Patent ID: 6625001
Filing Date: 2003-09-23
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A directional tap, comprising:input and output ports adapted to be connected electrically to a cable television network for receiving and outputting a video signal; a splitting circuit having an input connected electrically to said input port, an output connected electrically to said output port, and a plurality of directional output ends, said splitting circuit receiving the video signal from said input port and outputting a distributed video signal corresponding to the video signal from said input port at each of said directional output ends; a plurality of directional output terminals, each of which is connected electrically to a respective one of said directional output ends for outputting the distributed video signal to a client end; and a plurality of surge protection circuit units, one of which is connected between said input port and said input of said splitting circuit, the remaining ones of which are connected between a respective one of said directional output ends of said splitting circuit and a respective one of said directional output terminals, said surge protection circuit units bypassing surge voltages present in the video signal and the distributed video signal, each of said surge protection circuit units including an inductor having a first terminal connected electrically to said splitting circuit, and a second terminal cooperating with a ground terminal to define a gap.