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HFC cable system with alternative wideband communications pathways and coax domain amplifier-repeaters

  • US 9,521,464 B2
  • Filed: 08/12/2013
  • Issued: 12/13/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2010
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of selectively repeating radio frequency (RF) signals carried by a hybrid fiber cable (HFC) network, the method comprising:

  • for at least one coax domain amplifier-repeater in the HFC network;

    receiving a set of RF signals over a set of cable television (CATV) cables;

    when the set of RF signals comprises downstream RF signals with frequencies greater than a threshold frequency of at most 1 GHz, gain adjusting and retransmitting the downstream RF signals with frequencies greater than the threshold frequency as downstream RF signals with frequencies greater than the threshold frequency;

    when the set of RF signals comprises upstream RF signals with frequencies greater than the threshold frequency, gain adjusting and retransmitting the upstream RF signals with frequencies greater than the threshold frequency as upstream RF signals with frequencies greater than the threshold frequency;

    when the set of RF signals comprises downstream RF signals with frequencies less than the threshold frequency, gain adjusting and retransmitting at least some of the downstream RF signals with frequencies less than the threshold frequency as downstream RF signals with frequencies less than the threshold frequency;

    when the set of RF signals comprises upstream RF signals with frequencies less than the threshold frequency, canceling the upstream RF signals with frequencies less than the threshold frequency and retransmitting information or waveforms of the upstream RF signals with frequencies less than the threshold frequency as upstream RF signals at a higher frequency; and

    using information or waveforms derived from (1) RF signals of the set of RF signals that are greater than the threshold frequency and (2) a set of one or more echo cancellation techniques, to correct at least some of the downstream RF signals with frequencies less than the threshold frequency or upstream RF signals with frequencies less than the threshold frequency for signal distortion caused by the set of CATV cables either prior to;

    receiving the set of RF signals over the set of CATV cables;

    orretransmitting RF signals with frequencies less than the threshold frequency.

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