Home network frequency conditioning device and method

• US 8,561,125 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2011
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PPC Broadband Incorporated (Belden Inc.)
• Original Assignee: PPC Broadband Incorporated (Belden Inc.)
• Inventors: Alkan, Erdogan, Shafer, Steven K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOND, TARIQ A
• Application Number:
  US13/180,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20120054819A1
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 725/78, 725/133, 725/74, 725/153, 725/127, 375/132, 330/134, 327/134, 348/731
• US Class Current: 725/153
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24

Abstract

An in-home entertainment network conditioning device for use with a coaxial device in a CATV network includes an input node adapted to conduct CATV signals in a first and second frequency range, and in-home entertainment signals in a third frequency range that is different from the first frequency range and the second frequency range. The device includes a first signal path branched from the input node that includes a low-pass filter adapted to conduct the CATV signals and reject the in-home entertainment signals. A second signal path in parallel electrical communication with the first signal path includes a high-pass filter in series electrical connection with a signal conditioning circuit. The high-pass filter is adapted to conduct the in-home entertainment signals and reject the CATV signals. The signal conditioning circuit attenuates and equalizes the in-home entertainment signals when coupled to the coaxial device.

Claims

1. An in-home entertainment network conditioning device for use with a coaxial device, the conditioning device comprising:

an input node, wherein;

the input node conducts community access television (CATV) signals and in-home entertainment signals, the community access television signals comprising;

downstream signals in a first frequency range; and

upstream signals in a second frequency range that is different from the first frequency range;

and

the in-home entertainment signals comprise signals in a third frequency range that is different from the first frequency range and the second frequency range;

a first signal path branched from the input node, wherein the first signal path comprises a low-pass filter, wherein the low-pass filter conducts the upstream and downstream community access television signals and wherein the low-pass filter rejects the in-home entertainment signals;

a second signal path branched from the input node and in parallel electrical communication with the first signal path;

and

an output node joining the first signal path and the second signal path;

wherein the second signal path comprises;

a first high-pass filter in series electrical connection with a signal conditioning circuit, wherein the first high-pass filter conducts the in-home entertainment signals and rejects the upstream and downstream community access television signals, and wherein the first high-pass filter is connected electrically between the input node and the signal conditioning circuit, and wherein the signal conditioning circuit attenuates the in-home entertainment signals and passes the upstream and downstream CATV signals without attenuation in response to being coupled to the coaxial device;

and

a second high-pass filter in series electrical connection with the signal conditioning circuit, wherein the second high-pass filter conducts the in-home entertainment signals and rejects the upstream and downstream community access television signals, and wherein the second high-pass filter is connected electrically between the signal conditioning circuit and the output node.

2. The conditioning device of claim 1, wherein the signal conditioning circuit comprises an equalizer, wherein the equalizer equalizes a frequency response of the in-home entertainment network conditioning device in the third frequency range, in response to being coupled to the coaxial device.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the signal conditioning circuit attenuates in-home entertainment signals an amount in the range of −

1 decibels to −

30 decibels in response to being coupled to a coaxial device.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the signal conditioning circuit attenuates in-home entertainment signals an amount in the range of −

5 decibels to −

10 decibels in response to being coupled to a coaxial device.

5. The conditioning device of claim 1, wherein a frequency response of the in-home entertainment network conditioning device has a positive gain slope in the third frequency range.

6. The conditioning device of claim 1, wherein the low-pass filter of the first signal path comprises a Chebyshev filter.

7. The conditioning device of claim 1, wherein the high-pass filter of the second signal path comprises a Chebyshev filter.

8. The conditioning device of claim 1, wherein the second high-pass filter of the second signal path comprises a Chebyshev filter.

9. The conditioning device of claim 1, wherein the first frequency range is from 54-1002 megahertz, the second frequency range is from 5-42 megahertz, and the third frequency range is from 1125-1675 megahertz.

10. A signal conditioning circuit for use in a community access television (CATV) network device, wherein:

the CATV network device conducts;

downstream CATV signals in a first frequency range;

upstream CATV signals in a second frequency range, wherein the second frequency range does not overlap the first frequency range;

and

in-home entertainment signals in a third frequency range, wherein the third frequency range does not overlap either the first frequency range or the second frequency range;

the CATV network device comprises;

a first signal path, wherein the first signal path comprises a low-pass filter which passes both the upstream and the downstream community access television signals, and rejects the in-home entertainment signals;

and

a second signal path in parallel electrical connection to the first signal path, wherein the second signal path comprises a first and a second high-pass filter, and wherein both the first and the second high-pass filters pass the in-home entertainment signals, and wherein both the first and the second high-pass filters reject both the upstream and the downstream community access television signals;

the signal conditioning circuit is electrically coupled to the second signal path in series electrical connection between the first and the second high-pass filters;

the signal conditioning circuit comprises an equalizer circuit;

and

the signal conditioning circuit attenuates the in-home entertainment signals and passes the upstream and downstream CATV signals.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein a frequency response of the equalizer circuit has a positive gain slope in the in-home entertainment signal frequency range.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the in-home entertainment signal frequency range is from 1125-1675 megahertz.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the equalizer circuit comprises resistive elements.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the resistive elements comprise a Pi-type attenuator.

15. A method of conditioning in-home entertainment signals in a community access television (CATV) network device comprising the steps of:

separating CATV signals from in-home entertainment signals, wherein the CATV signals comprise;

downstream signals in a first frequency range;

and

upstream signals in a second frequency range that is different from the first frequency range;

and wherein the in-home entertainment signals are in a third frequency range that is different from both the first and the second frequency range;

filtering the in-home entertainment signals with a first high-pass filter, wherein the first high-pass filter rejects the downstream and the upstream CATV signals, and wherein the first high-pass filter passes the in-home entertainment signals;

attenuating the filtered in-home entertainment signals in the third frequency range with a signal conditioning circuit;

filtering both the upstream and the downstream CATV signals with a low-pass filter, wherein the low-pass filter passes both the upstream and the downstream CATV signals, and wherein the low-pass filter rejects the in-home entertainment signals;

and

combining the filtered upstream and downstream CATV signals with the filtered and attenuated in-home entertainment signals.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of filtering the filtered and attenuated in-home entertainment signals with a second high-pass filter, wherein the second high-pass filter rejects the downstream and the upstream CATV signals, and wherein the second high-pass filter passes the in-home entertainment signals.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the signal conditioning circuit comprises an equalizer.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the signal conditioning circuit has a frequency response with a positive gain slope in the in-home entertainment signal frequency range.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the signal conditioning circuit comprises resistive elements.