Communication cable having electrically isolated shield providing enhanced return loss
First Claim
1. A communication cable comprising:
- a plurality of pairs of individually insulated electrical conductors for transmitting communication signals within a frequency range;
a tape wrapped around at least one pair of the plurality of pairs of individually insulated electrical conductors, the tape comprising electrically conductive patches that are electrically isolated from one another and that are longitudinally separated from one another, the electrically conductive patches each having a length between approximately one meter and approximately three meters to result in a spike in return loss within the frequency range; and
a jacket circumferentially covering the tape.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A tape can comprise a strip of dielectric material, with adhering patches of electrical conductive material. The patches can be substantially electrically isolated from one another. The strip can be disposed in a communication cable to provide a shield that is electrically discontinuous or has high resistance between opposite cable ends. Each patch can interact with electromagnetic radiation associated with electrical signals transmitting over the cable. The patches can collectively interact with the transmitting electrical signals in a cumulative or resonant manner to produce a spike in return loss at a particular frequency of the transmitting signals. The frequency location of the spike can depend upon the sizes of the patches, with size impacting manufacturability. The patches can be sized such that the spike falls within an operating frequency of the transmitting signal but is suppressed, so the cable meets return loss specifications while offering manufacturing advantage.
23 Citations
44 Claims
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1. A communication cable comprising:
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a plurality of pairs of individually insulated electrical conductors for transmitting communication signals within a frequency range; a tape wrapped around at least one pair of the plurality of pairs of individually insulated electrical conductors, the tape comprising electrically conductive patches that are electrically isolated from one another and that are longitudinally separated from one another, the electrically conductive patches each having a length between approximately one meter and approximately three meters to result in a spike in return loss within the frequency range; and a jacket circumferentially covering the tape. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A communication cable, comprising:
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at least four twisted pairs of insulated electrical conductors; an electromagnetic shield circumscribing the at least four pairs and comprising; a strip of dielectric film comprising first and second edges extending lengthwise along the communication cable; and
;a plurality of electrically conductive film segments disposed on the strip of dielectric film, each segment between about one meter and about three meters in length, each segment disposed on the strip of dielectric film at a different longitudinal location, with at least about one millimeter of separation between adjacent segments; and
a jacket circumscribing the shield. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A communication cable, comprising:
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a plurality of electrical conductors for transmitting digital communication signals comprising a range of frequencies; a ribbon, comprising electrically insulating material, disposed alongside at least one of the plurality of electrical conductors; a plurality of metallic patches disposed on the ribbon with isolation regions separating the metallic patches from one another, the plurality of metallic patches each having a length between approximately one meter and approximately three meters; and a jacket covering the electrical conductors, the ribbon, and the plurality of metallic patches. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A communication cable comprising:
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a plurality of individually insulated electrical conductors extending lengthwise for transmitting communication signals within a frequency range; an outer jacket extending lengthwise; and a shield, extending lengthwise between the outer jacket and the plurality of individually insulated electrical conductors, the shield comprising; an electrically insulating substrate; and a plurality of electrically conductive patches each having a length between approximately one meter and approximately three meters, the patches disposed on the substrate and separated from one another, wherein adjacent electrically conductive patches are electrically connected through a resistive electrical path, and wherein each of the electrically conductive patches is dimensioned to produce a peak in return loss for a frequency within the frequency range. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A communication cable comprising:
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a plurality of pairs of individually insulated electrical conductors, operative to transmit digital signals along the communication cable; and a tape circumferentially disposed about the plurality of pairs of individually insulated electrical conductors, the tape comprising; a dielectric substrate having a metallic coating on at least one side; and a plurality of electrically conductive patches adhering to the metallic coating and longitudinally separated from one another, each of the electrically conductive patches having a length between approximately one meter and approximately three meters to produce a spike in return loss within an operating range of the communication cable. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A communication cable comprising:
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a plurality of twisted pairs of electrical conductors that extend longitudinally; a strip of dielectric film disposed alongside the plurality of twisted pairs and comprising a metalized surface that extends longitudinally; and a plurality of conductive film segments, each adhering to the metalized surface at a different longitudinal location and comprising a length between approximately one meter and approximately three meters. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44)
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Specification