Patent ID: 8566896

Claim:
An addressable optical network interface unit (“NIU”), comprising: an optical input that is configured to connect to the cable television network; a radio frequency output that is coupled to a subscriber premise; an optical-to-electrical conversion circuit that is configured to convert optical signals received at the optical input into radio frequency signals; a first directional coupler that is coupled to an output of the optical-to-electrical conversion circuit; a radio frequency receiver that is coupled to a first output of the first directional coupler, the radio frequency receiver being configured to receive a radio frequency signal input through the optical input; a controller that is coupled to the radio frequency receiver; a filter circuit that is coupled to a second output of the first directional coupler, the filter circuit including a plurality of signal paths and a first filter that is on a first of the plurality of signal paths that filters out signals in a first range of frequencies and a second filter that is on a second of the plurality of signal paths that filters out signals in a second range of frequencies; a second directional coupler that is interposed between the first output of the first directional coupler and the radio frequency receiver; and a plurality of switches that select one of the plurality of signal paths through the filter circuit, wherein the plurality of switches are controlled in response to data contained in the radio frequency signal, wherein the controller is configured to generate a plurality of control signals that control the settings of at least some of the plurality of switches based at least in part on filter control signal received through the optical input, and wherein a first output of the second directional coupler is part of a feedback loop that controls an adaptive attenuator of the optical-to-electrical conversion circuit, and a second output of the second directional coupler is coupled to an input of the radio frequency receiver.