Patent ID: 8510786
Filing Date: 2013-08-13
Classification: H04L,H04N

Abstract:
1. A method for enhancing data carrying capacity of a hybrid fiber cable (HFC) network with a cable head end, at least one optical fiber, at least one optical fiber node terminating on at least one cable television (CATV) cable, said CATV cable connected to a plurality of branch CATV cables thus forming a CATV Tree and Branch Network, and a plurality of communication devices connected to said CATV Tree and Branch Network, said method comprising: creating a bidirectional wideband communications pathway mediated by radio frequencies (RF) of approximately 1 GHz or greater between said at least one optical fiber node and to and between a plurality of Coax Domain Nodes disposed along said CATV Tree and Branch network; wherein said Coax Domain Nodes are junctions in said CATV Tree and Branch network, and pass CATV RF signals of approximately 1 GHz frequency or more, but intercept and terminate at least some CATV RF signals of approximately 1 GHz frequency or less; at least some of said plurality of Coax Domain Nodes also communicating with their own set of local CATV cable connected communications devices on a local domain specific basis; using said Coax Domain Nodes to A: intercept local upstream CATV RF signals from said communications devices, said local upstream CATV RF signals having a frequency of approximately 1 GHz or less, B: terminate at least some of said local upstream CATV RF signals; C: modulate either said local upstream CATV RF signals or data obtained from said local upstream CATV RF signals to an RF frequency of approximately 1 GHz or more; D: and backhaul either said local upstream CATV RF signals or data obtained from said local upstream CATV RF signals to said at least one optical fiber node using said wideband communications pathway; and E: using said Coax Domain Nodes and data obtained from said wideband communications pathway, to transmit domain specific downstream data to said local CATV cable connected communications devices by modulating and transmitting at least selected portions of said data obtained from said wideband communications pathway using downstream CATV RF signals of approximately 1 GHz or less.