of a first signal transmission line configured to be used by a plurality of users;

a modem to receive downstream information and to receive upstream information;

a conditioning control circuit to modify a signal on said signal transmission line transmitted between the premise and the first signal transmission line wherein the conditioning control circuit is a downstream bandwidth output level and/or output level tilt compensation device comprising;

a tuner configured to scan a downstream bandwidth to identify at least one low band channel and at least one high band channel;

a channel analyzer configured to determine a format of each of the low band channel and the high band channel;

a signal measurement device configured to measure a low band signal strength of the low band channel and a high band signal strength of the high band channel;

an offset circuit configured to perform at least two of (i) add a first offset value to the low band signal strength when the low band channel is a digital format, (ii) subtract a second offset value from the low band signal strength when the low band channel is an analog format, (iii) add a the first offset value to the high band signal strength when the high band channel is the digital format, and (iv) subtract the second offset value from the high band signal strength when the high band channel is the analog format;

a microprocessor configured to compare the low band signal strength and the high band signal strength, including any offset values, to a predetermined signal strength loss curve;

a variable output level compensation device; and

a variable slope adjusting circuit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the modem comprises:

one or more NIC connected to the modem;

a switch/splitter device connected to the modem; and

a plurality of user devices connected to the modem, said one or more NIC, or the switch/splitter device, wherein the conditioning control circuit comprises a drop line conditioning circuit, wherein the drop line conditioning circuit comprises a controller coupled to a NIC.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, the modem to provide data upstream, the data to include a scaled measurement or an actual measurement of a downstream gain setting implemented by the conditioning control circuit and a downstream slope adjustment setting implemented by the conditioning control circuit.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, the modem to provide data upstream, the data to include an upstream attenuation setting, an active frequency selection, and an incremental frequency size;

wherein the upstream attenuation setting is implemented by the conditioning control circuit.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, the modem to provide premise connector information upstream, the premise connector information to include one of connector type, connector location, connector serial number, connector installation date, or a connector installer identifier for a plurality of connectors installed at the premise.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, the modem to provide connector termination status for a plurality of connectors installed at the premise.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a battery backup device coupled to supply backup power to the modem and the conditioning control circuit.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of apparatus each located at a different premise; and

a controller to receive and analyze downstream or upstream bandwidth characteristics to identify selected differences over a corresponding threshold among said characteristics provided by at least one different apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, the modem to provide data upstream, the data to include a rate of change of downstream gain setting or tilt adjustment, wherein the rate of change of downstream gain setting or tilt adjustment is not detected within a prescribed time after the conditioning control circuit is enabled, wherein the rate of change of downstream gain setting or tilt adjustment over a prescribed threshold is indicative of an error condition.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, the modem to supply a rate of change of a first downstream bandwidth characteristic and a rate of change of a second downstream bandwidth characteristic, where an inverse correlation of the rates of change is responsive to an error condition at the premise.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conditioning control circuit comprises an upstream bandwidth conditioning device comprising:

a variable signal level adjustment device configured to create an amount of signal level adjustment to an upstream bandwidth;

a signal measurement circuit configured to measure a first signal strength of the upstream bandwidth prior to applying an incremental amount of additional signal level adjustment and a second signal strength after applying the incremental amount of additional signal level adjustment; and

a circuit configured (i) to compare the first signal strength to the second signal strength and (ii) to remove at least a portion of the incremental amount of additional signal level adjustment when the first signal strength is greater than the second signal strength.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a first frequency band splitting device being located between the variable signal level adjustment device and a premise side; and

a second frequency band splitting device being located between the variable signal level adjustment device and a supplier side;

wherein the signal measurement circuit comprises a signal level detector configured to output a signal representative of a level of the upstream bandwidth after application of the amount of signal level adjustment and any of the incremental amount of additional signal level adjustment,

wherein the circuit is configured to iteratively determine whether the incremental amount of additional signal level adjustment is to be applied; and

wherein the circuit is configured to remove the portion of the incremental amount of additional signal level adjustment when the first signal strength is greater than the second signal strength.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, where the apparatus is positioned proximate the premise, inside the premise, or outside the premise, wherein the downstream information and the upstream information is one of a telephone call, a web page, a television program, a game application data, a video, or emergency signals or control signals for the apparatus, for other user equipments or a supplier.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conditioning control circuit is a frequency band selection device comprising:

at least two signal path sets between a tap side and a premise side, each signal path set comprising two discrete signal paths, a high frequency signal path allowing a downstream bandwidth to pass from the tap side to the premise side and a low frequency signal path allowing an upstream bandwidth to pass from the premise side to the tap side, the high frequency signal path and the low frequency signal path being separated by a cut-off transition frequency that is different for said each signal path set;

a switch controller having at least two discrete switch positions, the switch controller choosing one of the at least two discrete switch positions as a result of an information signal, each of the at least two discrete switch positions corresponding to a respective one of the signal path sets;

a tap side filter set including at least two frequency band splitting devices selectable by a tap side switch set wherein the tap side switch set comprises a tap side downstream switch and a tap side upstream switch; and

a premise side filter set including at least two frequency band splitting devices selectable by a premise side switch set wherein the premise side switch set comprises a premise side downstream switch and a premise side upstream switch,

wherein the tap side switch set and the premise side switch set are actuated by the switch controller.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an amount of signal level adjustment provided by the variable output level compensation device is determined based on the high band signal strength;

and

wherein an amount of slope adjustment provided by the variable slope adjusting circuit is determined based on the low band signal strength, wherein the signal measurement device is arranged to measure the high band signal strength and the low band signal strength downstream from the variable output level compensation device.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, the modem to provide selected data downstream on a forward path to a data collection device, the data collection device comprises a memory circuit, a controller including a data collection circuit, a data collector or a second modem, the data collection device to subsequently transmit said selected data collectively, periodically, repeatedly, responsive to an inquiry or operator action, individually or in combinations.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, the modem to provide digital channel type or analog channel type information upstream for a selected channel, block of channels, plurality of channels, or responsive to a request or a channel type change.