US-12621016-B2 - Frequency converting cable network signal transmission devices

US12621016B2US 12621016 B2US12621016 B2US 12621016B2US-12621016-B2

Abstract

A network communication device includes a first output port, a second output port, and a converting circuit. The first output port may be in communication with an input port and may be configured to receive a first reduced-power version of the signal received at an input port. The converting circuit may be configured to receive a second reduced-power version of the signal, down-convert a high-frequency portion thereof, and produce a down-converted signal. The first and the second reduced-power versions of the signals are in the same frequency band. The second output port receives at least a portion of the down-converted signal such that the high frequency portion of the second reduced power version of the signal is attenuated before the signal is transmitted to a subscriber device.

Inventors

David A. Barany

Assignees

PPC BROADBAND, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20230602

Claims (17)

1 . A network communication device for down-converting a portion of a signal to a lower frequency for use by a subscriber device, comprising: a converting circuit configured to separate an input signal into a high-frequency portion, a low-frequency portion, and a middle-frequency portion, attenuate the middle frequency portion, and down-convert the high-frequency portion to a down-converted middle-frequency portion; and wherein the network communication device is configured to output the down-converted middle-frequency portion of the signal to the subscriber device so as to enable use of high frequency signals with pre-existing subscriber equipment; wherein the converting circuit comprises a first filter having a high-pass filter, a band-pass filter, and a low-pass filter, wherein the band-pass filter is terminated to a ground; further comprising a second filter having a high-pass filter and a low-pass filter, wherein the low-pass filter of the second filter is coupled to the low-pass filter of the first filter; and wherein the converting circuit further includes a mixer and an oscillator in communication with the mixer, the mixer being in communication with the high-pass filter of the first filter and the high-pass filter of the second filter, such that downstream signals pass from the high-pass filter of the first filter to the high-pass filter of the second filter via the mixer, wherein the mixer and the oscillator are configured to down-convert the signals received at the mixer from a high-frequency range to a medium-frequency range.
2 . The network communication device of claim 1 , further comprising a directional coupler configured to reduce a power of the input signal before the converting circuit separates the input signal into the high-frequency portion, the low-frequency portion, and the middle-frequency portion.
3 . The network communication device of claim 1 , wherein the high-pass filter of the first filter is configured to block signals below a high-frequency cutoff, and wherein the high-pass filter of the second filter is configured to block signals below a medium-frequency cutoff, the medium-frequency cutoff being lower than the high-frequency cutoff.
4 . The network communication device of claim 1 , wherein the low-pass filter of the first filter is configured to block signals above about 204 MHz, the band-pass filter is configured to block signals outside of a frequency band of 258 MHz to 1500 MHz, and the high-pass filter of the first filter is configured to block signals below about 1758 MHz.
5 . The network communication device of claim 4 , wherein the low-pass filter of the second filter is configured to block signals above 204 MHZ, and wherein the high-pass filter of the second filter is configured to block signals below 1500 MHz.
6 . A network communication device for down-converting a portion of a signal to a lower frequency for use by a subscriber device, comprising: a first output port configured to receive a first reduced-power version of a signal received at an input port; a converting circuit configured to receive a second reduced-power version of the signal, separate the second reduced-power version of the signal into a high-frequency portion, a low-frequency portion, and a middle-frequency portion, attenuate the middle-frequency portion, down-convert the high-frequency portion to a down-converted middle-frequency portion, and combine the low-frequency portion and the down-converted middle-frequency portion after down-converting the high-frequency portion to produce a down-converted signal; and wherein the down-converted signal is configured to be output to the subscriber device so as to enable use of high frequency signals with pre-existing subscriber equipment.
7 . The network communication device of claim 6 , further comprising a directional coupler configured to reduce a power of the input signal before the converting circuit separates the input signal into the high-frequency portion, the low-frequency portion, and the middle-frequency portion.
8 . The network communication device of claim 6 , wherein the converting circuit is further configured to attenuate the input signal.
9 . The network communication device of claim 6 , wherein the converting circuit comprises a first filter having a high-pass filter, a band-pass filter, and a low-pass filter, wherein the band-pass filter is terminated to a ground.
10 . The network communication device of claim 9 , further comprising a second filter having a high-pass filter and a low-pass filter, wherein the low-pass filter of the second filter is coupled to the low-pass filter of the first filter.
11 . The network communication device of claim 10 , wherein the converting circuit further includes a mixer and an oscillator in communication with the mixer, the mixer being in communication with the high-pass filter of the first filter and the high-pass filter of the second filter, such that downstream signals pass from the high-pass filter of the first filter to the high-pass filter of the second filter via the mixer, wherein the mixer and the oscillator are configured to down-convert the signals received at the mixer from a high-frequency range to a medium-frequency range.
12 . The network communication device of claim 11 , wherein the high-pass filter of the first filter is configured to block signals below a high-frequency cutoff, and wherein the high-pass filter of the second filter is configured to block signals below a medium-frequency cutoff, the medium-frequency cutoff being lower than the high-frequency cutoff.
13 . The network communication device of claim 11 , wherein the low-pass filter of the first filter is configured to block signals above about 204 MHz, the band-pass filter is configured to block signals outside of a frequency band of 258 MHz to 1500 MHz, and the high-pass filter of the first filter is configured to block signals below about 1758 MHz.
14 . The network communication device of claim 13 , wherein the low-pass filter of the second filter is configured to block signals above 204 MHz, and wherein the high-pass filter of the second filter is configured to block signals below 1500 MHz.
15 . A network communication device for down-converting a portion of a signal to a lower frequency portion for use by a subscriber device, comprising: a first output port in communication with an input port and configured to receive a first reduced-power version of the signal received at an input port; a second output port; a converting circuit configured to receive a second reduced power version of the signal, separate out the second reduced power version of the signal into a high-frequency portion, a low-frequency portion, and a middle-frequency portion, and down-convert the high-frequency portion of the signal to produce a down-converted signal; and wherein the down-converted signal is configured to be output to the subscriber device so as to enable use of high frequency signals with pre-existing subscriber equipment.
16 . The network communication device of claim 15 , further comprising a directional coupler configured to reduce a power of the signal before the converting circuit separates the signal into the high-frequency portion, the low-frequency portion, and the middle-frequency portion.
17 . The network communication device of claim 15 , wherein the converting circuit comprises a first filter having a high-pass filter, a band-pass filter, and a low-pass filter, wherein the band-pass filter is terminated to a ground.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/850,099, filed Jun. 27, 2022, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/353,122, filed Jun. 21, 2021, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,374,604, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/042,627, filed Jun. 23, 2020. The entirety of both applications is incorporated by reference herein. BACKGROUND Cable television (CATV) networks generally include devices and cables that deliver downstream signals from a headend to many subscriber premises. This infrastructure is also capable of receiving upstream signals from the subscriber premises and transmitting the upstream signals back to the headend. The upstream and downstream signals are typically in different frequency bands, allowing them to travel along the same lines. Traditional frequency bands are between 5 MHz and 1002 MHz, e.g., 5-42 MHz for upstream signals, and 54-1002 MHz for downstream signals. These frequency bands have been implemented successfully, and lines, devices, etc. in many networks are designed specifically to handle these frequencies with manageable levels of attenuation, tilt, etc. Recently, however, there has been interest in increasing the frequency band for the signals, especially in the downstream direction. Such increases can produce faster connectivity for the subscriber premises, allowing each individual subscriber premise to be assigned to a larger frequency band (i.e., a larger portion of the total available downstream frequency band). However, increasing the total frequency band is accomplished generally by increasing the high end of the frequency range, e.g., to frequencies of up to 1800 MHz, 3000 MHz or higher. Signal attenuation may become an issue at the high end of such widened frequency bands. For example, at such higher frequencies, the signals can experience high levels of tilt, a situation in which attenuation increases as a function of frequency (i.e., more power losses at higher frequencies). Further, in some circumstances, high-cost equipment is necessary to effectively split and amplify signals at such high frequencies. SUMMARY A network communication device is disclosed. The device includes an input port configured to receive a downstream signal from a network, a first output port in communication with the input port and configured to receive a first reduced-power version of the signal received at the input port, one or more second output ports, and a converting circuit configured to receive a second reduced-power version of the signal received at the input port, down-convert a high-frequency portion thereof, and produce a down-converted signal. The one or more second output ports receive at least a portion of the down-converted signal. A communication network is disclosed. The network includes a headend configured to provide a downstream signal, a first network device having a first input configured to receive the downstream signal, a first output port configured to provide a lower-power version of the downstream signal, and one or more second output ports configured to provide another lower-power version of the downstream signal to one or more first subscriber devices, and a second network device having a first input configured to receive the downstream signal, a first output port configured to provide a second lower-power version of the downstream signal, and one or more second output ports configured to provide a down-converted signal to one or more second subscriber devices downstream from the second network device. The second network device includes a converting circuit configured to receive a second lower-power version of the downstream signal, separate the second lower-power version of the signal into a high-frequency portion, a low-frequency portion, and a middle-frequency portion, attenuate the middle-frequency portion, down-convert the high-frequency portion to the middle-frequency portion, and combine the low-frequency portion and the middle-frequency portion after down-converting the high-frequency portion to the middle-frequency portion to produce the down-converted signal. It will be appreciated that this summary is intended merely to introduce some aspects of the present methods, systems, and media, which are more fully described and/or claimed below. Accordingly, this summary is not intended to be limiting. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present teachings and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present teachings. FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic view of a line splitter for a communication network, according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic view of a tap for a communication network, according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 illustrates a simplified, schematic view of part of a communication network, a