# US 11,122,339 B1 · Intelligent tap with dynamically configurable amplifier gain > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,122,339 B1 - Document ID: US11122339B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/062,665 - Filed: 2020-10-05 - Granted: 2021-09-14 - Earliest claimed: 2020-10-05 - Assignees: Charter Communications Operating, LLC - Applicants: Charter Communications Operating, LLC - Inventors: Charles Cook - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11122339B1 ## CPC - H04L 12/2869: {Operational details of access network equipments (admission control or resource allocation in access networks H04L12/5692)} - H04N 21/6168: {involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem} - H04L 12/2801: {Broadband local area networks} - H04N 7/102: {Circuits therefor, e.g. noise reducers, equalisers, amplifiers (H04N7/108 takes precedence)} - H04N 7/17309: {Transmission or handling of upstream communications} - H04N 21/44209: {Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network (arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896)} - H04N 21/6118: {involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem} - H04N 21/643: Communication protocols {(network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP], H04L65/65)} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract Methods and systems for an intelligent tap with dynamically configurable amplifier gain. The intelligent tap includes a filter configured to process a signal received from a service provider system via a hybrid fiber-coaxial network, an amplifier connected to the filter, the amplifier configured to apply a feedback controlled gain value to the signal to generate an output signal, where the feedback controlled gain value is based on a comparison of a target signal strength to a sampled output signal strength, and a signal strength measuring component connected to the amplifier in a feedback loop, the signal strength measuring component configured to sample the output signal, and compare a signal strength of a sampled output signal to the target signal strength to generate the feedback controlled gain value, where application of the feedback controlled gain value maintains the output signal at a constant amplitude pursuant to the target signal strength. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An intelligent tap, comprising: a filter configured to process a content signal received from a service provider system via a hybrid fiber-coaxial network; an amplifier connected to the filter, the amplifier configured to apply a feedback controlled gain value to the content signal to generate an output content signal, wherein the feedback controlled gain value is based on a comparison of a target signal strength to a sampled output signal strength; and a signal strength measuring component connected to the amplifier in a feedback loop, the signal strength measuring component configured to: sample the output content signal; and compare a signal strength of a sampled output signal to the target signal strength to generate the feedback controlled gain value, wherein application of the feedback controlled gain value maintains the output content signal at a constant amplitude pursuant to the target signal strength. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The intelligent tap of claim 1, further comprising: a controller connected to the service provider system via a control channel, the controller configured to set the target signal strength based on input from the service provider system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The intelligent tap of claim 2, the controller further configured to set parameters for components in the intelligent tap including at least the filter, the amplifier, and the signal strength measuring component. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The intelligent tap of claim 3, the controller further configured to obtain measurements from the components in the intelligent tap including at least the filter, the amplifier, and the signal strength measuring component. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The intelligent tap of claim 4, the controller further configured to set the parameters based on the measurements. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The intelligent tap of claim 5, the controller further configured to receive instructions based on the measurements from the service provider system to set the parameters. ### Claim 7 A method for dynamically adjusting an output signal of an intelligent tap, the method comprising: receiving a media signal at an intelligent tap from a content provider system over a hybrid fiber-coaxial network; filtering the media signal to mitigate noise and interference on the media signal; generating an output media signal by applying a feedback controlled gain value to a filtered media signal, wherein the feedback controlled gain value is based on comparison of a defined signal strength to a sampled output media signal strength; sampling the output media signal; and generating the feedback controlled gain value by comparing a signal strength of a sampled output media signal to the defined signal strength, wherein application of the feedback controlled gain value maintains the output media signal at a constant amplitude pursuant to the defined signal strength. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, the method further comprising: setting the defined signal strength based on content provider system control signals received over a control channel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, the method further comprising: setting intelligent tap component parameters based on content provider system control signals received over the control channel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, the method further comprising: sending intelligent tap component data to the content provider system control signals over the control channel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the content provider system control signals are based on the intelligent tap component data. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, the method further comprising: setting intelligent tap component parameters based on the intelligent tap component data. ### Claim 13 A system comprising: a cable modem termination system configured to transmit content signals; a hybrid fiber-coaxial network connected to the cable modem termination system, the hybrid fiber-coaxial network configured to carry the content signals transmitted by the cable modem termination system; a plurality of intelligent taps connected to the hybrid fiber-coaxial network, each intelligent tap connected to a customer premises equipment and each intelligent tap comprising: a filter configured to process tapped content signals tapped from the hybrid fiber-coaxial network; an amplifier connected to the filter, the amplifier configured to apply a feedback controlled gain value to the tapped content signals to generate output content signals, wherein the feedback controlled gain value is based on a comparison of a target signal strength to a sampled output signal strength; and a signal strength measuring component connected to the amplifier in a feedback loop, the signal strength measuring component configured to: sample the output content signals; and compare a signal strength of sampled output signals to the target signal strength to generate the feedback controlled gain value, wherein application of the feedback controlled gain value maintains the output content signals at a constant amplitude pursuant to the target signal strength. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, each intelligent tap further comprising: a controller connected to the cable modem termination system via a control channel, the controller configured to set the target signal strength based on input from the cable modem termination system. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, the controller further configured to set parameters for components in the intelligent tap including at least the filter, the amplifier, and the signal strength measuring component. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, the controller further configured to obtain measurements from the components in the intelligent tap including at least the filter, the amplifier, and the signal strength measuring component. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, the controller further configured to receive instructions based on the measurements from the cable modem termination system to set the parameters. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, the controller further configured to set the parameters based on the measurements. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the target signal strength is the same for each of the plurality of intelligent taps. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, each intelligent tap further comprising: a controller configured to set the target signal strength based on measurements from the components in the intelligent tap.