Noise management for communication system

• US 9,722,711 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2012
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cable Television Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cable Television Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Williams, Thomas H., Campos, Luis Alberto
• Primary Examiner(s): BLANTON, JOHN D
• Application Number:
  US13/372,906
• Publication Number:
  US 20130208632A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,995 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 15/00 Suppression or limitation of noise or interference by means associated with receiver H04B1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex

Abstract

A duplex communication system having gate-implemented noise management is contemplated. The system may include a gate or other device sufficiently operable to facilitate managing upstream and downstream signaling so as to ameliorate noise funneling between communicating endpoints by selectively controlling communication paths through which noise may be propagated. Optionally, the system may be operably configured to facilitate this type of gate-implemented noise management for time domain duplex (TDD) and frequency domain duplex (FDD) communications.

Claims

1. A signaling system comprising:

a first endpoint configured to interface upstream and downstream signaling with a network;

a second endpoint configured to interface the upstream and downstream signaling with a plurality of devices, each of the plurality of devices communicating through the second endpoint when transmitting the upstream signaling and when receiving the downstream signaling, each device being configured to embed a gate-control signal within the upstream signaling when desiring upstream communications;

a first noise management device configured to ameliorate noise funneling comprising;

i) a first interface operable to exchange signals with the first endpoint;

ii) a second interface operable to exchange signals with the second endpoint;

iii) a first amplifier operable to amplify the downstream signaling while being communicated from the first interface to the second interface through a downstream signaling path;

iv) a second amplifier operable to amplify the upstream signaling while being communicated from the second interface to the first interface through an upstream signaling path;

v) a gate operably connected between the first interface and the second interface and controllable between at least a first position and a second position, the first position opening the upstream signaling path to disable the upstream signaling, the first position closing the downstream signal path to enable the downstream signaling, the second position closing the upstream signaling path to enable the upstream signaling, the second position opening the downstream signaling path to disable the downstream signaling; and

vi) a detector configured to control the gate to the second position upon detecting the gate-control signal being embedded within the upstream signaling by any one of the plurality of devices;

wherein the second endpoint is configured to include data within a payload of the gate-control signal;

wherein the detector is configured to process the data prior to controlling the gate to the second position, including controlling the gate to the second position if the data matches with a previously assigned identifier and to prevent controlling the gate to the second position if the data fails to match with the previously assigned identifier;

wherein the detector is configured to control the gate to the first position in the absence of detecting the gate-control signal being embedded within the upstream signaling by any one of the plurality of devices after expiration of an appropriate period of time following control of the gate to the second position while the second interface continues to receive the upstream signaling;

wherein the gate includes a first connector and a second connector, wherein;

i) the first connector operably connects the first interface to the first amplifier when the gate is in the first position;

ii) the second connector operably connects the first amplifier to the second interface to enable downstream signaling when the gate is in the first position;

iii) the first connector operably connects the first interface to the second amplifier when the gate is in the second position; and

iv) the second connector operably connects the second amplifier to the second interface when the gate is in the second position

wherein the first noise management device includes a first coupler operably connected to the second interface to copy the upstream signaling into a first signal and a second signal, the first coupler configured to transfer the first signal to the second connector and to transfer the second signal for use with the detector, the detector detecting for the gate-control signal based on the second signal;

wherein the first noise management device includes a first bandpass filter operably connected between the first coupler and the detector, the first bandpass filter filtering the gate-control signal from the second signal to generate a third signal, the third signal excluding any portion of the upstream signaling falling outside a bandwidth allocated to the gate-control signal, the detector detecting for the gate-control signal based on the third signal; and

wherein the first noise management device includes a third amplifier operably connected between the first bandpass filter and the detector, the third amplifier amplifying the third signal to create a fourth signal, the detector detecting for the gate-control signal based on the fourth signal;

wherein the first noise management device includes;

i) a second coupler operably connected between the third amplifier and the detector, the second coupler configured to copy the fourth signal into a fifth signal and a sixth signal, the detector processing the fifth signal to detect the gate-control signal;

ii) a second bandpass filter operably connected between the first connector and the first interface, the second bandpass filter filtering the gate-control signal from the first signal to generate a seventh signal, the seventh signal excluding any portion of the upstream signaling falling inside the bandwidth allocated to the gate-control signal; and

iii) a third coupler operably interconnected between the second bandpass filter and the first interface, the third coupler configured for combining the sixth signal with the seventh signal to create an eighth signal, the eighth signal forming the upstream signaling interfaced with the first endpoint.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the detector is configured to detect the gate-control signal within a 900-1200 MHz bandwidth.

3. The signaling system of claim 1 wherein the second endpoint includes a string of 500 taps operable to facilitate upstream signaling within a 900-1200 MHz frequency band, each device connecting to at least one of the taps when transmitting the upstream signaling within the 900-1200 MHz frequency band, each device being configured to embed the gate-control signaling within the 900-1200 MHz frequency band in order to control the gate to the second position.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a controller configured to allocate timeslots to the plurality of devices, the plurality of devices requiring at least one timeslot before being permitted to transmit the upstream signaling, the controller arbitrating between the plurality of devices to determine which one of the plurality devices is allocated a timeslot at any particular instance in time, the controller specifying the data to be included in the gate-control signal necessary for the detector to control the gate to the second position.

5. A noise management device configured to ameliorate noise funneling in a communication system having at least a first endpoint configured for interfacing signaling with a network and a second endpoint configured for interfacing signaling with a plurality of devices connected to a string of taps, the communication system facilitating downstream signaling from the first endpoint to the second endpoint and upstream signaling from the second endpoint to the first endpoint, the plurality of devices being configured to transmit the upstream signaling within a 900-1200 MHz frequency range, the noise management device comprising:

a first interface operable to exchange signals with the first endpoint;

a second interface operable to exchange signals with the second endpoint;

a gate operably connected between the first interface and the second interface to control passage of the upstream and downstream signaling therebetween, the gate being operable to a first position to permit the downstream signaling and to a second position to permit the upstream signaling, the gate being unable to simultaneously permit both of the upstream and downstream signaling;

a detector configured to control the gate to the second position upon detecting a gate-control signal being embedded within the upstream signaling by at least one of the plurality of devices;

a first coupler operably connected between the gate and to the second interface to copy the upstream signaling into a first signal and a second signal, the first coupler configured to transfer the first signal to the gate;

a first bandpass filter operably connected between the first coupler and the detector, the first bandpass filter filtering the gate-control signal from the second signal to generate a third signal, the third signal excluding any portion of the upstream signaling falling outside a bandwidth allocated to the gate-control signal, the detector detecting for the gate-control signal as a function of the third signal;

a second coupler operably connected between the first bandpass filter and the detector, the second coupler configured to copy the third signal into a fourth signal and a fifth signal, the detector processing the fourth signal to detect the gate-control signal;

a second bandpass filter operably connected between the gate and the first interface, the second bandpass filter filtering the gate-control signal from the first signal passed through the gate to generate a sixth signal, the sixth signal excluding any portion of the upstream signaling falling inside the bandwidth allocated to the gate-control signal; and

a third coupler operably connected between the second bandpass filter and the first interface, the third coupler configured for combining the fifth signal with the sixth signal to create a seventh signal, the seventh signal forming the upstream signaling interfaced with the first endpoint.

6. The noise management device of claim 5 wherein the detector is configured to control the gate to the first position when detecting the gate-control signal within the upstream signaling, the communication system including a controller tasked with allocating timeslots to the plurality of devices, the controller being configured to allocate the timeslots so as to prevent the plurality of devices from embedding the gate-control signal within the upstream signaling while the downstream signaling is active, the plurality of devices requiring at least one of the timeslots in order to embed the gate-control signal within the upstream signaling.

7. The noise management device of claim 6 wherein the detector is configured to detect the gate-control signal as a pilot tone embedded within the upstream signaling, the pilot tone being transmitted within the 900-1200 MHz frequency range.

8. The noise management device of claim 5 wherein the detector is configured to control the gate to the first position after expiration of an appropriate period of time following control of the gate to the second position, the detector configured to determine the appropriate period of time as a function of data included within the gate-control signal.

9. A signaling system comprising:

a first endpoint configured to interface upstream and downstream signaling with a network;

a second endpoint configured to interface the upstream and downstream signaling with a plurality of devices, each of the plurality of devices communicating through the second endpoint when transmitting the upstream signaling and when receiving the downstream signaling, each device being configured to embed a gate-control signal within the upstream signaling when desiring upstream communications;

a noise management device configured to ameliorate noise funneling comprising;

i) a first interface operable to exchange signals with the first endpoint;

ii) a second interface operable to exchange signals with the second endpoint;

iii) a first amplifier operable to amplify the downstream signaling while being communicated from the first interface to the second interface;

iv) a second amplifier operable to amplify the upstream signaling while being communicated from the second interface to the first interface;

v) a gate operably connected between the first interface and the second interface and controllable between at least a first position and a second position, the first position disabling the upstream signaling and the second position enabling the upstream signaling; and

vi) a detector configured to control the gate to the second position upon detecting the gate-control signal being embedded within the upstream signaling by any one of the plurality of devices;

wherein the second endpoint is configured to include data within a payload of the gate-control signal;

wherein the detector is configured to process the data prior to controlling the gate to the second position, including controlling the gate to the second position if the data matches with a previously assigned identifier and to prevent controlling the gate to the second position if the data fails to match with the previously assigned identifier;

wherein the first position enables downstream signaling and the second position disables downstream signaling;

wherein the detector is configured to control the gate to the first position in the absence of detecting the gate-control signal being embedded within the upstream signaling by any one of the plurality of devices after expiration of an appropriate period of time following control of the gate to the second position;

wherein the gate includes a first connector and a second connector;

i) the first connector operably connects the first interface to the first amplifier when the gate is in the first position and the second connector operably connects the first amplifier to the second interface to enable downstream signaling, thereby disconnecting the second amplifier; and

ii) the first connector operably connects the first interface to the second amplifier when the gate is in the second position and the second connector operably connects the second amplifier to the second interface when the gate is in the second position to enable upstream signaling, thereby disconnecting the first amplifier to prevent downstream signaling;

wherein the noise management device includes a first coupler operably connected to the second interface to copy the upstream signaling into a first signal and a second signal, the first coupler configured to transfer the first signal to the second connector and to transfer the second signal for use with the detector, the detector detecting for the gate-control signal based on the second signal;

wherein the first noise management device includes a first bandpass filter operably connected between the first coupler and the detector, the first bandpass filter filtering the gate-control signal from the second signal to generate a third signal, the third signal excluding any portion of the upstream signaling falling outside a bandwidth allocated to the gate-control signal, the detector detecting for the gate-control signal based on the third signal;

wherein the first noise management device includes a third amplifier operably connected between the first bandpass filter and the detector, the third amplifier amplifying the third signal to create a fourth signal, the detector detecting for the gate-control signal based on the fourth signal; and

wherein the first noise management device includes;

i) a second coupler operably connected between the third amplifier and the detector, the second coupler configured to copy the fourth signal into a fifth signal and a sixth signal, the detector processing the fifth signal to detect the gate-control signal;

ii) a second bandpass filter operably connected between the first connector and the first interface, the second bandpass filter filtering the gate-control signal from the first signal to generate a seventh signal, the seventh signal excluding any portion of the upstream signaling falling inside the bandwidth allocated to the gate-control signal; and

iii) a third coupler operably interconnected between the second bandpass filter and the first interface, the third coupler configured for combining the sixth signal with the seventh signal to create an eighth signal, the eighth signal forming the upstream signaling interfaced with the first endpoint.