US 8,948,596 B2 · Neighborhood node mapping methods and apparatus for ingress mitigation in cable communication systems

Abstract

A mobile transmitter traverses a drive path in a neighborhood node of a cable communication system and broadcasts a test signal at frequencies falling within an upstream path bandwidth. A navigational device generates a first record of positions of the transmitter along the drive path, and an analyzer monitors the upstream path bandwidth and generates a second record of received signal amplitudes of the transmitted test signal as a function of time. An ingress map is generated showing the drive path and potential points of ingress in the node, and employed to remediate faults particularly in the hardline coaxial cable plant. Iterative generation of maps and corresponding remediation in the node enable improved cable communication systems with reduced noise profiles between 5 MHz and 20 MHz and employing higher modulation order QAM communication channels (e.g., 256-QAM and higher) throughout the upstream path bandwidth to increase upstream capacity.

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Claims54

Dependent claims

A method for facilitating detection of ingress in at least one neighborhood node of a cable communication system, the cable communication system comprising:

a headend or hub comprising:
a headend optical/radio frequency (RF) converter;
and
a cable modem system coupled to the headend optical/RF converter;
and
a first neighborhood node of the at least one neighborhood node, the first neighborhood node having an infrastructure comprising:
a first fiber optic cable coupled to the headend optical/RF converter;
a first node optical/RF converter coupled to the first fiber optic cable;
a first RF hardline coaxial cable plant, coupled to the first node optical/RF converter and traversing the first neighborhood node, to convey to the headend or hub at least first upstream information from a plurality of first subscriber premises over an upstream path bandwidth including a range of frequencies from approximately 5 MHz to at least approximately 42 MHz;
and
a plurality of first subscriber service drops, coupled to the first RF hardline coaxial cable plant and to the plurality of first subscriber premises, to provide the first upstream information from the plurality of first subscriber premises to the first RF hardline coaxial cable plant,
the method comprising:
A) directing a mobile broadcast apparatus including a transmitter along a first neighborhood node drive path proximate to the first RF hardline coaxial cable plant so as to effectively traverse and ensure substantially full coverage of the first subscriber neighborhood;
B) during A), broadcasting from the transmitter a test signal at a plurality of locations distributed along at least a substantial portion of the first neighborhood node drive path, the test signal having at least one test signal frequency falling within the upstream path bandwidth;
C) during A), electronically recording first geographic information corresponding to respective positions of the mobile broadcast apparatus along at least the substantial portion of the first neighborhood node drive path so as to generate a first record of the first geographic information;
D) during A) and throughout traversing at least the substantial portion of the first neighborhood node drive path, recording, via an analyzer coupled to a first junction of the cable modem system and the headend optical/RF converter or a second junction of the hardline cable plant and the first node optical/RF converter, a plurality of signal amplitudes at the test signal frequency so as to generate a second record, the plurality of signal amplitudes representing a strength of a received upstream test signal as a function of time, based on B) and test signal ingress of the test signal into at least one fault in the first RF hardline coaxial cable plant;
and
E) based on the first record generated in C) and the second record generated in D), electronically generating a first neighborhood node ingress map comprising:
a first graphical representation of the first neighborhood node drive path;
and
a second graphical representation, overlaid on the first graphical representation, of the plurality of signal amplitudes, at least along the substantial portion of the first neighborhood node drive path, so as to illustrate the test signal ingress of the test signal into at least the first RF hardline coaxial cable plant of the first neighborhood node.

18 more elements

An apparatus for facilitating detection of ingress in at least a first neighborhood node of a cable communication system, the apparatus comprising:

a communication interface;
a display device;
a memory to store processor-executable instructions;
an analyzer;
and
a processor coupled to the communication interface, the display device, the analyzer, and the memory, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processor, the processor:
A) controls the communication interface so as to receive a first record of first geographic information as a function of time, the first geographic information corresponding to respective positions of a mobile broadcast apparatus as directed along at least a substantial portion of a first neighborhood node drive path proximate to a first RF hardline coaxial cable plant in the first neighborhood node of the cable communication system;
and
B) controls the analyzer to measure a plurality of signal amplitudes representing a strength, at a headend or the first RF hardline coaxial cable plant of the cable communication system, of a received upstream test signal as a function of time, the strength of the received upstream test signal being based on:
1) a test signal broadcast from a transmitter in the mobile broadcast apparatus as the mobile broadcast apparatus is directed along the first neighborhood node drive path proximate to the first RF hardline coaxial cable plant;
and 2) test signal ingress of the test signal into at least one fault in the RF hardline coaxial cable plant;
C) generates a second record including the plurality of signal amplitudes measured in A2);
D) controls the memory so as to store in the memory the first record and the second record;
E) based on the first record and the second record, electronically generates a first neighborhood node ingress map comprising:
E1) a first graphical representation of the first neighborhood node drive path;
and
E2) a second graphical representation, overlaid on the first graphical representation, of the plurality of signal amplitudes, at least along the substantial portion of the first neighborhood node drive path, so as to illustrate the test signal ingress of the test signal into at least the first RF hardline coaxial cable plant of the first neighborhood node;
and
F) controls the display device so as to display the first neighborhood node ingress map.

16 more elements

A computer readable non-transitory storage medium storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, perform a method for facilitating detection of ingress in at least a first neighborhood node of a cable communication system, the method comprising:

A) electronically receiving:
A1) first geographic information as a function of time, the first geographic information corresponding to respective positions of a mobile broadcast apparatus as directed along at least a substantial portion of a first neighborhood node drive path proximate to a first RF hardline coaxial cable plant in the first neighborhood node of the cable communication system;
and
A2) a plurality of signal amplitudes representing a strength, as measured at a headend or the first RF hardline coaxial cable plant of the cable communication system, of a received upstream test signal as a function of time, the strength of the received upstream test signal being based on:
1) a test signal broadcast from a transmitter in the mobile broadcast apparatus as the mobile broadcast apparatus is directed along the first neighborhood node drive path proximate to the first RF hardline coaxial cable plant;
and 2) test signal ingress of the test signal into at least one fault in the RF hardline coaxial cable plant;
B) electronically processing the first geographic information to generate a first record based at least in part on the processed first geographic information;
C) electronically processing the plurality of signal amplitudes to generate a second record based at least in part on the processed plurality of signal amplitudes;
and
D) based on the first record and the second record, electronically generating a first neighborhood node ingress map comprising:
D1) a first graphical representation of the first neighborhood node drive path;
and
D2) a second graphical representation, overlaid on the first graphical representation, of the plurality of signal amplitudes, at least along the substantial portion of the first neighborhood node drive path, so as to illustrate the test signal ingress of the test signal into at least the first RF hardline coaxial cable plant of the first neighborhood node.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description65,720 words

Summary35,259 words

#Cable communication systems provide one or more of commercial TV services, Internet data services, and voice services (e.g., “Voice-over-Internet Protocol,” or VoIP) to one or more subscriber premises (or “end users”) in a given geographic area. Generally speaking, a cable communication system refers to the operational (e.g., geographical) footprint of an entertainment and/or information services franchise that provides entertainment and/or information services to a subscriber base spanning one or more towns, a metropolitan area, or a portion thereof. Particular entertainment and/or information services offered by the franchise (e.g., entertainment channel lineup, data packages, etc.) may differ from system to system. Some large cable companies operate several cable communication systems (e.g., in some cases up to hundreds of systems), and are known generally as Multiple System Operators (MSOs).

#Cable Communication System Overview

#FIG. 1 generally illustrates various elements of a conventional hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) cable communication system 160. The cable communication system 160 includes a headend 162 coupled to one or more nodes 164A, 164B and 164C via one or more physical communication media. The physical communication media typically include fiber optic cable and coaxial cable to convey information (e.g., television programming, Internet data, voice services) between the headend 162 and subscriber premises served by the nodes 164A, 164B and 164C of the cable communication system 160.

Brief description of the drawings57 figures

#The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee.

#The skilled artisan will understand that the drawings primarily are for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventive subject matter described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale; in some instances, various aspects of the inventive subject matter disclosed herein may be shown exaggerated or enlarged in the drawings to facilitate an understanding of different features. In the drawings, like reference characters generally refer to like features (e.g., functionally similar and/or structurally similar elements).

#FIG. 1 illustrates various aspects of a conventional cable communication system.

Detailed description28,403 words

#Following below are more detailed descriptions of various concepts related to, and embodiments of, inventive methods and apparatus for ingress mitigation in cable communication systems, and cable communication systems and methods having increased upstream capacity for supporting voice and/or data services. It should be appreciated that various concepts introduced above and discussed in greater detail below may be implemented in any of numerous ways, as the disclosed concepts are not limited to any particular manner of implementation. Examples of specific implementations and applications are provided primarily for illustrative purposes.

#I. System Overview to Demonstrate Efficacy

#To demonstrate the various concepts disclosed herein, ingress mitigation methods and apparatus according to embodiments of the present invention were employed in a functioning cable communication system similar to that shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, having multiple neighborhood nodes respectively serving numerous subscriber premises. Noise profiles of the upstream path bandwidth in multiple different neighborhood nodes of this cable communication system first were studied so as to collect general baseline information (e.g., 24 hour average spectrums for the upstream path bandwidth were acquired for each of the neighborhood nodes to obtain representative noise power spectrums), and one neighborhood node with a noteworthy noise profile showing a significant presence of ingress particularly between 5 MHz and 20 MHz was chosen in which to implement ingress mitigation methods as outlined in greater detail below (this neighborhood node is referred to herein as the “ingress mitigated node”). Four other nodes of the cable communication system, all demonstrating appreciable ingress, served as “control nodes” in which no ingress mitigation was performed, so as to provide a system-wide comparative basis for illustrating the efficacy of the ingress mitigation methodology.

Facts

Application

13/539,383Filed 30 Jun 2012 · us provisional application

Priority

1 Jul 2011

Published

US 2013/0004179 A13 Jan 2013

Granted

3 Feb 2015

Term ends

25 Nov 2032

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 148 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification24 codes

H04B 3/50
Line transmission systems: systems for transmission between fixed stations via two-conductor transmission lines
H04B 3/02
Line transmission systems: details
H04B 3/46
Details: monitoring; Testing
H04B 10/03
Transmission systems employing electromagnetic waves other than radio-waves, e.g. infrared, visible or ultraviolet light, or employing…

Family

Application61/503,906Us provisional application · filed 1 Jul 2011

Application61/538,646Us provisional application · filed 23 Sep 2011

Application61/544,895Us provisional application · filed 7 Oct 2011

US 2013/0004179 A1Pre-grant publication · published 3 Jan 2013

US 8,948,596 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Timeline

1 Jul 2011Priority claimedParent application 61/503,906
30 Jun 2012Application filedUS 13/539,383
24 Sep 2012Assigned to Certusview Technologies, LLCassignment of assignor's interest
3 Jan 2013PublishedUS 2013/0004179 A1
3 Feb 2015GrantedUS 8,948,596 B2
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
25 Nov 2032Term endsEstimated, includes 148 days of adjustment

Neighborhood node mapping methods and apparatus for ingress mitigation in cable communication systems

Life of this patent

Neighborhood node mapping methods and apparatus for ingress mitigation in cable communication systems

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims54

Description65,720 words

Drawings

Classification24 codes

Life of this patent

Description65,720 words