Controlled isolation splitter apparatus and methods

• US 8,763,063 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2005
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Brooks, Paul D., Romerein, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bruckart, Benjamin R
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMAS, JASON M
• Application Number:
  US11/143,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20050289632A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,310 Days
• Field of Search: 725/127, 725 78- 80, 725/85, 725/105, 725/118, 725/128, 725/129, 725/143, 725/148, 725/149, 725/74, 725/82, 725/109, 725/110, 725/98
• US Class Current: 725/129
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/461 particularly adapted for use in common antenna systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/61 Network physical structure; Signal processing H04B takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/104 Switchers or splitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for controlled splitting and isolation of signals in a radio frequency network. In one embodiment, the network comprises a cable television network, and the apparatus comprises a signal splitter having controlled isolation loss at its output ports in at least one frequency band, thereby enabling communications between terminal devices at the subscriber premises that would otherwise be isolated by high losses typical of prior art splitters. The splitter apparatus can also be utilized with a filter/reflector circuit that advantageously provides maximal downstream frequency spectrum bandwidth while suitably reflecting the aforementioned communications to maintain them within the subscriber-side network without interference.

Claims

1. A network signal splitting apparatus, comprising:

at least one input port configured to receive an input signal from a network;

a splitting circuit operatively coupled with said at least one input port and configured to split said input signal;

at least three output ports operatively coupled with said splitting circuit, respective ones of said ports at least receiving portions of said split input signal; and

a signal bypass circuit electrically coupled to said at least three output ports and configured to pass signals of a certain frequency received at a first one of said at least three output ports only to a second one of said at least three output ports, said other ones of said at least three output ports not receiving said signals of a certain frequency;

wherein said at least three output ports are configured for signal communication with respective ones of at least three terminals.

2. The network signal splitting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising reflector apparatus configured to reflect at least a portion of radio frequency signals transmitted between said terminals, said reflector apparatus being disposed within said splitting apparatus so as not to interfere with said communications between said terminals.

3. The network signal splitting apparatus of claim 2, wherein one of at least one specified frequency band comprises approximately 800 MHz to 1200 MHz.

4. The network signal splitting apparatus of claim 2, wherein said reflector apparatus is configured to:

attenuate first signals within a first frequency band and traveling in a first direction relative to said splitting apparatus;

pass second signals within a second frequency band and traveling in said first direction; and

pass all of third signals within both said first and second frequency bands and traveling in a second direction relative to said splitting apparatus.

5. The network signal splitting apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of output ports is in operative communication with a transceiver configured for transmission of a signal over at least a portion of a wireless network.

6. The network signal splitting apparatus of claim 1, wherein said signal bypass circuit comprises:

at least one capacitive element;

at least one inductive element; and

at least one resistive element.

7. The network signal splitting apparatus of claim 1, wherein said three or more output means are isolated from one another except over at least one specified frequency band specified by said bypass circuit.

8. A method of transmitting data signals over a network, comprising:

propagating a first data signal from a first device onto said network and to a first output port of a splitter;

propagating said first data signal to a second device on said network via a second output port of said splitter utilizing a first dedicated bypass circuit configured to pass said first data signal only between said first device and said second device; and

propagating a second data signal from said first device to a third device on said network via a third output port of said splitter utilizing a second dedicated bypass circuit configured to pass said second data signal only between said first device and said third device;

wherein said splitter is configured to provide reduced isolation loss between said second output port and said first output port, and said third output port and said first output port, in at least one frequency band; and

wherein said first data signal is received only at said second device, and said second data signal is received only at said third device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising reflecting at least a portion of signals disposed within said at least one frequency band using a reflector of said splitter.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein sending said first data signal over said network comprises sending said first signal at least partly over a wireless network.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said at least one frequency band comprises approximately 800 MHz to 1200 MHz.

12. A network signal splitting apparatus, comprising:

at least one input means configured to receive an input signal from a network;

splitter means operatively coupled with said at least one input means for splitting said input signal;

a three or more output means operatively coupled with said splitter means, respective ones of said output means at least receiving portions of said split input signal for transmission to three or more respective ones of a plurality of terminals; and

bypass means configured to electrically couple said three or more output means to one another such that a separate bypass means is utilized to pair said three or more output means to each other one of said three or more output means;

wherein said three or more output means are isolated from one another except over at least one specified frequency band; and

wherein transmission of said split input signal from said three or more output means to respective ones of said plurality of terminals occurs via said bypass means, said terminals being able to communicate with one another over said at least one specified frequency band.

13. A signal splitting apparatus for use in providing communication between a plurality of devices in a customer premises network, said apparatus comprising:

an input port configured to receive a downstream signal from a content-based network;

a first output port configured to pass at least a portion of said downstream signal to a first customer device, wherein said first output port is further configured to receive an upstream communication from said first customer device;

a second output port configured to pass at east a portion of said downstream signal to a second signal splitting apparatus; and

a direct path between said first and said second output ports, said path causing said upstream communication from said customer device to be passed downstream to said second signal splitting apparatus without requiring reflection thereof;

wherein said second splitting apparatus comprises a second bypass circuit to pass said at least portion of said downstream signal and said upstream communication to a plurality of consumer devices associated therewith.

14. A network signal splitting apparatus for use in a communications network comprising a plurality of terminal device configured to receive data and content from a network headend and to communicate therebetween, said apparatus comprising:

an input node for receiving said data and content from said network headend;

a plurality of output nodes configured to;

provide said data an content from said network headend to said plurality of terminal devices; and

receive at least one upstream communication from a first one of said plurality of terminal devices to be distributed to a second one of said plurality of terminal devices; and

a circuit comprising;

a first plurality of paths from said input node said plurality of output nodes; and

a second plurality of paths from first individual ones of said plurality of output nodes to second individual ones of said plurality of output nodes, said second plurality of paths connecting each of said plurality of output nodes to each other one of said plurality of output nodes;

wherein said second plurality of paths comprise non-reflective direct bypass paths providing communication between said plurality of terminal devices.

15. A unitary network signal splitting apparatus for use with one or more networks, comprising:

at least one input port configured to receive an input signal from a network;

a splitting circuit operatively coupled with said at least one input port and configured to split said input signal;

at least three output ports operatively coupled with said splitting circuit, respective ones of said ports at least receiving portions of said split input signal; and

a signal bypass circuit electrically coupled to said at least three output ports and configured to pass signals of a certain frequency received at a first one of said at least three output ports only to a second one of said at least three output ports, said other ones of said at least three output ports not receiving said signals of a certain frequency;

wherein said at least three output ports are configured for signal communication with respective ones at least three terminals; and

wherein said bypass circuit does not utilize reflection to provide communication between said at least three output ports.