UNDESIRABLE ENERGY SUPPRESSION IN A CONTENTION BASED COMMUNICATION NETWORK

摘要

An undesirable energy suppression system in a contention based communications network having a shared communication path between a plurality of remote points and a headend in a simplex network or a bidirectional network. The system includes a method and apparatus for transmitting a signal on the shared communication path from any one of the plurality of remote points contending for the shared communication path, to the headend. The signal includes a gate enabling signal also known as a prybar signal. The shared communication path includes a gate where the gate connects the shared communication path when the gate is closed, and the gate disconnects the shared communication path when the gate is open. The system controls the gate in response to receiving the gate enabling signal. Absent a gate enabling signal, any signal or other energy on the shared communication path will not propagate through the network because the shared communication path is disconnected. In one embodiment a single gate is located where it can serve an entire distribution branch of remote points in a tree and branch style network. In another embodiment there is a gate dedicated to each individual remote point in the network.