Method and apparatus for detection and classification of impairments on a RF modulated network

A system for maintaining the integrity of a communication system comprising:

• an analog receiver that receives analog data from the communication system;
• an analog-to-digital converter coupled to said analog receiver that converts said analog data into digitized data;
• a fast Fourier transform (FFT) processor coupled to said analog-to-digital converter that receives said digitized data and performs a time domain to frequency domain conversion of said digitized data;
• and
• a processor coupled to said FFT processor that examines said converted digitized data to detect an impairment on a communication channel of the communication system and classify said impairment as one of a plurality of impairment types, wherein said plurality of impairment types includes at least one non-periodic impairment type and at least one periodic impairment type, and wherein said processor adapts operating parameters of the communication system in accordance with said characterization of said impairment.

An apparatus for maintaining the integrity of a communication system comprising:

• receiving means for receiving analog data from the communication system;
• converting means for converting said analog data into digitized data;
• transforming means for transforming said digitized data from a time domain to a frequency domain;
• and
• processing means for examining said transformed digitized data to detect an impairment on a communication channel of the communication system and classify said impairment as one of a plurality of impairment types, wherein said plurality of impairment types includes at least one non-periodic impairment type and at least one periodic impairment type, and wherein said processing means adapts operating parameters of the communication system in accordance with said classification of said impairment.