Methods for ingress mitigation in cable communication systems involving repair, replacement and/or adjustment of infrastructure elements

摘要

Methods for reducing ingress in a neighborhood node of a cable communication system. The node includes an RF hardline coaxial cable plant and multiple subscriber service drops to convey upstream information from multiple subscriber premises over an upstream path bandwidth. A test signal having a frequency falling within the upstream path bandwidth is transmitted proximate to one or more potential points of ingress into the hardline cable plant. Based on signal amplitudes at the test signal frequency representing test signal ingress into the hardline cable plant, one or more faults in the hardline cable plant are specifically identified and remediated so as to significantly reduce a noise power in the node in at least a portion of the upstream path bandwidth below approximately 20 MHz. In one example, hardline plant-related and/or subscriber-related faults are remediated so as to significantly reduce ingress arising from terrestrial short wave radio signals.

主权项

1. A method for reducing ingress in at least a first neighborhood node of a cable
communication system, the cable communication system comprising a headend coupled to the first neighborhood node, the first neighborhood node comprising a first RF hardline coaxial cable plant to convey to the headend at least first upstream information from a plurality of first subscriber premises over an upstream path bandwidth including a range of frequencies, the method comprising: A) transmitting at least one test signal at or proximate to at least one potential point of first neighborhood node ingress into the first RF hardline coaxial cable plant, the at least one test signal having at least one test signal frequency; B) receiving, at or proximate to the at least one potential point of first neighborhood node ingress, at least one test signal amplitude representing a first strength of a received upstream test signal at the headend, based on A) and test signal ingress of the at least one test signal into at least one fault in the first RF hardline coaxial cable plant; C) based at least in part on the at least one test signal amplitude received in B), identifying, at or proximate to the at least one potential point of first neighborhood node ingress, the at least one fault in the first RF hardline coaxial cable plant; and D) repairing, replacing or adjusting the at least one fault in the first RF hardline coaxial cable plant, based on C), so as to significantly reduce a noise power, as measured at the headend, associated with the first neighborhood node ingress in at least a portion of the upstream path bandwidth below approximately 20 MHz.