Patent ID: 8839331

Claim:
Apparatus for signal modulation for transmission on a Cable Television (CATV) cable comprising: a plurality of ports for receiving input data; each port having associated therewith a respective one of a plurality of processing blocks each acting as a signal generator and each arranged for generating from the input an output containing data signals; and a summing device for summing together the outputs from the processing blocks as a single output to be transmitted on the CATV cable to recipients; each processing block including a respective one of a plurality of digital to analog converters (DACs) so as to generate as outputs thereof analog or digital communications signals; the each processing block comprising a plurality of fixed frequency upconversion paths which are reduced-bandwidth sub-bands of a full CATV band; the each processing block comprising a de-multiplexer arranged to share the output of the DAC of the each processing block amongst the plurality of fixed frequency upconversion paths; the each processing block comprising a multiplexer for receiving outputs of the plurality of fixed frequency upconversion paths and for combining the outputs of the plurality of fixed frequency upconversion paths into said output of said processing block; wherein said single output of said summing device provides continuous full-band coverage; wherein said multiplexer and de-multiplexer of the each processing block are configured to provide a fixed routing to send a channel or group of channels through each of the plurality of fixed frequency upconversion paths before being summed at said summing device to said single output; and wherein in the each processing block, RF frequency of the each of the plurality of fixed frequency upconversion paths is overlapped with an associated plurality of adjacent fixed frequency upconversion paths to provide continuous agile channel placement.