Cable system with active RF device powered by RF energy converted to DC power, and associated method

A cable system for providing RF signals into a subscriber's facility, comprising:

• a main line carrying first RF signals for a plurality of subscribers, the first RF signals containing information communicated between the main line and the subscribers;
• a subscriber line coupled between the main line and the subscriber's facility, the subscriber line carrying the first RF signals;
• an antenna proximate the subscriber's facility for receiving free-radiated second RF signals;
• a rectifier/voltage multiplier connected to the antenna, the rectifier/voltage multiplier converting AC energy in the second RF signals into DC current;
• a filter connected between the antenna and the rectifier/voltage multiplier for selectively passing the second RF signals to the rectifier/voltage multiplier;
• and
• an active RF device powered by the DC current from the rectifier/voltage multiplier, the RF device being located along the subscriber line.

A method for communicating RF signals between a head-end facility and a subscriber's facility, comprising the steps of:

• transmitting first RF signals between the head-end facility and the subscriber's facility via a main line and a subscriber line tapped into the main line, the subscriber line also carrying second RF signals different in frequency from the first RF signals;
• filtering the RF signals carried by the subscriber line such that substantially only the second RF signals are passed to the rectifier/voltage multiplier;
• rectifying the second RF signals using the rectifier/voltage multiplier to produce a DC current;
• and
• using the DC current to power an active RF device located along the subscriber line.