Patent ID: 8184643
Filing Date: 2012-05-22
Classification: H04J,H04L,H04N

Abstract:
1. A data distribution device comprising, at least one legacy user data port in communication with at least one end user device via a first network transport medium, at least one broadband data port in communication with a second network transport medium, at least one data port in communication with a legacy network via a third network transport medium, at least one broadband transceiver, in communication with the at least one broadband data port, for sending and receiving broadband data signals, at least one legacy transceiver, in communication with the at least one legacy user data port and the at least one data port, for sending and receiving RF modulated data signals, at least one converter, in communication with the at least one legacy transceiver, adapted for i) converting RF modulated data signals into data packets and ii) converting data packets into RF modulated data signals, a data switch, in communications with the at least one converter and the at least one broadband transceiver, for inspecting and routing data packets between data ports, and at least one combiner/splitter, in communication with the at least one legacy transceiver, adapted for i) combining a first RF modulated data signal in a first frequency band with a second RF modulated data signal in a second frequency band and ii) extracting at least one of the first and second RF modulated data signals from a single RF modulated data signal including the combined RF modulated data signals in the first and second frequency bands; wherein data from both the second transport network medium and the third transport network medium is transported over the first transport medium, and wherein the first transport medium and the third network transport medium comprise coaxial cable forming part of a legacy cable television network and the second network transport medium comprising optical cable forming part of a broadband data network, the legacy cable television network and the broadband data network operating in parallel and the data distribution device configured to merge traffic associated with each of the legacy cable television network and the broadband data network to an end user via the first transport medium.