GB2479538A

GB2479538A - Coupling Multimedia over Coaxial Alliance (MoCA) signals from two sources whilst keeping associated cable television signals isolated

Info

Publication number: GB2479538A
Application number: GB1006065A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Dirk Jan Ariesen
Original assignee: Technetix Group Ltd
Current assignee: Technetix Group Ltd
Priority date: 2010-04-12
Filing date: 2010-04-12
Publication date: 2011-10-19
Anticipated expiration: 2030-04-12
Also published as: GB2479538B; GB201006065D0

Abstract

There is provided a signal coupling device (10) comprising inputs12,14for receiving signals carrying data within at least a CATV band and a MoCA band from two separate coaxial networks. Each input comprises a diplex filter20,20'separating each input signal into a first component with frequencies less than 1000 MHz (CATV) and a second component with frequencies greater than 1125 MHz (MoCA). The MoCA components from each main signal are combined within a splitter22, high pass filtered to remove low frequency interference and then passed to a second splitter24. This divides the coupled signal energy into two equal parts, each carrying data in the MoCA range from both inputs. The coupled signal is recombined with the low frequency CATV component in diplex filters20",20". Thus MoCA data from two separate coaxial networks can be coupled together whilst avoiding interference between associated television signals.

Description

Title: Signal Coupling Device

Field of the invention

This invention relates to a signal coupling device for use in data communication networks, such as CAT VIMoCA networks.

Background to the invention

Many homes have an in-home coaxial network installed to distribute TV signals to various locations. A coaxial cable carries a range of frequencies with those below l000Ml-Iz used for CATV (Cable Television) and those above 1 125MHz used for data transmission in the form of MoCA (Multimedia over Coax Alliance) transmission. Thus a single coaxial cable can carry MoCA data signals in addition to CATV data signals.

Often a home, office or dwelling has more than one coaxial network with each network receiving and transmitting different sets of signals. The signals within different networks cannot be combined as coupling separate coaxial networks together causes noise ingress and other disturbances in the signal, greatly reducing signal quality and potentially preventing operation of the networks. * 20

*:* : :* It is an aim of the present invention to couple together data signals from separate *, coaxial networks. *

* * Summary of the invention

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a signal coupling device comprising receiving means, such as a receiver or input, for receiving at least two main signals each carrying data within at least two frequency ranges, a signal combining means or signal combining device, and an output means or output, wherein the receiving means is operable to separate each main signal into at least a first component in a first frequency range and a second component in a second frequency range, the signal combining means is operable to combine the second components to create a coupled signal and the output means is operable to recombine the coupled signal with the first component of each main signal, so as to generate first and second output signals which contain all data in the second frequency range. In this way, data signals in a selected frequency range and which are carried on separate coaxial cables can be coupled together in a common signal without needing to compromise the performance of the individual coaxial networks. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the general principle can be adapted to cover a plurality of different coaxial networks and a plurality of different signal ranges, with signals in any desired frequency range coupled together for as many networks as are present.

Preferably the device further comprises a first splitter device to split the coupled signal into two equal signals before reaching the output means.

The receiving means or input, which may be first and second input ports, preferably comprises a first filter means and a second filter means, or filter, a first main signal passing into the first filter means and a second main signal passing into the second filter means. Typically each filter means is a diplex filter separating frequencies less than 1000 MHz from frequencies greater than 1125 MHz which are in the MoCA frequency range. ***.

S

S. S.S * 20 The combining means preferably comprises a second splitter device, which may be * connected to a high pass filter (HPF) so as to remove any low frequency interference *:. in the coupled signal. *

* Preferably the output means comprises third and fourth filtering means, or filters, again typically diplex filters, each filtering means combining into an output signal the first components from each main signal with a frequency in the range 0 to less than 1000 MHz with the coupled signal with a frequency range above 1125 MHz.

The signal coupling device is particularly suitable for coaxial networks and in particular coaxial networks associated with CATV and data communication with a dwelling or office.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a coaxial network incorporating at least one signal coupling device as aforesaid.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of coupling signals from separate coaxial networks, comprising: separating signals from at least two coaxial networks into at least a first component in a first frequency range and a second component in a second frequency range, combining the second components into a coupled signal carrying all the data associated with each second component, recombining the coupled signal with each first component, such that all data in the second frequency range is carried by each network.

The invention will now be described, by way of example and with reference to the following drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a signal coupling device in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of the signal coupling device used in association

S **S.

S

*5.5..

* 20 Description

* : :* Figure 1 shows a block diagram of a signal coupling device 10 which comprises input :. ports 12, 14 and output ports 16, 18. Input port 12 and output port 16 are associated with a first coaxial network and input port 14 and output port 18 are associated with a : second separate coaxial network. Within the signal coupling device 10 are four diplex :: 25 filters 20, 20', 20" and 20". Filters 20, 20' split incoming signals received by ports 12, 14 respectively into a first low frequency band of less than 1000 MHz used for CATV data transmission and a second high frequency band of greater than 1125 MHz, and so separate out the frequencies carrying data within the MoCA frequency range 1125 MHz to 1525 MHz. Splitters 20" and 20" are arranged to each have two inputs which separately receive frequencies of less than 1000 MHz or greater than 1125 MHz from within the device and combine these into a single signal for onward transmission through output ports 16, 18. Splitters 22, 24 and high pass filter 26 are connected between the high pass side of filters 20, 20' 20" and 20". For illustrative purposes, the passage of high frequency signals received at port 12 is shown with arrows. The high frequency signals from port 14 will follow an equivalent path which, for clarity, is not shown.

For an input signal comprising CATV and MoCA data signals received at port 12, splitter 20 separates the low frequency range CATV signals from the high frequency MoCA signals, with the low frequency signal passing along output communication path 28 to be fed directly into filter 20" without being modified. The high frequency part of the input signal leaves filter output 30 and passes to splitter 22. Filter 20' similarly splits an input signal received at port 14 with a high frequency signal leaving filter output 30' and a low frequency signal leaving filter output 28'. As will be appreciated, a splitter can split or combine a signal depending on direction of travel and in this case splitter 22 combines high frequency signals from filter 20 and filter 20' so as to create one signal that carries the high frequency data from both inputs 12, 14. This coupled data signal passes through high pass filter 26 to remove any low frequency interference and proceeds to splitter 24.

The combined coupled signal received by splitter 24 is split into two equal strength S. signals which each contain the high frequency data from both coaxial networks, these * S....

* 20 signals passing along communication paths 32, 32' to reach high frequency inputs 34, 34' of filters 20"and 20". Filter 20" combines the unmodified low frequency signal carried along conimunication path 28 and the high frequency combined coupled signal carried along path 32 to give an output signal which consists of the low frequency signal of the first network and the high frequency data signals of both the first network and the second network. In a similar manner, filter 20" combines the low frequency signal from the second network with the combined coupled signal representing the data carried by the high frequency signal of both networks.

The coupling device thus uses a first pair of interconnected filters 20, 20" and a second pair of interconnected filters 20', 20" with associated splitters and high pass filter to couple data signals, and in particular MoCA signals, derived from different coaxial networks without there being any corresponding linking of noise ingress or disturbance existing within the separate coaxial networks.

The coupling device 10 is bi-directional and thus if required uncoupled high frequency signals can be received by ports 16, 18 with the high frequency component of those signals coupled together by the splitters and high pass filter before reaching ports 12, 14.

Figure 2 shows the coupling device 10 with ports 12, 14 connected to a set top box 40.

Port 16 is connected to a CATV coaxial network 46 through CATV connection 42 associated with splitter 44 such that a coupled MoCA signal is fed into three CATV connections 42, 42' and 42". Port 18 is connected to a terrestrial coaxial network 50 through wall outlet 46 and feeds the coupled MoCA signal outlets 46, 46' and 46".

As the coupling device 10 is bidirectional, MoCA signals received at ports 16, 18 can be coupled together such that set top box 40 receives at each port 12, 14 coupled high frequency signals representing the combined high frequency data from the CATV coaxial network 46 and the terrestrial coaxial network 50.

Due to the coupling of the high frequency MoCA data signals, it is possible to feed the MoCA signal into all wall outlets associated with the two coaxial networks, and S...

thus feed a coupled signal into six wall outlets instead of only three, with there being * 20 no ingress/signal disturbance added from the terrestrial network to the CATV :* : :* network, or from the CATV network to the terrestrial network. This ensures more * extensive MoCA coverage within the home, office or dwelling. S * 25

Claims

Claims 1. A signal coupling device comprising receiving means for receiving at least two main signals each carrying dafa within at least two frequency ranges, signal combining means and an output means, wherein the receiving means is operable to separate each main signal into at least a first component in a first frequency range and a second component in a second frequency range, the signal combining means is operable to combine the second components to create a coupled signal, and the output means is operable to recombine the coupled signal with the first component of each main signal.
2. A signal coupling device according to claim 1, further comprising a first splitter device to split the coupled signal into two equal signals before reaching the output means.
3. A signal coupling device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the receiving means comprises a first filter means for receiving a first main signal and a second filter means for receiving a second main signal.SISISSS

*
4. A signal coupling device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the signal combining means comprises a second splitter device. S..
5. A signal coupling device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the second splitter device is connected to a high pass filter. S....
6. A signal coupling device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the output means comprises third and fourth filtering means.
7. A coaxial network incorporating at least one signal coupling device in accordance with any of claims ito 6.
8. A method of coupling signals from separate coaxial networks, comprising: separating signals from at least two coaxial networks into at least a first component in a first frequency range and a second component in a second frequency range, combining the second components into a coupled signal carrying all the data associated with each second component, recombining the coupled signal with each first component, such that all data in the second frequency range is carried by each coaxial network.
9. A signal coupling device, coaxial network and method of coupling signals substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. S... S...S S... * S * S. * . * S.SSIS S a *