CATV entry adapter and method for distributing CATV and in-home entertainment signals
DCFirst Claim
1. A cable television (CATV) entry adapter for interfacing a CATV network to a plurality of pieces of subscriber equipment at a subscriber premises, 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, wherein the passive port is operative to connect to a least one of the plurality of pieces of subscriber equipment;
a plurality of active ports connected to the housing, wherein each active port is operative to connect to at least one of the plurality of pieces of subscriber equipment;
a signal bidirectional splitter/combiner contained within the housing, the signal bidirectional splitter/combiner comprising;
a common terminal electrically coupled to the entry port;
a first signal component leg electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of active ports; and
a second signal component leg electrically coupled to the passive port;
wherein the signal bidirectional splitter/combiner conducts signals between the common terminal, the first signal component leg, and the second signal component leg, the signals comprising;
CATV downstream signals in a CATV downstream signal frequency range;
CATV upstream signals in a CATV upstream signal frequency range that is different from the CATV downstream signal frequency range; and
in-home entertainment (IHE) signals in an IHE signal frequency range that is different from both the CATV downstream signal frequency range and the CATV upstream signal frequency range; and
an IHE frequency rejection filter contained within the housing, wherein the IHE frequency rejection filter is directly connected between the signal bidirectional splitter combiner common terminal and the CATV entry port, the IHE frequency rejection filter operatively preventing conduction of the IHE signals in the IHE signal frequency range from passing from the signal bidirectional splitter/combiner onto the CATV network, but allowing the CATV downstream signals in the CATV downstream signal frequency range and the CATV upstream signals in the CATV upstream signal frequency range to pass between the signal bidirectional splitter/combiner and the CATV network, andwherein the IHE signals traverse the signal bidirectional splitter/combiner between the first signal component leg and the second signal component leg to enable conduction of the IHE signals between an in-home entertainment (IHE) signal communication path and a CATV passive signal communication path, wherein the CATV passive signal communication path conducts the CATV downstream signals in the CATV downstream signal frequency range and the CATV upstream signals in the CATV upstream signal frequency range between the second signal component leg and the passive port.
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Abstract
A cable television (CATV) entry adapter connects to a CATV network and serves as a hub in an In-Home Entertainment (IHE) network. IHE signals may be communicated between passive and active ports of an embodiment of the entry adapter through a pair of directional couplers which allow an IHE-enabled embedded multimedia terminal device (eMTA) at the passive port to communicate with multimedia devices of the IHE network connected to the active ports. An IHE frequency rejection filter is used in some embodiments to confine IHE signal to a single subscriber premise. In some embodiments a bidirectional IHE bandpass filter is used to enable IHE signals to pass between the passive and active ports of the CATV entry adapter.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A cable television (CATV) entry adapter for interfacing a CATV network to a plurality of pieces of subscriber equipment at a subscriber premises, the CATV entry adapter comprising:
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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, wherein the passive port is operative to connect to a least one of the plurality of pieces of subscriber equipment; a plurality of active ports connected to the housing, wherein each active port is operative to connect to at least one of the plurality of pieces of subscriber equipment; a signal bidirectional splitter/combiner contained within the housing, the signal bidirectional splitter/combiner comprising; a common terminal electrically coupled to the entry port; a first signal component leg electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of active ports; and a second signal component leg electrically coupled to the passive port; wherein the signal bidirectional splitter/combiner conducts signals between the common terminal, the first signal component leg, and the second signal component leg, the signals comprising; CATV downstream signals in a CATV downstream signal frequency range; CATV upstream signals in a CATV upstream signal frequency range that is different from the CATV downstream signal frequency range; and in-home entertainment (IHE) signals in an IHE signal frequency range that is different from both the CATV downstream signal frequency range and the CATV upstream signal frequency range; and an IHE frequency rejection filter contained within the housing, wherein the IHE frequency rejection filter is directly connected between the signal bidirectional splitter combiner common terminal and the CATV entry port, the IHE frequency rejection filter operatively preventing conduction of the IHE signals in the IHE signal frequency range from passing from the signal bidirectional splitter/combiner onto the CATV network, but allowing the CATV downstream signals in the CATV downstream signal frequency range and the CATV upstream signals in the CATV upstream signal frequency range to pass between the signal bidirectional splitter/combiner and the CATV network, and wherein the IHE signals traverse the signal bidirectional splitter/combiner between the first signal component leg and the second signal component leg to enable conduction of the IHE signals between an in-home entertainment (IHE) signal communication path and a CATV passive signal communication path, wherein the CATV passive signal communication path conducts the CATV downstream signals in the CATV downstream signal frequency range and the CATV upstream signals in the CATV upstream signal frequency range between the second signal component leg and the passive port. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A cable television (CATV) entry adapter for communicating signals between a CATV network and a plurality of pieces of subscriber equipment at a subscriber premises, the CATV entry adapter comprising:
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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, wherein the passive port is operative to connect to a first one of the plurality of pieces of subscriber equipment;
an active port connected to the housing, wherein the active port is operative to connect to a second one of the plurality of pieces of subscriber equipment;a first signal bidirectional splitter/combiner contained within the housing, the first signal bidirectional splitter/combiner comprising; a common terminal electrically coupled to the entry port; a first signal component leg; and a second signal component leg; an active-side directional coupler contained within the housing, wherein the active-side directional coupler comprises; an input port electrically connected to the active port; a through port electrically connected to the first signal component leg; a main leg electrically connecting the input port to the through port; a coupled port; and a directional leg electrically connecting the input port to the coupled port; a passive-side directional coupler contained within the housing, wherein the passive-side directional coupler comprises; an input port electrically connected to the passive port; a through port electrically connected to the second signal component a main leg electrically connecting the input port to the through port; a coupled port; and a directional leg electrically connecting the input port to the coupled port; wherein the passive side directional coupler coupled port and the active-side directional coupler coupled port are electrically connected together, and wherein in-home entertainment signals in an in-home entertainment (IHE) signal frequency range are conducted between the passive port and the active port through the directional leg of both the active-side directional coupler and the passive-side directional coupler; and an IHE frequency rejection filter contained within the housing, wherein the IHE frequency rejection filter is connected between the common terminal of the first bidirectional splitter/combiner and the CATV entry port, and wherein the IHE frequency rejection filter prevents conduction of the IHE signals between the common terminal of the first bidirectional splitter/combiner and the entry port, but conducts CATV downstream signals and CATV upstream signals between the common terminal of the first bidirectional splitter/combiner and the CATV entry port. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of transmitting in-home entertainment (IHE) signals between an active port of a cable television (CATV) entry adapter and a passive port of the CATV entry adapter, the method comprising the steps of:
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conducting CATV downstream signals in a CATV downstream signal frequency range and CATV upstream signals in a CATV upstream signal frequency range between a CATV network and the active port of the CATV entry adapter through an entry port of the CATV entry adapter; conducting the CATV downstream signals in the CATV downstream signal frequency range and the CATV upstream signals in the CATV upstream signal frequency range between the CATV network and a passive port of the CATV entry adapter through the entry port of the CATV entry adapter; conducting the IHE signals in an IHE signal frequency range that is different from both the CATV downstream signal frequency range and the CATV upstream signal frequency range between the active port and the passive port; and preventing the IHE signals from being conducted to the CATV network through the CATV entry adapter, wherein preventing the IRE signals from being conducted to the CATV network through the CATV entry adapter comprises; electrically connecting a main leg of an active-side directional coupler between a first signal component leg of the bidirectional splitter/combiner and the active port; electrically connecting a main leg of a passive-side directional coupler between a second signal component leg of the bidirectional splitter/combiner and the passive port; and operationally connecting a coupled port of the active-side directional coupler to a coupled port of the passive-side directional coupler, wherein the IRE signals are conducted between the coupled port of the passive-side directional coupler and the coupled port of the active-side directional coupler. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A passive-active cable television (CATV) entry adapter comprising:
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a housing; a CATV entry port connected to the housing to connect the CATV entry adapter to a CATV network; a plurality of output ports to transmit signals to and from downstream subscriber devices, wherein the plurality of output ports comprises at least one active port and a passive port; a signal bidirectional splitter/combiner contained within the housing, the signal bidirectional splitter/combiner comprising; a common terminal electrically coupled to the CATV entry port; a first signal component leg electrically coupled to the at least one active port, to conduct active signals along an active signal pathway, the active signals being modified by one or more active signal conditioners before being delivered to the at least one active port; and a second signal component leg electrically coupled to the passive port, to conduct passive signals along a passive signal pathway without being modified by one or more active signal conditioners before being delivered to the passive port; a second bidirectional splitter/combiner to traverse in-home entertainment (IHE) signals transmitted in an IHE frequency range between the active signal pathway and the passive signal pathway, wherein the second bidirectional splitter/combiner is positioned within the housing; and an in-home entertainment frequency rejection filter contained within the housing, wherein the IHE frequency rejection filter is connected between the CATV entry port and the plurality of output ports, the IHE frequency rejection filter preventing conduction of IHE signals in the IHE signal frequency range from passing onto the CATV network, but allowing CATV downstream signals in a CATV downstream signal frequency range and CATV upstream signals in a CATV upstream signal frequency range to pass between the CATV network and the plurality of output ports. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification