Patent Abstract:
A signal splitter comprising an input and a plurality of outputs is provided, wherein alternate outputs are connected to phase shifting devices. The phase shifting devices preferably comprise phase shifting transformers and introduce a phase shift of 180°, so that noise components of alternate outputs are antiphase and cancel one another out almost entirely when the signals are summed. Also provided is a cable television network comprising a plurality of such signal splitters to ensure that noise ingress in upstream signals passing into the network is substantially reduced.

Full Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/204,608, filed Aug. 16, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,746,194. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a signal splitter for reducing noise ingress and a cable television network incorporating such splitters. 
     BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION 
     Cable television networks are no longer purely distribution networks used for TV and radio distribution, but now also provide access for the customer to the networks. Thus TV and radio signals are distributed from a local centre or optical node by way of a signal splitter with an output connected to each customer. Return traffic from each customer is returned through the splitter to the local centre or optical node and thence to the rest of the network. Such return traffic might include requests for pay-per-view television programmes. 
     Usually the traffic from the customer to the local centre or optical node is called “return path traffic” or “upstream signals”. The upstream signals are transported using a different frequency range than the distribution signals (usually called “downstream signals”) originating from the network provider. Modern cable TV networks typically use 5 MHz to 65 MHz for upstream signals and 85 MHz to 862 MHz for downstream signals, although other frequency ranges are also used. 
     All upstream signals, no matter how they originate, are transported to the local centre or optical node. Thus unwanted noise in upstream signals will also be injected into the network. The unwanted signals originate from various sources but a major part is due to radiation of outside transmitters in the used upstream frequency range. The total sum of these unwanted signals is known as “ingress”. The majority of ingress originates from the in-house installation of the customer and is therefore injected into the network at a customer access point. This ingress is a major problem in the network since all these unwanted signals are summed and will limit the signal to noise ratio (and therefore the capacity) of the upstream signals. 
     It is an aim of the present invention to provide a signal splitter which reduces noise ingress into a cable television distribution network. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a signal splitter comprising an input and a plurality of outputs, wherein alternate outputs are connected to phase shifting devices. Where such a signal splitter is used in a cable television network, the phase shifting devices ensure that noise ingress in upstream signals, i.e. those originating from the customer, passing into the network is substantially reduced. The upstream signals are made up of signals from a number of different customers, each customer signal including data and noise components. The data components from different customers are unrelated in amplitude, phase, and frequency as they originate from different subscriber equipment. However the noise components in each customer signal are similar to one another because they originate for the most part from the same source, namely radio frequency electromagnetic radiation picked up by the equipment of the subscribers and the cables connecting such equipment to the outputs of the splitter. Introduction of a phase shift into the upstream signal before it reaches an output ensures that the noise components cancel one another when the upstream signals originating from the customers are summed by the splitter. 
     Preferably the phase shifting devices introduce a phase shift of 180°, so that noise components of alternate outputs are antiphase and cancel one another out almost entirely when the signals are summed. 
     Each phase shifting device may comprise a phase shifting transformer. 
     Where the splitter has an even number N of outputs, N/2 phase shifting devices will be required, N/2 being a whole number. Where the splitter has an odd number X of outputs, then the number of phase shifting devices used will be the nearest whole number above or below X/2. 
     If required the phase shifting devices may be permanently connected to their respective outputs and secured within a common housing to the outputs, so being built into the splitter. Alternatively the phase shifting devices may be separable from their respective outputs. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a cable television network incorporating a plurality of signal splitters comprising an input and a plurality of outputs, wherein alternate outputs are connected to phase shifting devices, the phase shifting devices acting in use to ensure that noise ingress in upstream signals, i.e. those originating from the customer, passing into the network is substantially reduced. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
       The invention will now be described by way illustrative example and with reference to the attached drawing figures, in which: 
         FIGS. 1 and 2  are schematic diagrams of prior art signal splitters; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of a signal splitter in accordance with the invention; and 
         FIGS. 4 and 5  are spectrum analyser traces showing the powers of the summed signals at the inputs, respectively, of a prior art signal splitter and a signal splitter according to the invention, when used in a cable television network. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     The prior art signal splitter  10  of  FIGS. 1 and 2  comprises an input  12  and a large number of outputs, of which only a first output  14  and a second output  16  are shown for the purpose of clarity. In use these passive signal dividers  10  act as an interface between a local centre or node and a number of customers, each customer connected to one output of the splitter  10 , with the splitter input  12  connected to the node. Arrow  18  represents transmission of television signals (downstream signals) from the service provider to the input of the splitter where the signal is divided or split for onward transmission to the customer, arrows  18   a  and  18   b  representing transmission of split television signals from the first and second outputs  14 ,  16  of the splitter  10 . 
     Dotted arrows  20   a  and  20   b  represent the return transmission of data signals (upstream signals) from the first and second subscribers to the first and second outputs of the splitter. 
     The splitter sums the data signals from all subscribers to which it is connected and applies them to the input of the splitter. Dotted arrow  20   c  represents transmission of all summed data signals from the input of the splitter to the service provider. 
     Turning to  FIG. 2 , short dotted arrows  22   a  and  22   b  represent noise components present in the data signals transmitted from the subscribers to the first and second inputs of the splitter. The splitter  10  not only sums the wanted data signal but also sums the noise components and applies them to the input  12  of the splitter. Long dotted arrow  22   c  represents transmission of the summed noise signals from the input of the splitter to the service provider. 
     With a large number of outputs, the summed noise components applied to the input of the splitter (and hence transmitted from the input of the splitter to the service provider) become significant in comparison with the data signals, thus reducing the signal transmission capacity of the upstream channel between the splitter and the service provider. By way of example, suppose there are 1000 customers connected to a single local centre or optical node. If all customers produce the same amount of ingress then the total signal to noise ratio at the local centre or optical point will degrade with a factor 1000 or 30 dB. 
     A splitter  24  in accordance with the present invention is shown in  FIG. 3  and comprises an input  26 , a plurality of outputs of which only five outputs  30 ′,  28 ,  30 ,  28 ′ and  30 ″ are shown for clarity, and a plurality of phase shift transformers connected to alternate outputs, of which only transformers  32  and  32 ′ connected to output  28  and output  28 ′ are shown. The outputs thus form first and second groups, the first group of outputs not connected to a transformer, the second group connected to a transformer. Each transformer is only connected to one output. The phase shift transformers can be built into the splitter and permanently associated with their respective outputs. Alternatively the transformers can be connected externally to existing outputs. 
     The phase shift transformers  32 ,  32 ′ introduce a 180° phase shift into signals that pass through them. Thus split television signals applied to the second group of outputs  28 ,  28 ′ are shifted in phase by 180° before being transmitted to the subscriber, and data signals transmitted by a subscriber&#39;s equipment connected to the first output  28  are shifted in phase by 180° before being applied to the outputs  28 ,  28 ′. 
     As explained above, the data signals transmitted by the subscribers to the outputs of the splitter include noise components. The noise components have various sources, the most significant of which is radio frequency electromagnetic radiation, which can be picked up by the subscribers&#39; equipment and the cables connecting the outputs of the splitter to the equipment of the subscribers. In most cases, a source of radio frequency electromagnetic radiation that is picked up by one such cable or subscriber&#39;s equipment will be picked up by a large number of other such cables or subscribers&#39; equipment. 
     The signal characteristics of the noise components will be very similar because they arise for the most part from the same source. The noise components will have much the same frequency, amplitude and phase. The phase shift transformers connected to alternate outputs of the splitter give rise to two groups of noise components. The noise components of both groups have much the same frequency and amplitude, but the noise components of the first group are in antiphase with the noise components of the second group. When the noise components of both groups are summed, they cancel each other out so that the noise components of the summed signals applied to the input of the splitter are much reduced. 
     The wanted data signals originating from the customer are unaffected as the data components from different customers are unrelated in amplitude, phase, and frequency as they originate from different subscriber equipment. They are therefore not reduced by summation after phase shifting. The downstream signal is also not affected by the phase shift, and thus by using a phase shifting transformer mounted between the splitter output and the connected branch of the network, wanted downstream and upstream signals are unaffected whilst ingress is attenuated. 
     Of course, there are some localised sources of radio frequency electromagnetic radiation that are picked up by only one subscriber&#39;s equipment or one cable, such as an electric motor in an appliance in a house of a subscriber. The introduction of the phase shift cannot reduce such a noise component. 
     Many houses have connections to two outputs of the splitter, one connection being used for cable television and the other for telephone or internet service. Provided that one connection is to an output of the splitter with a phase shift transformer and the other connection is to an output without such a transformer, noise components due to even a localised source of radio frequency electromagnetic radiation can be reduced. 
       FIG. 4  shows the signal power at the input  12  of the prior art splitter  10  when used in a cable television network. The range of frequencies shown in the spectrum analyser trace is 0 to 70 MHz, which encompasses the frequency range used for the signal return path. 
     A peak of between 50 dB and 60 dB can be seen near to the middle of the trace i.e. at around 35 MHz. This is due to the summed noise components of the data signals transmitted to the splitter by the subscribers. 
       FIG. 5  shows the signal power at the input  26  of the splitter  24  of the invention when used in the same network. The signal power at around 35 MHz can be seen to be between 40 dB and 50 dB. The decrease of approximately 10 dB in the signal power at 35 MHz is due to the removal of 10 dB of the noise components by the splitter. In theory at least, this would result in an increase in the data transmission capacity of the channel between the input  26  and the service provider by a factor of 10. 
     The signal splitter of the invention is dependent for successful operation on similarity between the noise components of data signals applied to the outputs of the splitter. The reduction of the noise components in the summed data signals will be less pronounced if the noise components are of different amplitudes or experience different phase shifts during transmission from the subscribers&#39; equipment to the outputs of the splitter. Nevertheless, a reduction of only 3 dB of the noise components can give rise to a doubling of the data transmission capacity of the upstream signal channel. 
     The reduction of the noise components is slightly less pronounced if the splitter has an odd number of outputs. In this case the number of phase shifters attached to the outputs should be as close as possible to half the number of outputs, for example two or three phase shifters for a splitter with five outputs. Of course, for a splitter with a larger odd number of outputs, the effect of having phase shifters attached to slightly less or more than half the outputs of the splitter decreases with increasing numbers of outputs.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7