Upstream bandwidth conditioning device between CATV distribution system and CATV user

• US 8,464,301 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2008
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PPC Broadband Incorporated (Belden Inc.)
• Original Assignee: PPC Broadband Incorporated (Belden Inc.)
• Inventors: Olson, Thomas A., Kelma, David, Lai, Joseph, Palinkas, Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tilahun, Alazar
• Application Number:
  US12/252,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20100100912A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,699 Days
• Field of Search: 725105-134
• US Class Current: 725/111
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

An upstream bandwidth conditioning premise device for use as part of a CATV system and for placement on or near a user'"'"'s premise to reduce noise created on the user'"'"'s premise that would otherwise be injected into upstream transmission channels and passed into an RF main signal distribution system of the CATV system. The device includes a variable attenuation device, a signal measurement circuit, a memory circuit and an electronic circuit, which is configured to iteratively determine (i) whether an incremental amount of additional attenuation is to be applied and (ii) whether at least a portion of a previously applied incremental amount of attenuation is to be removed. The electronic circuit includes a counting circuit, a threshold comparison circuit configured to compare a peak signal strength to a predetermined threshold, and a peak comparison circuit configured to compare a contemporary peak signal strength to a previous peak signal strength.

Claims

1. A upstream bandwidth conditioning device that can be inserted into a signal transmission line of a CATV system on a premise of a user, the device comprising:

a variable signal level adjustment device configured to variably create a variable amount of signal level adjustment to an upstream bandwidth;

a signal measurement circuit configured to measure a first signal strength value of the upstream bandwidth prior to variably applying an incremental amount of additional signal level adjustment to the upstream bandwidth and a second signal strength after variably applying the amount of additional signal level adjustment to the upstream bandwidth, wherein the signal measurement circuit connected to the variable signal level adjustment device;

a voltage circuit configured to generate a threshold value, wherein the threshold value comprises a predetermined voltage value;

a comparator circuit connected to the voltage circuit, wherein the comparator circuit is configured to generate a signal path selection signal; and

a circuit connected to the variable signal level adjustment device, the signal measurement circuit, and the comparator circuit, wherein the comparator circuit connected between the voltage circuit and the circuit, wherein the circuit is configured (i) to compare the first signal strength value to a threshold value, (ii) to variably apply the incremental amount of additional signal level adjustment when the first signal strength value is not less than the threshold value, (iii) to compare the first signal strength to the second signal strength, and (iiii) to variably reduce at least a portion of the incremental amount of additional signal level adjustment when the first signal strength is greater than the second signal strength, wherein said signal path selection signal is applied to said circuit, and wherein the circuit is capable of retaining at least one of the first and second signal strengths until utilized at a later time.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a first frequency band splitting device being located between the variable signal level adjustment device and a premise side; and

a second frequency band splitting device being located between the variable signal level adjustment device and a supplier side.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the signal measurement circuit comprises a signal level detector configured to output a signal representative of a level of the upstream bandwidth after application of the variable amount of signal level adjustment and any incremental amount of additional signal level adjustment.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the signal level detector is configured to maintain the signal representative of the level of the upstream bandwidth for an amount of time required for the circuit to read the signal strength.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the circuit is capable of retaining at least one of the first and second signal strengths until utilized at a later time.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the circuit is configured to iteratively determine whether the incremental amount of additional signal level adjustment is to be applied.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the circuit is configured to cease the iterative determinations and remove a portion of the incremental amount of additional signal level adjustment when the first signal strength is greater than the second signal strength.

8. The device of claim 6 wherein the circuit is configured to not apply the incremental amount of additional signal level adjustment in a determination cycle when the second signal strength is less than a predetermined threshold.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the circuit is a microprocessor.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the circuit is an analog circuit.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the circuit is further configured to compare at least one of the first signal strength and the second signal strength to a predetermined threshold.

12. A method for conditioning an upstream bandwidth transmitted through a transmission line of a CATV system using a device located on a premise of a user, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a device having a premise side and a supplier side;

(b) providing a variable signal level adjustment device between the premise side and the supplier side;

(c) measuring, by a signal measurement circuit connected to the variable signal level adjustment device, a first signal strength value of an upstream bandwidth at a location downstream from the variable signal level adjustment device;

(d) generating a threshold value comprising a predetermined voltage value;

(e) generating, by a comparator circuit connected to a voltage circuit, a signal path selection signal;

(f) comparing, by a circuit connected to the variable signal level adjustment device, the signal measurement circuit, and the comparator circuit, the first signal strength value to the threshold value;

(g) determining that the first signal strength value is not less than the threshold value;

(h) variably applying an incremental amount of additional signal level adjustment to upstream bandwidth based on results of the determining;

(i) measuring a second signal strength value;

(j) comparing the first signal strength value to the second signal strength value;

(k) applying, to the circuit, the signal path selection signal;

(l) iteratively performing steps (c)-(k) for a predetermined number of cycles;

(m) variably reducing at least a portion of the incremental amount of additional signal level adjustment when the second signal strength value is less than the first signal strength value; and

(n) retaining at least one of the first and second signal strengths for use at a later time.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the predetermined number of cycles is at least two (2).

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising comparing at least one of the first signal strength and the second signal strength to a predetermined threshold.

15. A method for conditioning an upstream bandwidth transmitted through a transmission line of a CATV system using a device located on premise of a user, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a device having a premise side and a supplier side;

(b) providing a variable signal level adjustment device between the premise side and the supplier side;

(c) measuring, by a signal measurement circuit connected to the variable signal level adjustment device, a first signal strength value of an upstream bandwidth at a location downstream from the variable signal level adjustment device;

(d) generating a threshold value comprising a predetermined voltage value;

(e) generating, by a comparator circuit connected to a voltage circuit, a signal path selection signal;

(f) comparing, by a circuit connected to the variable signal level adjustment device, the signal measurement circuit, and the comparator circuit, the first signal strength value to the threshold value;

(g) determining that the first signal strength value is not less than the threshold value;

(h) variably applying an incremental amount of additional signal level adjustment to the upstream bandwidth based on results of the determining;

(i) measuring a second signal strength value after the additional amount of signal level adjustment is applied;

(j) comparing the first signal strength value to the second signal strength value;

(k) applying the signal path selection signal;

(l) proceeding to step (n) when the second signal strength value is less than the first signal strength value;

(m) iteratively performing steps (c)-(k) for a predetermined number of cycles, and proceeding to step (l) upon completion of the predetermined number of cycles;

(n) variably reducing the incremental amount of additional signal level adjustment by a predetermined amount and proceeding to step (o);

(o) providing continued signal level adjustment of the upstream bandwidth; and

(p) retaining at least one of the first and second signal strengths for use at a later time.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the predetermined number of cycles is at least two (2).

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising comparing at least one of the first signal strength and the second signal strength to a predetermined threshold.

18. A CATV system for conditioning an upstream bandwidth generated on a premise of a user and passed through to a supplier of the CATV services, the system comprising:

a plurality of upstream bandwidth conditioning devices, each device being located on the premise of a user and each device comprising;

a variable signal level adjustment device configured to variably apply a variable amount of signal level adjustment to an upstream bandwidth;

a signal level measurement circuit configured to measure a first signal strength value of the upstream bandwidth prior to variably applying an incremental amount of additional signal level adjustment to the upstream bandwidth and a second signal strength after variably applying the amount of additional signal level adjustment to the upstream bandwidth, wherein the signal measurement circuit connected to the variable signal level adjustment device;

a voltage circuit configured to generate a threshold value, wherein the threshold value comprises a predetermined voltage value;

a comparator circuit connected to the voltage circuit, wherein the comparator circuit is configured to generate a signal path selection signal; and

a circuit connected to the variable signal level adjustment device, the signal measurement circuit, and the comparator circuit, wherein the comparator circuit connected between the voltage circuit and the circuit, wherein the circuit is configured (i) to compare the first signal strength value to a threshold value, (ii) to variably apply the incremental amount of additional signal level adjustment when the first signal strength value is not less than the threshold value, (iii) to compare the first signal strength to the second signal strength, and (iiii) to variably reduce at least a portion of the incremental amount of additional signal level adjustment when the first signal strength is greater than the second signal strength, wherein said signal path selection signal is applied to said circuit, and wherein the circuit is capable of retaining at least one of the first and second signal strengths until utilized at a later time.

19. The CATV system of claim 18 wherein each of the upstream bandwidth conditioning devices further comprises a first frequency band splitting device being located between the variable signal level adjustment device and a premise side, and a second frequency band splitting device being located between the variable signal level adjustment device and a supplier side.

20. The CATV system of claim 18 wherein the signal measurement circuit comprises a level detector configured to output a direct current signal representative of a level of the upstream bandwidth after application of the amount of signal level adjustment and any incremental amount of additional signal level adjustment.

21. The CATV system of claim 20 wherein the level detector is configured to maintain the direct current signal representative of the level of the upstream bandwidth for an amount of time required for the circuit to read the signal strength.

22. The CATV system of claim 18 wherein the circuit comprises a device capable of retaining the measurement information until utilized at a later time.

23. The CATV system of claim 18 wherein the circuit is configured to iteratively determine whether the incremental amount of additional signal level adjustment is to be applied.

24. The CATV system of claim 18 wherein the circuit is configured to cease the iterative determinations and remove a portion of the incremental amount of additional signal level adjustment when the first signal strength is greater than the second signal strength.

25. The CATV system of claim 23 wherein the circuit is configured to not apply the incremental amount of additional signal level adjustment in a determination cycle when the second signal strength is less than the predetermined threshold.

26. The CATV system of claim 18 wherein the circuit is a microprocessor.

27. The CATV system of claim 18 wherein the circuit is an analog circuit.

28. The device of claim 18 wherein the circuit is further configured to compare at least one of the first signal strength and the second signal strength to a predetermined threshold.

29. A upstream bandwidth conditioning device that can be inserted into a signal transmission line of a CATV system on a premise of a user, the device comprising:

a variable signal level adjustment device configured to variably create a variable amount of signal level adjustment to an upstream bandwidth;

a signal measurement circuit configured to measure a first signal strength value of the upstream bandwidth prior to variably applying an amount of additional signal level adjustment to the upstream bandwidth and a second signal strength after variably applying the amount of additional signal level adjustment to the upstream bandwidth, wherein the signal measurement circuit connected to the variable signal level adjustment device;

a voltage circuit configured to generate a threshold value, wherein the threshold value comprises a predetermined voltage value;

a comparator circuit connected to the voltage circuit, wherein the comparator circuit is configured to generate a signal path selection signal; and

a circuit connected to the variable signal level adjustment device, the signal measurement circuit, and the comparator circuit, wherein the comparator circuit connected between the voltage circuit and the circuit, wherein the circuit is configured (i) to compare the first signal strength value to the threshold value, (ii) to variably apply the amount of additional signal level adjustment when the first signal strength value is not less than the threshold value, (iii) to compare the first signal strength to the second signal strength, and (iiii) to variably reduce at least a portion of the amount of additional signal level adjustment by a variable amount when the first signal strength is greater than the second signal strength, wherein said signal path selection signal is applied to said circuit, and wherein the circuit is capable of retaining at least one of the first and second signal strengths until utilized at a later time.

30. A method for conditioning an upstream bandwidth transmitted through a transmission line of a CATV system using a device located on a premise of a user, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a device having a premise side and a supplier side;

(b) providing a variable signal level adjustment device between the premise side and the supplier side;

(c) measuring, by a signal measurement circuit connected to the variable signal level adjustment device, a first signal strength value of an upstream bandwidth at a location downstream from the variable signal level adjustment device;

(d) generating a threshold value comprising a predetermined voltage value;

(e) generating, by a comparator circuit connected to a voltage circuit, a signal path selection signal;

(f) comparing, by a circuit connected to the variable signal level adjustment device, the signal measurement circuit, and the comparator circuit, the first signal strength value to the threshold value;

(g) determining that the first signal strength value is not less than the threshold value;

(h) variably applying an incremental amount of additional signal level adjustment to upstream bandwidth based on results of the determining;

(i) measuring a second signal strength value;

(j) comparing the first signal strength value to the second signal strength value;

(k) applying, to the circuit, the signal path selection signal;

(l) iteratively performing steps (c)-(k) for a predetermined number of cycles;

(m) variably reducing at least a portion of the incremental amount of additional signal level adjustment when the second signal strength value is less than the first signal strength value; and

(n) retaining at least one of the first and second signal strengths for use at a later time.