HFC reverse path using an intelligent dynamic switch

A dynamic switch for reducing the amount of ingress signals in a communication network, comprising:

• an input for receiving a first RF input signal from a first portion of the communication network, the first RF input signal including at least one of a desirable input signal and an ingress signal;
• an analog-to-digital converter for converting the first RF input signal to a digital input signal, the digital input signal including a plurality of digital input signal values;
• a detector for determining whether the signal power level of the digital input signal exceeds a threshold value;
• a buffer for temporarily storing the digital input signal values and for outputting digital input signal values when the detector determines that the signal power level of the digital input signal exceeds the threshold value;
• a digital-to-analog converter for receiving the digital input signal values from the buffer and for converting the digital input signal values into a second RF input signal corresponding to the first RF input signal;
• and
• an output for providing the second RF input signal to a second portion of the communication network,
• whereby the second RF input signal is provided to the second portion of the communication network only when the detector determines that the signal power level of the digital input signal exceeds the threshold value.

In a cable television network including a forward path for transmitting signals from a headend to subscriber equipment and a reverse path for transmitting signal from the subscriber equipment to the headend, a dynamic switch for reducing the amount of reverse ingress noise in the reverse path of the cable television network, comprising:

• an input for receiving a first analog reverse signal from a downstream portion of the cable television network, the first analog reverse signal including at least one of a desirable input signal and an ingress noise signal;
• an analog-to-digital converter for converting the first analog reverse signal to a digital reverse signal, the digital reverse signal including a plurality of digital reverse signal values;
• a detector for determining whether the signal power level of the digital reverse signal exceeds a threshold value;
• a buffer for temporarily storing the digital reverse signal values and for outputting digital reverse signal values when the detector determines that the signal power level of the digital reverse signal exceeds the threshold value;
• a digital-to-analog converter for receiving the digital reverse signal values from the buffer and for converting the digital reverse signal values into a second analog reverse signal corresponding to the first analog reverse signal;
• and
• an output for providing the second analog reverse signal to an upstream portion of the cable television network,
• whereby the second analog reverse signal is provided to the upstream portion of the cable television network only when the detector determines that the signal power level of the digital reverse signal exceeds the threshold value.

In a broadband communications network having forward and reverse paths for transmitting forward and reverse RF signals, respectively, the reverse RF signals including ingress signals, the broadband communications network including an intelligent dynamic switch (IDS), the IDS comprising:

• an A/D converter for digitizing the reverse RF signals and for providing the digital signals to the data buffer and the carrier detect circuit;
• a data buffer for delaying the digital signals by a predetermined timeframe;
• a carrier detect circuit coupled to the A/D converter for receiving the digital signals and for detecting the presence of at least one RF carrier signal within the predetermined timeframe;
• and
• an enable switch that is controlled by the carrier detect circuit for allowing the delayed digital signals to be transmitted along with the at least one RF carrier signal;
• and
• a D/A converter coupled to the enable switch for converting the digital signals back to reverse RF signals,
• whereby controlling the transmission of the reverse RF signals reduces the amount of ingress noise signals in the reverse path of the broadband communications network.

In a broadband communications network having forward and reverse paths for transmitting forward and reverse signals, respectively, the reverse signals including power level values and ingress signals, the broadband communications network including a distribution tap, the distribution tap including:

• a first diplex filter having a high pass filter and a low pass filter, the high pass filter for isolating the forward signals, and the low pass filter for isolating the reverse signals;
• forward path elements coupled to the high pass filter of the first diplex filter for processing;
• a second diplex filter having a high pass filter and a low pass filter, the high pass filter coupled to the forward path elements for providing the processed forward signals to the forward path, and the low pass filter for receiving reverse signals;
• an intelligent dynamic switch (IDS) coupled to the low pass filter of the second diplex filter, the intelligent dynamic switch comprising:
• detecting means for detecting when at least one reverse carrier signal is present in the reverse signals;
• delaying means for delaying the reverse signals;
• and
• a switch controlled by the detecting means for releasing the delayed signals upon detection of the at least one reverse carrier signal;
• and
• reverse path elements coupled to the IDS for processing and for providing the processed reverse RF signals to the low pass filter of the first filter,
• wherein upon detection of the at least one RF carrier signal, the reverse RF signals are provided to the reverse path elements.

A broadband communications network having forward and reverse paths for transmitting forward and reverse signals, respectively, the reverse signals having power level values and ingress signals, the broadband communications network comprising:

• a plurality of intelligent dynamic switches (IDSs), each IDS comprising:
• detecting means for detecting when at least one reverse carrier signal is present in the reverse signals;
• delaying means for delaying the reverse signals;
• and
• a switch controlled by the detecting means for releasing the delayed signals upon detection of the at least one reverse carrier signal,
• wherein the plurality of intelligent dynamic switches blocks the ingress signals from further transmission upstream in the reverse path, thereby significantly reduces the ingress signals that are transmitted to a headend facility.