Noise suppression in a hybrid fiber coaxial network

摘要

A coupling device for use in a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) network may be configured to disable an upstream path through it when there is only noise incident on the upstream path, and enable the upstream path through it when a desired transmission from a cable modem downstream of the coupling device is incident on the upstream path. The coupling device may be a trunk amplifier, a distribution amplifier, a splitter, or the like. The coupling device may comprise a single upstream interface coupled to a plurality of downstream interfaces. The enabling and/or disabling may be in response to a signal strength indicated by the SSI being below a threshold and/or in response to one or more control messages indicating whether any downstream cable modem is, or will be, transmitting.

主权项

1. A system comprising:
a coupling device for use in a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) network, said coupling device configured to:
detect control messages in said HFC network;disable an upstream path through said coupling device when there is only noise incident on said upstream path, wherein said disable is in response to one or more of said control messages that indicates that no cable modem downstream of said coupling device is, nor will be for some determined time in the future, transmitting; andenable said upstream path through said coupling device when a desired transmission from a cable modem downstream of said coupling device is incident on said upstream path, wherein said enable is in response to one or more of said control messages that indicates that a cable modem downstream of said coupling device is, or will be at some determined time in the future, transmitting.