System for reducing noise in a CATV home amplifier upstream path and a method thereof

• US 8,850,505 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2010
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David Zilberberg
• Original Assignee: David Zilberberg
• Inventors: Zilberberg, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengesha, Mulugeta
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOND, TARIQ A
• Application Number:
  US13/144,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20110267143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,638 Days
• Field of Search: 725/124, 725/119, 370/226, 343/835, 455/114.3, 348/621
• US Class Current: 725/124
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6168 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/102 Circuits therefor, e.g. noise reducers, equalisers, amplifiers H04N7/108 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

A system for control of noise in a cable TV upstream path of a bi-directional cable TV home amplifier system that is positioned in the premises of the end user includes a noise control circuit and a coupler element that couples between the noise control circuit and the cable TV upstream path. The system further includes an amplifier part that is disposed on the upstream path. The noise control circuit connects or disconnects the cable TV upstream path depending on the level of signal passing through the cable TV upstream path. Namely, when the level of a signal that passes through the upstream path is lower than a predefined signal threshold, the noise control circuit disconnects the upstream path, and when the level of the signal is greater than a predefined signal threshold, the noise control circuit connects the upstream path.

Claims

1. A bi-directional return signal noise reducing cable TV home amplifier device for installing in the premises of an end user between a cable TV network and a cable TV appliance for reducing noise generated by sources external to and radiated into the cable TV network, said bi-directional return signal noise reducing home amplifier device comprising:

a first port for connection to said cable TV network;

a second port for connection to said cable TV appliance;

a first path connected between said first port and said second port for signal flow from said first port to said second port;

a second path connected between said second port and said first port for signal flow from said second port to said first port;

an amplifier that is connected between said second port and said first port and that amplifies signals flowing from said second port to said first port,

a noise control circuit that connects and disconnects said amplifier to said first port and from said second port; and

a coupler that couples said signals flowing in said second path to said amplifier and that provides samples of said signals in the second path to said noise control circuit,

wherein said noise control circuit disconnects said amplifier with said second path when a level of a signal passing through said second path is lower than a predefined signal threshold, and wherein said noise control circuit connects said amplifier with said second path when the level of said signal is greater than said predefined signal threshold,

wherein said amplifier device provides from 15 dB up to 35 dB ingress isolation.

2. The amplifier device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said noise control circuit comprises an RF switching chip that connects and disconnects said amplifier depending on the level of the signal passing through said second path, wherein said RF switching chip is disposed either before said amplifier or after said amplifier.

3. The amplifier device in accordance with claim 1 achieves about a 90% noise reduction.

4. The amplifier device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said noise control circuit comprises at least one comparator.

5. The amplifier device in accordance with claim 1 is located in a drop side component on a cable TV circuit.

6. A method for controlling noise in an return path of a bi-directional cable TV home amplifier device, the method comprising:

providing a first port for connection to a cable TV network;

providing a second port for connection to a cable TV appliance;

providing a first path connected between said first port and said second port for signal flow from said first port to said second port;

providing a second path connected between said second port and said first port for signal flow from said second port to said first port;

providing an amplifier that is connected between said second port and said first port;

amplifying, using the amplifier, signals flowing from said second port to said first port;

using a noise control circuit, connecting and disconnecting said amplifier to said first port and from said second port; and

using a coupler, coupling said signals flowing in said second path to said amplifier and providing samples of said signals in the second path to said noise control circuit,

wherein said connecting and disconnecting said amplifier to said first port and from said second port includes;

disconnecting said amplifier with said second path when a level of a signal passing through said second path lower than a predefined signal threshold; and

connecting said amplifier with said second path when the level of said signal is greater than said predefined signal threshold,

wherein said amplifier device provides from 15 dB up to 35 dB ingress isolation.

7. The method in accordance with claim 6, wherein said amplifier is connected by supplying a voltage to said amplifier depending on the level of the signal passing through said second path, and disconnected by blocking said voltage to said amplifier part depending on the level of the signal passing through said second path.

8. The method in accordance with claim 6, further comprises connecting and disconnecting the amplifier depending on the level of the signal passing through the second path with an RF switching chip, wherein said RF switching chip is disposed either before said amplifier or after said amplifier.

9. The method in accordance with claim 6, further comprising implementing said noise control circuit and said second path to a typical cable network CATV splitter/coupler system.

10. The method in accordance with claim 6, achieves about 90% noise reduction.

11. The method in accordance with claim 6, wherein said noise control circuit comprises at least one comparator.

12. The method in accordance with claim 6, wherein said amplifier is located in a drop side component on a cable TV circuit.

13. The method in accordance with claim 6, wherein said amplifier is disposed on a cable network.