Patent Abstract:
Methods and systems are provided for mitigating noise and/or impedance effects in transmitters. The mitigation comprises, when transmitter is in a non-active mode, decoupling at least a portion of the transmitter and coupling an auxiliary component to a remaining portion of the transmitter. When the transmitter is in an active mode, the auxiliary component is decoupled from the remaining portion of the transmitter, and the at least a portion of the transmitter is coupled to the remaining portion of the transmitter. The auxiliary component comprises one or more of: a resistive element, a capacitive element, and a reactive component. The auxiliary component is configured such that it may achieve a small mismatching error.

Full Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/052,399 filed Oct. 11, 2013. The above application is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     In a network, impedance change or Return Loss (RL) change of one or more nodes while another node is transmitting or receiving may cause interference. This is because a signal propagating through the network is a composite of all reflections of all nodes. Therefore, if any reflected signal component changes, the composite will also change, affecting reception or transmission. This is shown in  FIG. 1 , which depicts multiple Customer Premises Equipment (CPEs), or nodes  10 ,  10 ′,  10 ″, in a network (of coaxial cables  16  and taps  15 ,  15 ′ and  15 ″ connecting CPE units and Network Controller (NC  14 )). Single port taps are shown for simplicity, but often multiport taps are used in a typical CATV plant showing the effects of adjacent nodes return loss change. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the signal propagating to network controller (NC)  14  includes direct path data signal  12  and reflections  18  from nodes  10 ′ and  10 ″. If the impedance of any of the nodes  10 ′ or  10 ″ changes, the reflections will change and consequently the received signal at NC  14  will change. Depending on isolation of nodes and the amount of RL change, the effect can degrade the link, cause packet errors, and in some cases may disable communications. 
     For the above reasons, as taught in the prior art, all the nodes are always kept in the same state (in the transmit mode with unchanged output impedance) all the time, no matter if they are actively transmitting or not. When not transmitting any data or intended content, but ready to transmit data at any moment, this is referred to as a “transmit-ready” or “mute” state. 
     However, aggregate noise power of all the mute nodes while another node is transmitting will degrade the sensitivity of the receiver or NC  14  to the actively transmitting node. Alternatively, in the prior art an opposite choice is made by turning the transmitters off, so that noise is eliminated, but at the expense of significant impedance/return loss changes, and increased delay in turning the transmitters back on. 
     Clearly, achieving both low noise and unchanged impedance is advantageous, and that is the objective of the claimed embodiments. 
     SUMMARY 
     In the claimed embodiments, part or all of a transmitter, when it is in mute mode (not actively transmitting), will be turned off, removed or modified in general in order to reduce the total noise submitted by the transmitter to the transmission line. In parallel, an auxiliary circuit or impedance will be added to the transmitter in order to mitigate the total return loss change of the transmitter. When in active transmitter mode, this auxiliary circuit or impedance will be removed from the transmitter, and transmitter will transmit in normal mode. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosed method, system, and apparatus, in accordance with one or more various embodiments, are described with reference to the following figures. The drawings are provided for purposes of illustration only and merely depict examples of some embodiments of the disclosed method and apparatus. These drawings are provided to facilitate the reader&#39;s understanding of the disclosed method and apparatus. They should not be considered to limit the breadth, scope, or applicability of the claimed invention. It should be noted that for clarity and ease of illustration these drawings are not necessarily made to scale. 
         FIG. 1  is an illustration of the effects of adjacent nodes return loss changes. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an active transmitter and a mute transmitter containing the preferred embodiment 
         FIG. 3  illustrates the preferred embodiment on a single transmitter in the active and mute state. 
     
    
    
     The figures are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the claimed invention to the precise form disclosed. It should be understood that the disclosed method and apparatus can be practiced with modification and alteration, and that the invention should be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The claimed embodiments herein solve the problems stated above. In the claimed method, system, and circuit, part or all of the transmitter, when it&#39;s in mute mode (not actively transmitting), will be turned off, removed or modified in general in order to reduce the total noise submitted by the transmitter to the transmission line. 
     In parallel, an auxiliary circuit or impedance will be added to the transmitter in order to mitigate the total return loss change of the transmitter. The term impedance is defined as having a resistive component, and/or a capacitive component, and/or an inductive component, and/or a reactive component. 
     When in active transmit mode, this auxiliary circuit or impedance will be removed from the transmitter and transmitter will transmit in normal mode. Muting of the non-active transmitter and the addition or removal of the impedance component can be achieved by hardware switches, software, and firmware or by any other method well known in the art. The preferred embodiments are shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 .  FIG. 2  shows two nodes, active transmitter  24  and mute transmitter  32 . Although the figure shows two transmitters, this disclosure is intended to include any number of transmitters with each transmitter in one of the two modes. First node  24 , in this figure the active transmitter, has at least two stages, stage  1   26  comprising a first stage amplifier  28  and stage  2   52  comprising second stage amplifier  30 . Second node  32 , in this figure mute transmitter, has at least two stages, stage  1   34  comprising first stage amplifier  36  and stage  2   64  comprising second stage amplifier  38 . Again, although two stages are shown, this disclosure is intended to include any number of stages as required by the intended use. As shown in the figure, active transmitter  24  (in an active state) is coupled by switch  42  between first stage amplifier  28  and second stage amplifier  30 . As previously indicated the coupling can be provided in any manner well known in the art. This provides for a clear path over wired network  70  to network controller (NC)  44 . Simultaneously, compensation impedance  46  via an auxiliary circuit, or the like is decoupled by the switch  48  from connecting line  54  between first stage amplifier  28  and second stage amplifier  30  with the second end of compensation impedance  46  coupled to ground  68 . 
     Mute transmitter  32  functions similarly to active transmitter; however, in an opposite state. Second node, in this figure mute transmitter  32 , has at least two stages, stage  1   34  comprising a first stage amplifier  36  and stage  2   64  comprising second stage amplifier  38 . Again, although two stages are shown, this disclosure is intended to include any number of stages as required by the intended use. As shown in the figure, mute transmitter  32  (in an inactive state) is decoupled by the switch  56  between first stage amplifier  36  and second stage amplifier  38 . As previously indicated, the coupling can be provided in any manner well known in the art. This provides for a decoupled path to Network Controller (NC)  44 . Simultaneously, compensation impedance  46 ′ is coupled by switch  60  to connecting line  62  between first stage amplifier  36  and second stage amplifier  38 . The other end of compensation impedance  46 ′ is coupled to ground  68 . 
     With the disclosed method, the noise injected into the line when transmitter is in the mute mode will be reduced approximately by the gain of the first amplifier G 1 . The output noise with the traditional solution is approximately NF 1 +G 1 +G 2 −output loss, whereas with the present method it is only NF 2 +G 2 −output loss. For example, if NF 1 =NF 2 =5 dB, G 1 =20 dB, G 2 =10 dB, output loss=3 dB, then, with traditional solution, Output noise=5+20+10−3=32 dB (above thermal noise floor). However, with the present method, Output noise=5+10−3=12 dB, i.e. a 20 dB improvement. 
       FIG. 3  shows a similar embodiment of  FIG. 2 ; however, this embodiment shows a same transmitter, first in a mute mode  32  and a transition of the transmitter to an active mode  24 . In  FIG. 3 , impedance Z  46  is passive in a preferred embodiment to minimize noise contributions. Impedance Z  46  is designed to mimic (and substitute for) the output impedance of the first amplifier (G 1 ) as close as possible in the frequency range of interest. The goal is to minimize the impedance change upon switchover from the amplifier to Z, thus, minimizing the change of output  66 . While in the mute mode, the first amplifier can be powered off if it is desirable to save the power, but it must be turned on in time to settle and be ready for next transmission. The switchover time of the switches should be fast so that any transient while the switch changes its impedance from short to open and vice versa is out of band, and does not cause any perceivable glitch. Typically the switchover time is in the sub-nanosecond range, fast enough so the transient is well out of band. The output impedance of the first amplifier can be determined by circuit simulation, or measurement if feasible. This impedance is then the target for mimicking (over frequency of interest) by impedance Z  46 , which is synthesized by passive components, in general, a combination of resistor(s), capacitor(s), and inductor(s). In some embodiments, active circuits may be added to facilitate the approximation, provided their noise contribution is low enough to be acceptable. 
     In one embodiment impedance Z  46  consists of a resistor only, providing a first-order match to the first amplifier&#39;s output impedance. In another embodiment, a C and L are added to the resistor, to achieve a closer approximation. In general, a higher order circuit for impedance Z  46  can be synthesized achieving arbitrarily small mismatching errors. 
     The following presents a simplified summary of one or more embodiments in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of such embodiments. This summary is not an extensive overview of the one or more embodiments, and is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of the embodiments nor delineate the scope of such embodiments. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the described embodiments in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. 
     While various embodiments of the disclosed method and apparatus have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and should not limit the claimed invention. Likewise, the various diagrams may depict an example architectural or other configuration for the disclosed method and apparatus. This is done to aid in understanding the features and functionality that can be included in the disclosed method and apparatus. The claimed invention is not restricted to the illustrated example architectures or configurations, rather the desired features can be implemented using a variety of alternative architectures and configurations. Indeed, it will be apparent to one of skill in the art how alternative functional, logical or physical partitioning and configurations can be implemented to implement the desired features of the disclosed method and apparatus. Also, a multitude of different constituent module names other than those depicted herein can be applied to the various partitions. Additionally, with regard to flow diagrams, operational descriptions and method claims, the order in which the steps are presented herein shall not mandate that various embodiments be implemented to perform the recited functionality in the same order unless the context dictates otherwise. 
     Although the disclosed method and apparatus is described above in terms of various exemplary embodiments and implementations, it should be understood that the various features, aspects and functionality described in one or more of the individual embodiments are not limited in their applicability to the particular embodiment with which they are described. Thus, the breadth and scope of the claimed invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments. 
     Terms and phrases used in this document, and variations thereof, unless otherwise expressly stated, should be construed as open ended as opposed to limiting. As examples of the foregoing: the term “including” should be read as meaning “including, without limitation” or the like; the term “example” is used to provide exemplary instances of the item in discussion, not an exhaustive or limiting list thereof; the terms “a” or “an” should be read as meaning “at least one,” “one or more” or the like; and adjectives such as “conventional,” “traditional,” “normal,” “standard,” “known” and terms of similar meaning should not be construed as limiting the item described to a given time period or to an item available as of a given time, but instead should be read to encompass conventional, traditional, normal, or standard technologies that may be available or known now or at any time in the future. Likewise, where this document refers to technologies that would be apparent or known to one of ordinary skill in the art, such technologies encompass those apparent or known to the skilled artisan now or at any time in the future. 
     A group of items linked with the conjunction “and” should not be read as requiring that each and every one of those items be present in the grouping, but rather should be read as “and/or” unless expressly stated otherwise. Similarly, a group of items linked with the conjunction “or” should not be read as requiring mutual exclusivity among that group, but rather should also be read as “and/or” unless expressly stated otherwise. Furthermore, although items, elements or components of the disclosed method and apparatus may be described or claimed in the singular, the plural is contemplated to be within the scope thereof unless limitation to the singular is explicitly stated. 
     The presence of broadening words and phrases such as “one or more,” “at least,” “but not limited to” or other like phrases in some instances shall not be read to mean that the narrower case is intended or required in instances where such broadening phrases may be absent. The use of the term “module” does not imply that the components or functionality described or claimed as part of the module are all configured in a common package. Indeed, any or all of the various components of a module, whether control logic or other components, can be combined in a single package or separately maintained and can further be distributed in multiple groupings or packages or across multiple locations. 
     Additionally, the various embodiments set forth herein are described in terms of exemplary block diagrams, flow charts and other illustrations. As will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after reading this document, the illustrated embodiments and their various alternatives can be implemented without confinement to the illustrated examples. For example, block diagrams and their accompanying description should not be construed as mandating a particular architecture or configuration.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7