Multi-port entry adapter, hub and method for interfacing a CATV network and a MoCA network

• US 8,286,209 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2008
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PPC Broadband Incorporated (Belden Inc.)
• Original Assignee: John Mezzalingua Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Wells, Chad T., Egan, John M. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dubasky, Gigi L
• Application Number:
  US12/255,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20100100918A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,449 Days
• Field of Search: 725/74, 725 78- 82, 725/119, 725127-129, 725/149
• US Class Current: 725/74
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/066 Telephone sets adapted for data transmision
• 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

Abstract

A cable television (CATV) entry adapter interfaces to a CATV network and serves as a hub in a Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) network. MoCA signals are bypassed around the CATV communication paths within the entry adapter to maintain adequate signal strength and to allow a passive port of the entry adapter to be used as part of the MoCA network. MoCA signals are suppressed from exiting the CATV entry adapter onto the CATV network.

Claims

1. A cable television (CATV) entry adapter for interfacing a CATV network with subscriber equipment at subscriber premises and for connecting multimedia devices at the subscriber premises in a Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) network, the MoCA network including MoCA interface devices connected to multimedia devices by which to communicate MoCA signals in a MoCA frequency band between the MoCA interfaces over the MoCA network, at least one of the multimedia devices also constituting subscriber equipment, the CATV entry adapter comprising:

a housing;

a CATV entry port connected to the housing and operative to connect the CATV entry adapter to the CATV network;

a passive port connected to the housing and operative to connect to passive subscriber equipment;

a plurality of active ports connected to the housing, each active port operative to connect to active subscriber equipment and to MoCA interface devices;

a CATV active downstream signal communication path connected between the CATV entry port and the plurality of active ports, the CATV active downstream signal communication path communicating CATV downstream signals from the CATV network to the active subscriber equipment connected to the active ports, the CATV active downstream signal communication path including at least one active electronic component for conditioning the CATV downstream signals before communication to the active ports, the CATV active downstream signal communication path passing CATV downstream signals in a CATV downstream frequency band and rejecting all signals of other frequencies;

a CATV active upstream signal communication path connected between the plurality of active ports and the CATV entry port, the CATV active upstream signal communication path communicating CATV active upstream signals from the subscriber equipment connected to the active port to the CATV network, the CATV active upstream signal communication path passing CATV active upstream signals in a CATV upstream frequency band and rejecting all signals of other frequencies;

a CATV passive signal communication path connected between the CATV entry port and the passive port, the CATV passive signal communication path communicating CATV passive downstream signal and CATV passive upstream signal between the CATV network and passive subscriber equipment connected to the passive port, the CATV passive signal communication path including no active components for conditioning the CATV passive downstream signal and the CATV passive upstream signal communicated through the CATV passive signal communication path;

a signal bidirectional splitter/combiner formed internal to the housing and connected between the CATV entry port and to the CATV active downstream signal communication path, the CATV active upstream signal communication path and the CATV passive signal communication path, the signal bidirectional splitter/combiner operatively creating two downstream signals from each downstream signal supplied by the CATV network and supplying one of the two created downstream signals to the CATV active downstream signal communication path and supplying the other one of the two created downstream signals to the CATV passive signal communication path, the signal bidirectional splitter/combiner operatively creating a single upstream signal from the CATV active upstream signal and the CATV passive upstream signal supplied respectively by the CATV active upstream signal communication path and the CATV passive signal communication path and supplying the single created upstream signal to the CATV network;

a MoCA signal frequency rejection filter formed internal to the housing and directly connected between the signal bidirectional splitter/combiner and the CATV entry port, the MoCA signal frequency rejection filter operatively preventing conduction of MoCA signals in the MoCA frequency band from passing from the signal bidirectional splitter/combiner onto the CATV network, but allowing the CATV active upstream signal, the CATV passive downstream signal and the CATV passive upstream signal to pass without impairment, wherein the housing also contains the MoCA frequency rejection filter; and

a MoCA signal communication path connected to the signal bidirectional splitter/combiner and the active ports for conducting MoCA signals in the MoCA frequency band between the active ports and the signal bidirectional splitter/combiner while bypassing MoCA signals conducted around the CATV active downstream and the CATV active upstream signal communication paths, the MoCA signal communication path passing MoCA signals in the MoCA frequency band and rejecting all signals of other frequencies, wherein the MoCA signals bypassed by the MoCA signal communication path avoiding attenuation which would otherwise result from communicating the MoCA signals through the CATV active downstream and the CATV active upstream signal communication paths;

the MoCA signals traverse the signal bidirectional splitter/combiner between the MoCA signal communication path and the CATV passive signal communication path to enable conduction the MoCA signals from the MoCA signal communication path to the CATV passive signal communication path and any MoCA interface devices connected to the passive port; and

the housing internally contains the CATV active downstream signal communication path, the CATV active upstream signal communication path, the MoCA signal communication path, and the CATV passive signal communication path.

2. A CATV entry adapter as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a second bidirectional signal splitter/combiner in addition to the bidirectional signal splitter/combiner first aforesaid which is connected to the CATVentry port, the second signal splitter combiner connected between a plurality of active ports and the CATV active downstream and the CATV active upstream signal communication paths and the MoCA signal communication path, the second signal splitter/combiner creating two downstream signals from each CATV downstream signal supplied by the CATV active downstream signal communication path and from each MoCA signal supplied by the MoCA signal communication path, the second signal splitter/combiner supplying one of the two created downstream signals to one of the active ports and supplying the other one of the two created downstream signals to the other one of the active ports, the second signal splitter/combiner also creating a single upstream signal from the CATV active upstream signals and the MoCA signals supplied at the plurality of active ports, and the second signal splitter/combiner also supplying the single upstream signal created to the CATV active upstream signal communication path and to the MoCA signal communication path; and

wherein;

the housing also contains the second signal splitter/combiner.

3. A CATV entry adapter as defined in claim 2, further comprising:

a plurality of ones of the second bidirectional splitter/combiner connected in cascade with one another between the plurality of active ports and the CATV active downstream and the CATV active upstream signal communication paths and the MoCA signal communication path.

4. A CATV entry adapter as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the MoCA signal communication path comprises a bidirectional MoCA frequency bandpass filter operative to conduct MoCA signals.

5. A CATV entry adapter as defined in claim 4, wherein:

one active electronic component of the CATV active downstream signal communication path comprises a signal amplifier.

6. A CATV entry adapter as defined in claim 4, wherein:

the CATV active upstream signal communication path comprises an ingress noise mitigation circuit operative to suppress upstream ingress noise in a frequency range of 0-42 MHz originating from subscriber equipment connected to the active ports.

7. A CATV entry adapter as defined in claim 1, further comprising, in combination:

an external signal bidirectional splitter/combiner located on the exterior of the housing and connected to the passive port; and

a plurality of multimedia devices connected to the external signal bidirectional splitter/combiner.

8. A cable television (CATV) entry adapter having an entry port and a passive port and a plurality of active ports by which to interface a CATV network connected at the entry port with subscriber equipment at subscriber premises connected at the active ports while functioning as a hub in a Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) network which communicates MoCA signals in a MoCA frequency band between MoCA interface devices connected to the active and passive ports, comprising:

a housing;

a CATV passive signal communication path which conducts CATV passive downstream and CATV passive upstream signals between the passive port and the entry port;

a CATV active downstream communication path which conducts CATV active downstream signals between the entry port and the active ports;

a CATV active upstream communication path which conducts CATV active upstream signals between the active ports and the entry port;

a signal bidirectional splitter/combiner formed internal to the housing and connected between a CATV entry port and to the CATV active downstream communication path, the CATV active upstream communication path and the CATV passive signal communication path, the signal bidirectional splitter/combiner operatively creating two downstream signals from each downstream signal supplied by the CATV network and supplying one of the two created downstream signals to the CATV active downstream communication path and supplying the other one of the two created downstream signals to the CATV passive signal communication path, the signal bidirectional splitter/combiner operatively creating a single upstream signal from the CATV active upstream signal and the CATV passive upstream signal supplied respectively by the CATV active upstream communication path and the CATV passive signal communication path and supplying the single created upstream signal to the CATV network; and

a MoCA signal frequency rejection filter formed internal to the housing and directly connected between the signal bidirectional splitter/combiner and the CATV entry port, the MoCA signal frequency rejection filter operatively preventing conduction of MoCA signals in the MoCA frequency band from passing from the signal bidirectional splitter/combiner onto the CATV network, but allowing the CATV active upstream signal, the CATV passive downstream signal and the CATV passive upstream signal to pass without impairment, wherein the housing also contains the MoCA frequency rejection filter, wherein the MoCA signal frequency resection filter conducts the MoCA signals in the MoCA frequency band around the CATV active downstream and the CATV active upstream communication paths when communicating the MoCA signals from MoCA interface devices at the active ports to each MoCA device connected to a passive port.

9. A CATV entry adapter as defined in claim 8, wherein the MoCA signal frequency rejection filter is connected at the entry port to suppress the conduction of MoCA signals onto the CATV network.

10. A CATV entry adapter as defined in claim 9, wherein the housing comprises a portion to which the entry port and the passive port and the active ports are connected at an exterior of the housing, and within which the CATV passive signal communication path, the CATV active downstream communication path, the CATV active upstream communication path, the MoCA signal communication path and the MoCA signal rejection filter are confined.

11. A CATV entry adapter as defined in claim 10, further comprising:

a plurality of second bidirectional signal splitters/combiners connected in cascade with one another and between the plurality of active ports and the CATV active downstream and the CATV active upstream signal communication paths and the MoCA signal communication path; and

wherein;

the first and second bidirectional signal splitters/combiners are also confined within the housing.

12. A CATV entry adapter as defined in claim 10, further comprising:

a second bidirectional signal splitter/combiner having a first port, a second port and a third port;

the first port connected to the MoCA signal rejection filter and to the MoCA signal communication path;

the second port connected to coupled with both the CATV active downstream and the CATV active upstream signal communication paths;

the third port connected to the passive signal communication path; and

a plurality of second bidirectional signal splitters/combiners connected in cascade with one another and between the plurality of active ports and the CATV active downstream and the CATV active upstream signal communication paths and the MoCA signal communication path; and

wherein;

the first and second bidirectional signal splitters/combiners are also confined within the housing.

13. A method of using a cable television (CATV) entry adapter having a plurality of ports to interface CATV upstream signals and CATV downstream signals supplied from a CATV network with subscriber equipment at subscriber premises while simultaneously functioning as a hub in a Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) network which communicates MoCA signals in a MoCA frequency band between MoCA interface devices connected to multimedia devices at least some of which include the subscriber equipment, the method comprising:

conducting CATV signals to and from the CATV entry adapter at an entry one of the ports;

conducting CATV passive signals from the CATV network in a CATV passive signal communication path through the CATV entry adapter to a passive one of the ports;

conducting CATV downstream signals from the CATV network in a CATV active downstream signal communication path through the CATV entry adapter to a plurality of active ones of the ports;

conducting CATV active upstream signals from the plurality of active ports in a CATV active upstream communication path through the CATV entry adapter to the entry port;

conducting the MoCA signals in the MoCA frequency band from the plurality of active ports in a MoCA signal communication path which bypasses the CATV active downstream and the CATV active upstream communication paths through the CATV entry adapter to the passive port;

connecting MoCA interface devices to the passive port and at least one of the active ports;

splitting, by a first bidirectional signal splitter/combiner formed internal to the housing, each downstream signal supplied by the CATV network into two downstream signals supplied by the CATV network;

supplying, by the first bidirectional signal splitter/combiner, a first downstream signal of the two downstream signals to the CATV active downstream signal communication path;

supplying, by the first bidirectional signal splitter/combiner, a second downstream signal of the two downstream signals to the CATV passive signal communication path;

suppressing, by a MoCA signal frequency resection filter formed internal to the housing, a conduction of the MoCA signals in the MoCA frequency band from the first bidirectional signal splitter/combiner onto the CATV network; and

allowing, by the MoCA signal frequency rejection filter, the CATV active upstream signal, the CATV passive downstream signal and the CATV passive upstream signal to pass onto the CATV network without impairment.

14. A method as defined in claim 13, further comprising:

creating a single upstream signal from the CATV active upstream and passive upstream signals supplied respectively by the CATV active upstream signal communication path and the CATV passive signal communication path and supplying the single created upstream signal to the CATV network; and

traversing MoCA signals between the MoCA signal communication path and CATV passive signal communication path to conduct MoCA signals between MoCA interface devices connected at the active and passive ports.

15. A method as defined in claim 14, further comprising:

splitting the CATV active downstream signals and MoCA signals conducted respectively from the CATV active downstream signal communication path and the MoCA signal communication path into a plurality of downstream copies;

delivering each downstream copy to an active port;

combining the CATV active upstream signals and the MoCA signals conducted from the active ports into a single combined upstream signal; and

applying the single combined upstream signal to the CATV active upstream signal communication path and to the MoCA signal communication path.