Method and apparatus for processing multicarrier signals

A method for processing a multicarrier signal, the method comprising:

• a) receiving at least a portion of the multicarrier signal in a controller;
• b) analyzing the multicarrier signal in the controller to identify at least one carrier signal to be modified;
• c) receiving the at least portion of the multicarrier signal in a signal modifier for isolating the carrier signal to be modified and changing at least one signal characteristic of the carrier signal such that the modified carrier signal abates the multicarrier signal;
• d) directing the signal modifier to isolate the carrier signal identified by the controller;
• e) modifying the carrier signal;
• f) imparting a negative delay to the carrier signal;
• and
• g) sending the modified carrier signal to an output port for combination with the multicarrier signal.

An apparatus for processing a multicarrier signal comprising a plurality of carrier signals, the apparatus comprising:

• a) a signal divider for creating at least a first signal, a second signal, and a third signal based on the multicarrier signal and for putting the first signal onto a first signal path, the second signal onto a second signal path, and the third signal onto a third signal path;
• b) a signal combiner for receiving the first signal from said first signal path, and a modified third signal from the third signal path, the signal combiner creating an output signal based on the sum of the first signal and the modified third signal;
• c) an individual signal modifier in the third signal path for isolating, from said third signal, a carrier signal and for modifying the phase and/or amplitude of the carrier signal to create the modified third signal;
• and
• d) a controller for receiving the second signal from the second signal path, the controller analyzing the second signal to determine the relative power of the carrier signals which comprise the second signal, the controller identifying at least one carrier signal to be isolated by the individual signal modifier;
• and
• e) a negative delay element in the third signal path for equalizing the delay of the third signal in the third signal path with the delay of the first signal in the first signal path.

A method for processing a multicarrier signal comprising a plurality of carrier signals, comprising:

• a) creating, based on the multicarrier signal, at least a first signal, a second signal, and a third signal such that the first signal, the second signal and the third signal are analog representations of the multicarrier signal;
• b) analyzing the second signal to determine the relative power of each of the carrier signals which comprise the multicarrier signal to produce an analysis;
• c) identifying, based on said analysis, at least one of the carrier signals to be modified;
• d) isolating the at least one carrier signal to be modified and modifying the phase and/or amplitude of the isolated carrier signal to create a modified third signal;
• e) imparting a negative delay to the modified third signal to equalize the delay of the third signal with the delay of the first signal;
• and
• f) combining the first signal and the modified third signal.

A signal modifier for modifying at least one carrier signal of a multicarrier signal comprising:

• a) a mixer configured to receive the multicarrier signal;
• b) a filter for receiving the output of the mixer, the filter having a bandpass frequency;
• c) means communicating with the mixer for shifting the multicarrier signal such that at least one carrier signal to be modified is positioned at the bandpass frequency of the filter;
• d) a phase shifter for modifying the at least one carrier signal passed by the filter;
• and
• e) a delay element for imparting a negative group delay to the multicarrier signal.