Leakage detector for use in combination with a signal level meter

A combination signal level meter and leakage detector, comprising:

• a single receiver front end having an input for connection with an antenna or a cable for a CATV signal to receive a signal therefrom, and a single signal path for acting on the signal from said input in the same manner, regardless of whether the signal is from the antenna or the cable,
• an intermediate frequency (IF) stage connected with the receiver front end for producing an intermediate frequency signal;
• a detector having an input for producing an amplitude modulation (AM) detected output signal in response to the intermediate frequency signal;
• a leak processor having an input connected to the detector and operative in a leakage mode only when the antenna is connected with said single receiver front end, the leak processor including circuitry which passes only a synchronizing signal of the AM detected output signal, along with harmonic frequencies of the synchronizing signal and DC signals, said synchronizing signal having a peak level, and said signal processor providing an output signal corresponding to the peak level of the synchronizing signal of the AM detected output signal;
• at least one signal detector for detecting characteristics of the CATV signal during a signal level meter mode, when the cable is connected with said single receiver front end;
• a display;
• and
• a processing unit connected with the leak processor, the at least one signal detector, and the display for displaying leakage data in response to the output signal from the leak processor during the leakage mode and for displaying said characteristics of the CATV signal during the signal level meter mode.

A leakage detector comprising:

• a receiver front end having an input for connection with an antenna;
• an intermediate frequency (IF) stage connected with the receiver front end for producing an intermediate frequency signal from said first output signal;
• a detector having an input for producing an amplitude modulation (AM) detected output signal in response to the intermediate frequency signal;
• a leak processor having an input connected to the detector and including circuitry which passes only a synchronizing signal of the AM detected output signal, along with harmonic frequencies of the synchronizing signal and DC signals, said synchronizing signal having a peak level, and said signal processor providing an output signal corresponding to the peak level of the synchronizing signal of the AM detected output signal;
• a display;
• and
• a processing unit connected with the leak processor and the display for displaying leakage data in response to the output signal from the leak processor.