Method and apparatus for reducing isolation in a home network

Abstract

Disclosed is a CATV signal distribution system including an attenuator circuit configured to couple a high-pass node of a first signal separation device to a high-pass node of a second signal separation device, conduct signals within a predetermined high frequency band between first and second subscriber devices, control attenuation of signals within the predetermined high frequency band, control a level of attenuation of the signals within the predetermined high frequency band between the first and second subscriber devices passing from the high-pass node of the first signal separation device to the high-pass node of the second signal separation device and passing from the high-pass node of the second signal separation device to the high-pass node of the first signal separation device, adjust a frequency response tilt of the signals within the predetermined high frequency band communicated between the first subscriber devices and the second in subscriber devices.

1 . A community access television (CATV) signal distribution system comprising:
 a CATV signal input port configured for connection to a CATV network;   a signal splitter comprising a common splitter terminal and at least two splitter output terminals, wherein:
 the common splitter terminal couples to the CATV signal input port, 
 the signal splitter is configured to divide a CATV downstream signal received at the common terminal into multiple CATV downstream signals supplied at the at least two splitter output terminals, 
 the signal splitter is configured to communicate upstream signals received at the at least two splitter output terminals to the common splitter terminal; 
   a first diplexer comprising a first common node, a first high-pass node, and a first low-pass node, wherein:
 the first diplexer is configured to communicate signals within a predetermined high frequency band between the first common node of the first diplexer and the first high-pass node of the first diplexer, 
 the first diplexer is configured to communicate signals at a predetermined low frequency band between the first common node and the first low-pass node, 
 the first low-pass node directly connects to a first splitter output terminal of the at least two splitter output terminals, and 
 the first common node is configured to be coupled to at least a subscriber device; 
   a second diplexer comprising a second common node, a second high-pass node, and a second low-pass node, wherein:
 the second diplexer is configured to communicate signals within the predetermined high frequency band between the second common node of the second diplexer and the second high-pass node of the second diplexer, 
 the second diplexer is configured to communicate signals at the predetermined low frequency band between the second common node of the second diplexer and the second low-pass node of the second diplexer, 
 the second low-pass node of the second diplexer directly connects to a second splitter output terminal of the at least two splitter output terminals, 
 the common node of the second diplexer is configured to be coupled to at least a second in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber device, and 
 the second high-pass node of the second diplexer is configured to couple to the first high-pass node of the first diplexer, and 
   a first multi-port splitter having a common port and a plurality of output ports, the common port configured to be coupled to the common node of the first diplexer, and at least one of the output ports of the first multi-port configured to be coupled to the first in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber device;   a second multi-port splitter having a common port and a plurality of output ports, the common port of the second multi-port splitter being configured to be coupled to the common node of the second diplexer, and at least one of the output ports of the second multi-port splitter configured to be coupled to the second in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber device;   an attenuator circuit configured to:
 condition the signals within the predetermined high frequency band by controlling reflection of the signals conducted between the first and second in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices, wherein the second high-pass node of the second diplexer and the first high-pass node of the first diplexer are configured to bidirectionally communicate the signals within the predetermined high frequency band among a plurality of subscriber devices via the attenuator circuit and the controlling the reflection comprises controlling a strength of the in-home entertainment signals returning in an opposite direction, and 
 adjust a frequency response tilt of the in-home entertainment signals within the predetermined high frequency band bidirectionally communicated between the first plurality of in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices and the second plurality of in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices through the high-pass terminal of the first diplexer and the high-pass terminal of the second diplexer. 
   
     
     
         2 . The CATV signal distribution system of  claim 1 , wherein the attenuator circuit includes an equalizer circuit configured to equalize the in-home entertainment signals conducted between the first and second in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices. 
     
     
         3 . The CATV signal distribution system of  claim 1 , wherein the attenuator circuit includes a reflectance circuit configured to control signal reflection of the in-home entertainment signals conducted between the first and second in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices. 
     
     
         4 . The CATV signal distribution system of  claim 1 , wherein the attenuator circuit is configured to adjust a level of attenuation from 0 dB to a predetermined level of attenuation. 
     
     
         5 . A community access television (CATV) signal distribution system configured to conduct downstream and upstream CATV signals between a CATV network and at least one subscriber device at a subscriber premises, and further configured to conduct in-home entertainment signals between multiple subscriber devices at the subscriber premises connected in an in-home entertainment network, the CATV signals occupying a frequency band which is different from an in-home network frequency band occupied by the in-home entertainment signals, the CATV signal distribution system comprising:
 a CATV signal input port configured for connection to the CATV network;   a signal splitter comprising a common terminal configured to be coupled to the CATV signal input port, and two output terminals, the signal splitter configured to divide a CATV downstream signal received at the common terminal into multiple CATV downstream signals supplied at its output terminals, the signal splitter also configured to communicate upstream signals received at each output terminal to the common terminal;   a first signal separation device configured to be coupled to a first subscriber device, and further configured to:
 communicate signals at a predetermined low frequency band from the first subscriber device to one of the output terminals of the signal splitter; and 
 block signals at a predetermined high frequency transmitted from the first subscriber device from reaching the signal splitter; 
   a second signal separation device configured to be coupled to a second subscriber device, and further configured to:   communicate the in-home entertainment signals from the second subscriber device within the predetermined high frequency band to the first signal separation device, wherein the first signal separation device communicates in-home entertainment signals from the first subscriber device within the predetermined high frequency band to the second signal separation device;   communicate signals at the predetermined low frequency band from the second subscriber device to the other of the output terminals of the signal splitter; and,   block signals at a predetermined high frequency transmitted from the second subscriber device from reaching the signal splitter,
 wherein the splitter is directly connected to the first signal separation device and the second signal separation device; and 
   an attenuator circuit coupled to the first signal separation device and to the second signal separation device and configured to receive the in-home entertainment signals therefrom, the attenuator circuit configured to bidirectionally conduct in-home entertainment signals within the predetermined high frequency band between the first and second in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices, and configured to control attenuation and control reflection of in-home entertainment signals conducted between the first and second in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices within the predetermined high frequency band bidirectionally conducted between the first and second in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices, wherein the controlling the attenuation comprises controlling a strength of the in-home entertainment signals traveling between two points, and the controlling the reflection comprises controlling a strength of the in-home entertainment signals returning in an opposite direction.   
     
     
         6 . The CATV signal distribution system of  claim 5 , further comprising a first multi-port splitter having a common port and a plurality of output ports, the common port configured to be coupled to the common node of the first signal separation device, and at least one of the output ports of the first multi-port configured to be coupled to the first in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber device. 
     
     
         7 . The CATV signal distribution system of  claim 5 , wherein the attenuator circuit includes an equalizer circuit configured to equalize the in-home entertainment signals conducted between the first and second in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices. 
     
     
         8 . The CATV signal distribution system of  claim 5 , wherein the attenuator circuit includes a reflectance circuit configured to control signal reflection of the in-home entertainment signals conducted between the first and second in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices. 
     
     
         9 . The CATV signal distribution system of  claim 5 , wherein the attenuator circuit is configured to adjust a level of attenuation from 0 dB to a predetermined level of attenuation. 
     
     
         10 . The CATV signal distribution system of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a first plurality of device ports configured to connect to the first plurality of in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices;   a second plurality of device ports configured to connect to the second plurality of in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices;   a first multi-port signal splitter comprising an input terminal and a plurality of output terminals, wherein:
 the input terminal of the first multi-port splitter is coupled to the common node of the first signal separation device, 
 the plurality of output terminals of the of the first multi-port splitter are connected to the first plurality of device ports and configured to communicate signals within the predetermined low frequency band and the in-home entertainment signals within the predetermined high frequency band with the first plurality of in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices; and 
   a second multi-port signal splitter comprising an input terminal and a plurality of output terminals, wherein:
 the input terminal of the second multi-port splitter is coupled to the common port of the second signal separation device, 
 the plurality of output terminals of the of the second multi-port splitter are connected to the second plurality of device ports and configured to communicate signals within the predetermined low frequency band and the in-home entertainment signals within the predetermined high frequency band with the second plurality of in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices. 
   
     
     
         11 . The CATV signal distribution system of  claim 10 , wherein the attenuator circuit is configured to:
 control a level of attenuation and reflection of the in-home entertainment signals within the predetermined high frequency band between the first and second in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices passing from the high-pass terminal of the first signal separation device to the high-pass terminal of the second signal separation device and passing from the high-pass terminal of the second signal separation device to the high-pass terminal of the first signal separation device, and   adjust a frequency response tilt of the in-home entertainment signals within the predetermined high frequency band bidirectionally communicated between the first plurality of in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices and the second plurality of in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices through the high-pass terminal of the first signal separation device and the high-pass terminal of the second signal separation device.   
     
     
         12 . The CATV signal distribution system of  claim 5 , wherein the high-pass node of the first signal separation device is configured to couple to the high-pass node of the second signal separation device via the attenuator without any splitting of the in-home entertainment signals conducted between the first and second in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices. 
     
     
         13 . The CATV signal distribution system of  claim 5 , wherein the attenuator circuit is configured to control a level of attenuation of the in-home entertainment signals between the first and second in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices passing from the high-pass node of the first signal separation device to the high-pass node of the second signal separation device and passing from the high-pass node of the second signal separation device to the high-pass node of the first signal separation device. 
     
     
         14 . The CATV signal distribution system of  claim 13 , wherein the attenuator circuit is configured to adjust isolation among the first and second in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices. 
     
     
         15 . A community access television (CATV) signal distribution system comprising:
 an attenuator circuit configured to:
 couple a high-pass node of the first signal separation device to a high-pass node of a second signal separation device, the attenuator circuit configured to bidirectionally conduct in-home entertainment signals within a predetermined high frequency band between first and second in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices, and configured to control attenuation of in-home entertainment signals within the predetermined high frequency band bidirectionally conducted between the first and second in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices, 
 control a level of attenuation of the in-home entertainment signals within the predetermined high frequency band between the first and second in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices passing from the high-pass node of the first signal separation device to the high-pass node of the second signal separation device and passing from the high-pass node of the second signal separation device to the high-pass node of the first signal separation device, and 
 adjust a frequency response tilt of the in-home entertainment signals within the predetermined high frequency band bidirectionally communicated between the first in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices and the second in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices through the high-pass node of the first signal separation device and the high-pass terminal of the second signal separation device. 
   
     
     
         16 . The CATV signal distribution system of  claim 15  further comprising:
 a first plurality of device ports configured to connect to the first in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices; 
 a second plurality of device ports configured to connect to the second in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices; 
 a first multi-port signal splitter comprising an input terminal and a plurality of output terminals, wherein:
 the input terminal of the first multi-port splitter is coupled to the common port of the first signal separation device, 
 the plurality of output terminals of the first multi-port splitter are connected to the first plurality of device ports and configured to bidirectionally communicate signals at the predetermined low frequency band and signals at the predetermined high frequency band with the first in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices; and 
 
 a second multi-port signal splitter comprising an input terminal and a plurality of output terminals, wherein:
 the input node of the second multi-port splitter is coupled to the common port of the second signal separation device, 
 the plurality of output terminals of the of the second multi-port splitter are connected to the second plurality of device ports and configured to bidirectionally communicate signals at the predetermined low frequency band and signals at the predetermined high frequency band with the second in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices. 
 
 
     
     
         17 . The CATV signal distribution system of  claim 15 , further comprising a first multi-port splitter having a common port and a plurality of output ports, the common port configured to be coupled to the common node of the first signal separation device, and at least one of the output ports of the first multi-port configured to be coupled to the first in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber device. 
     
     
         18 . The CATV signal distribution system of  claim 15 , wherein the attenuator circuit includes an equalizer circuit configured to equalize the in-home entertainment signals conducted between the first and second in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices. 
     
     
         19 . The CATV signal distribution system of  claim 15 , wherein the attenuator circuit includes a reflectance circuit configured to control signal reflection of the in-home entertainment signals conducted between the first and second in-home entertainment-compatible subscriber devices. 
     
     
         20 . The CATV signal distribution system of  claim 15 , wherein the attenuator circuit is configured to adjust a level of attenuation from 0 dB to a predetermined level of attenuation.