Radio frequency line extension amplifier and wireless maintenance system of optical fiber coaxial hybrid network

Abstract

The invention provides a radio frequency line extension amplifier in a fiber coaxial hybrid (HFC) network, the radio frequency line extension amplifier comprising a radio frequency amplifier circuit, a service port communicatively coupled with the radio frequency amplifier circuit, and a wireless adapter communicatively coupled with the radio frequency amplifier via the service port, the wireless adapter is configured to communicatively couple with user equipment to allow wireless maintenance of the radio frequency line extension amplifier.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to hybrid fiber and cable systems, and more particularly, to a portable wireless adapter for a cable television hybrid fiber coaxial network amplifier. Background Art

[0002] Broadband communication networks are used to provide high-speed, high-bandwidth transmission to and from devices in the network over a communication path. In some broadband networks, such as hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) networks used for cable television (CATV), at least a portion of the communication path includes coaxial cables that carry downstream and upstream radio frequency (RF) signals. For example, in a cable television network, downstream RF signals may include video and Internet protocol (IP) data sent from the head end of the hybrid fiber coaxial network to subscriber devices, and upstream RF signals may include control and Internet protocol data sent from subscriber devices to the head end. In such broadband networks, it is often necessary to transmit additional information (such as control or status data) to or from devices in the network, for example, to have a more flexible and reliable broadband network and to be able to perform preemptive strategic maintenance to avoid outages.

[0003] In a hybrid fiber coaxial network, the coaxial distribution network may include line extender amplifiers to extend the transmission distance of RF signals, thereby extending the coverage of cable television services provided to subscriber locations. For the purpose of allowing those skilled in the art to monitor and / or diagnose the RF amplifier circuit, it is necessary to provide direct communication with the line extender amplifier.

[0004] The line extender amplifier may include a diagnostic interface, such as a universal serial bus (USB) port, to allow a user (such as a technician) to connect to the RF amplifier circuit for fault diagnosis and adjustment. To use this diagnostic interface, the user must access the line extender amplifier (usually installed on a transmission cable or building) and connect a cable that interfaces the diagnostic interface with the user's device (such as a laptop or tablet computer) to the line extender amplifier. This operation exposes the user and their device to inclement weather, which may result in injury to the technician or damage to the equipment. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a wireless connection between the user's device and the line extender amplifier. Disclosed herein is a wireless adapter that allows a user to wirelessly connect their device to the line extender amplifier and diagnose the RF amplifier circuit from within the passenger compartment of, for example, the user's service vehicle. Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is thus provided a radio frequency line extender amplifier in a hybrid fiber coaxial network, the radio frequency line extender amplifier comprising: a radio frequency amplifier circuit, a service port communicatively coupled to the radio frequency amplifier circuit, and a wireless adapter communicatively coupled to the radio frequency amplifier circuit through the service port, the wireless adapter being configured to communicatively couple with a user device to allow wireless maintenance of the radio frequency line extender amplifier.

[0006] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for wireless maintenance of a radio frequency line extender amplifier in a hybrid fiber coaxial network, the system comprising: a radio frequency amplifier circuit, a service port, a wireless adapter communicatively coupled to the radio frequency amplifier circuit through the service port, and a user device communicatively coupled to the wireless adapter and including a maintenance control panel for the radio frequency amplifier circuit. The maintenance control panel is configured to: receive status information from the radio frequency amplifier circuit and transmit control information to the radio frequency amplifier circuit.

[0007] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for wireless maintenance of a radio frequency line extender amplifier in a hybrid fiber coaxial network, the system comprising: a radio frequency amplifier circuit; a service port; a wireless adapter communicatively coupled to the radio frequency amplifier circuit through the service port, the wireless adapter including a service port interface and at least one of a wireless (Wi-Fi) interface based on the 802.11 standard, a Bluetooth interface, and a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver; and a user device communicatively coupled to the wireless adapter and including a maintenance control panel graphical user interface (GUI) for the radio frequency amplifier circuit. The maintenance control panel graphical user interface is configured to: receive status information and configuration information from the radio frequency amplifier circuit, wherein the status information and configuration information include at least one of an enclosure status, an alarm status, an amplifier status, a diplexer status, downstream spectrum information, and upstream spectrum information; and transmit control information to the radio frequency amplifier circuit. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Reference should be made to the following detailed description which should be read in conjunction with the following drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like components.

[0009] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) network for cable television according to the present invention.

[0010] Figure 2It is a schematic diagram of a remote physical layer (R-PHY) hybrid fiber coaxial network for low data rate, low power, and two-way transmission between multiple network devices and a headend according to the present invention.

[0011] Figure 3 It is a block diagram of an illustrative example of a radio frequency line extender amplifier combined with a wireless adapter for a cable television distribution system according to the present invention.

[0012] Figure 4A It is a functional block diagram of an illustrative example of a wireless adapter for a radio frequency line extender amplifier according to the present invention.

[0013] Figure 4B is of the present invention Figure 4A example of a wireless adapter for a radio frequency line extender amplifier.

[0014] Figure 5 is an example of a radio frequency line extender amplifier combined with a wireless adapter of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 6A and Figure 6B is an example of a maintenance control panel using a graphical user interface for a radio frequency line extender amplifier of the present invention. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0016] The present invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or shown in the drawings. The examples described herein are capable of having other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the language and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. Throughout this description, like reference numerals may indicate the same structure in multiple views and such structures need not be discussed separately. Additionally, any particular feature of a particular exemplary embodiment may be equally applied to any other suitable exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In other words, the features between the various exemplary embodiments described herein are interchangeable rather than mutually exclusive.

[0017] Figure 1FIG. 0 illustrates an example of a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) network 100 for cable television in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, which can implement a system and method for low data rate, low power, two-way transmission implemented in software. The system and method for low data rate, low power, two-way transmission can be implemented to communicate, for example, with optical node 114 and / or line extender RF amplifier 119 in hybrid fiber coaxial network 100, as described in more detail below. Generally speaking, hybrid fiber coaxial network 100 is capable of delivering cable television programs (i.e., video) and Internet protocol data services (e.g., voice over network and Internet protocol) to customers or subscribers 102 through the same fiber optic cable and coaxial cable (i.e., trunk line). Such an HFC network 100 is typically used by service providers such as Comcast Corporation to provide combined video, voice, and broadband network services to subscribers 102. Although exemplary embodiments of hybrid fiber coaxial networks are described herein based on various standards (e.g., DOCSIS), the concepts described herein can be applied to other embodiments of cable television networks using other standards.

[0018] By using frequency division multiplexing to transmit signals over multiple physical channels across the cable television channel spectrum, multiple cable television channels and Internet protocol data services (e.g., broadband network and voice over Internet protocol) can be transmitted simultaneously in hybrid fiber coaxial network 100. In the cable television channel spectrum, some physical channels can be assigned to cable television channels, while other physical channels can be assigned to Internet protocol data services. Other channel spectrums and bandwidths can also be used, and these channel spectrums and bandwidths are also within the scope of the present invention.

[0019] In addition to delivering the primary signal (also referred to as the forward signal) downstream to transmit video and Internet protocol data to subscribers 102, hybrid fiber coaxial network 100 can also carry the primary signal (e.g., Internet protocol data or control signal) from subscribers upstream (also referred to as the reverse signal), thereby providing two-way communication through the trunk line. According to one example, the signal spectrum of the reverse signal carried upstream can be up to 600 megahertz (MHz).

[0020] Hybrid fiber coaxial network 100 generally includes a headend / hub 110 connected to one or more optical nodes 114 via an optical fiber trunk 112, and the optical nodes 114 are connected to customer premises equipment (CPE) 118 at subscriber location 102 via a coaxial cable distribution network 116. The headend / hub 110 receives, processes, and combines content (e.g., broadcast video, narrowcast video, and network data) to be transmitted as optical signals through the optical fiber trunk 112. The optical fiber trunk 112 includes a forward path optical fiber 111 for carrying downstream optical signals from the headend / hub 110 and a return or reverse path optical fiber 113 for carrying upstream optical signals to the headend / hub 110. The optical node 114 provides an optoelectronic interface between the optical fiber trunk 112 and the coaxial cable distribution network 116. Thus, the optical node 114 receives downstream optical signals and transmits upstream optical signals and transmits downstream (forward) radio frequency electrical signals and receives upstream (reverse) RF electrical signals.

[0021] The coaxial cable distribution network 116 includes a coaxial cable 115, which includes a main coaxial cable connected to the optical node 114 and a feeder coaxial cable connected to the main coaxial cable. The subscriber drop coaxial cable is connected to the distribution coaxial cable using a tap 117 and is connected to the customer premises equipment 118 at the subscriber location 102. The customer premises equipment 118 may include a set-top box for video and a cable modem for data. One or more line extender RF amplifiers 119 may also be coupled to the coaxial cable 115 for amplifying the forward signals (e.g., CATV signals) transmitted downstream to the subscriber 102 and for amplifying the reverse signals transmitted upstream from the subscriber 102. In this embodiment, the optical node 114 and / or the line extender RF amplifier 119 may include a transponder, and the headend / hub 110 may include a gateway device to enable low data rate, low power, two-way transmission along with the downstream and upstream primary signals with higher bandwidth and power.

[0022] Figure 2 An implementation of a system for low data rate, low power, two-way transmission in a remote physical layer type hybrid fiber coaxial network 200 is shown. This hybrid fiber coaxial network 200 also includes a headend 210 coupled to a hybrid fiber coaxial node 214 using an optical fiber 212, and includes RF amplifiers 219a to 219c coupled to the hybrid fiber coaxial node 214 using coaxial cables 216, similar to those described above and Figure 1Hybrid fiber coaxial network 100 as shown. In this embodiment of the hybrid fiber coaxial network 200, for example, low data rate, low power, two-way transmission can be implemented in RF amplifiers 219a to 219c to communicate with the Proactive network maintenance (PNM) system in the head end. In the hybrid fiber coaxial network 200, digital communication is provided between the head end 210 and the hybrid fiber coaxial node 214 through the optical fiber 212, and the hybrid fiber coaxial node 214 includes a remote PHY device (RPD) 230 to process digital communication.

[0023] In this embodiment of the hybrid fiber coaxial network 200, the head end 210 includes a Converged Cable Access Platform (CCAP) core 220 or a Cablemodem termination system (CMTS) coupled to a Converged interconnected network (CIN) 222. The Converged Cable Access Platform core 220 and the Converged interconnected network 222 provide digital optical communication with the remote PHY device 230 in the hybrid fiber coaxial node 214. The head end 210 also includes a gateway device 226 to establish low data rate, low power two-way transmission. In this embodiment, the analog low data rate, low power two-way transmission is digitized for communication between the remote PHY device 230 in the hybrid fiber coaxial node 214 and the Converged interconnected network 222. The remote PHY device 230 converts the upstream signal from analog to digital and the downstream signal from digital to analog. The head end 210 may include an Out-of-band (OOB) core 224 coupled to the gateway device 226 to process the analog / digital and digital / analog conversions in the head end 210 to achieve low data rate, low power two-way transmission.

[0024] The out-of-band core 224 can use known techniques and standards in the DOCSIS Remote PHY layer specification, known as the out-of-band (OOB) communication protocol, which is further defined in the Remote Out-of-Band (CM-SP-R-OOB) specification. According to the definition in the Remote Out-of-Band specification, Narrowband digital forward (NDF) and Narrowband digital return (NDR) digitize a small portion of the spectrum and send the digital samples as payloads within packets transmitted between the integrated cable modem termination system / fusion cable access platform core 220 and the remote PHY device 230. This method is applicable to any type of out-of-band signal as long as the signal can be contained within the defined passband.

[0025] In the embodiment of the hybrid fiber coaxial network 200 described above, the headend 210 may include an active network maintenance system 228 coupled to the integrated cable modem termination system core 220 and the gateway device 226. The active network maintenance system 228 can be used by a cable operator to pre-execute network policy maintenance to avoid long interruptions and have a more resilient and reliable broadband network. The commands and / or data used by the active network maintenance system 228 can be sent and received via a low data rate, low power bi-directional transmission established using the gateway device 226 to provide network maintenance. The active network maintenance system 228 may include existing active network maintenance systems known to those skilled in the art. The headend 210 can use the gateway device 226 and the low data rate, low power bi-directional transmission to transmit commands and / or data for managing a large number of network devices, such as nodes and RF amplifiers in the hybrid fiber coaxial network 200 that use existing network management and control systems. The system and method for low data rate, low power bi-directional transmission consistent with the embodiments of the present invention thus provide a relatively simple, reliable, and low-cost solution for monitoring, controlling, and managing a broadband network without detecting interference with the primary broadband signal.

[0026] Figure 3 FIG. is a block diagram of an illustrative example of a system 300 of a radio frequency line extender amplifier combined with a wireless adapter for a cable television distribution system according to the present invention. Figure 3 Includes a first radio frequency line extender amplifier 302, a second radio frequency line extender amplifier 312, and an nth radio frequency line extender amplifier 322. Although Figure 3 Three radio frequency line extender amplifiers are shown, it should be understood that Figure 3 The system shown can support any number of radio frequency line extender amplifiers. Each of the first radio frequency line extender amplifier 302, the second radio frequency line extender amplifier 312, and the nth radio frequency line extender amplifier 322 can be, for exampleFigure 2 RF line extension amplifiers 219a, 219b, or 219c.

[0027] Each RF line extension amplifier includes a service port, which is a universal serial bus interface in Figure 3 the example. The first RF line extension amplifier 302 includes a first universal serial bus 304, the second RF line extension amplifier 312 includes a second universal serial bus 314, and the nth RF line extension amplifier 322 includes an nth universal serial bus 324. In one embodiment, the first universal serial bus 304, the second universal serial bus 314, and the nth universal serial bus 324 interfaces can each be a universal serial bus type A port (USB-A). In another embodiment, the first universal serial bus 304, the second universal serial bus 314, and the nth universal serial bus 324 interfaces can each be a universal serial bus type C port (USB-C). In yet another embodiment, different models or types of RF line extension amplifiers can use other types of universal serial bus interfaces.

[0028] Figure 3 The system 300 of

[0029] Figure 3 includes a first wireless adapter 306 communicatively coupled to the first RF line extension amplifier 302 via the first universal serial bus 304, a second wireless adapter 316 communicatively coupled to the second RF line extension amplifier 312 via the second universal serial bus 314, and an nth wireless adapter 326 communicatively coupled to the nth RF line extension amplifier 322 via the nth universal serial bus 324.

[0030] In an example of system 300, the first user device 340 can communicate and couple with the first radio frequency line extender amplifier 302 via a peer-to-peer (P2P) network connection 332 using the first wireless adapter 306. A P2P network is a group of computers where each computer in the group can act as a node for sharing files. The simplest form of a P2P network is where two or more computing devices are directly connected and share resources without going through a separate server computer. Figure 3 In the example, the user of the first user device 340 has inserted the first wireless adapter 306 into the service port (such as the first universal serial bus 304) of the first radio frequency line extender amplifier 302. The user of the first user device 340 then uses the P2P network connection 332 between the first user device 340 and the first radio frequency line extender amplifier 302 to connect to the first radio frequency line extender amplifier 302. The user of the first user device 340 can further monitor the first radio frequency line extender amplifier 302 and perform diagnostic, maintenance, reconfiguration, update, and repair procedures as needed.

[0031] The first wireless adapter 306, the second wireless adapter 316, the nth wireless adapter 326, and the nth user device 342 can optionally be connected to the network 330 via network connections 334a, 334b, and 334c respectively. The network 330 can be, for example, a telecommunications network, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) (such as the Internet), or a combination of the three, and can include wired, wireless, or fiber optic connections. The network 330 can include one or more wired and / or wireless networks capable of receiving and transmitting data, voice, and / or video signals, including multimedia signals containing voice, data, and video information. Generally, the network 330 can be any combination of connections and protocols that support communication between the first radio frequency line extender amplifier 302, the second radio frequency line extender amplifier 312, the nth radio frequency line extender amplifier 322, the nth user device 342, and other computing devices (not shown) within the system 300.

[0032] As Figure 3 shown, a wireless device coupled to a radio frequency amplifier (such as the first wireless adapter 306 coupled to the first radio frequency line extender amplifier 302) can be connected to one or more user devices via the P2P network connection 332, via the network 330 of the network connection 334a, or both simultaneously.

[0033] In an example of system 300, the nth user device 342 may be communicatively coupled to the first RF line extender amplifier 302 via the first wireless adapter 306 over network 330, communicatively coupled to the second RF line extender amplifier 312 via the second wireless adapter 316, and / or communicatively connected to the nth RF line extender amplifier 322 via the nth wireless adapter 326. In Figure 3 the example, each of the first RF line extender amplifier 302, the second RF line extender amplifier 312, and the nth RF line extender amplifier 322 has a first wireless adapter 306, a second wireless adapter 316, and an nth wireless adapter 326, respectively, plugged into its service port, such as the first universal serial bus 304 of the first RF line extender amplifier 302, the second universal serial bus 314 of the second RF line extender amplifier 312, and the nth universal serial bus 324 of the nth RF line extender amplifier 322. A user of the nth user device 342 uses network 330 to connect to any one of the first RF line extender amplifier 302, the second RF line extender amplifier 312, and / or the nth RF line extender amplifier 322.

[0034] The user of the nth user device 342 may further monitor the first RF line extender amplifier 302, the second RF line extender amplifier 312, and / or the nth RF line extender amplifier 322 and perform diagnostic, maintenance, reconfiguration, update, and repair procedures as needed.

[0035] Figure 4A is a functional block diagram of an illustrative example of a wireless adapter for an RF line extender amplifier in accordance with the present invention. In one embodiment, the wireless adapter 400 may allow monitoring and control of an RF line extender amplifier in accordance with the SCTE standard SP 923. An example of a maintenance control panel for an RF line extender amplifier is shown below Figure 6A and Figure 6B is shown.

[0036] The wireless adapter 400 may include a controller 402 communicatively coupled to a service port interface 410, one or more wireless interfaces (a first wireless interface 420 to an nth wireless interface 430), and an optional global positioning system receiver 440. The controller 402 may be configured to allow communication between the service port interface 410 and any one or all of the wireless interfaces (a first wireless interface 420 to an nth wireless interface 430). Although Figure 4AThe example shows two wireless interfaces, but the wireless adapter 400 may include more wireless interfaces to meet requirements. In one embodiment, the service port interface 410 may be a Universal Serial Bus Type-A port. In another embodiment, the service port interface 410 may be a Universal Serial Bus Type-C port. In yet another embodiment, the service port interface 410 may be any other suitable type of communication interface. In one embodiment, the communication port may be a Universal Serial Bus port and may be configured to function as a Universal Serial Bus slave device. In another embodiment, the communication port may be a Universal Serial Bus port and may be configured to function as a Universal Serial Bus master device. In yet another embodiment, the communication port may be a Universal Serial Bus port and may be configured to function as either a Universal Serial Bus slave device or a Universal Serial Bus master device.

[0037] The first wireless interface 420 is electrically coupled to the first antenna 422 and configured to transmit and receive wireless signals through the first antenna 422, and the nth wireless interface 430 is electrically coupled to the nth antenna 432 and configured to transmit and receive wireless signals through the nth antenna 432. In one embodiment, any one of the first wireless interface 420 to the nth wireless interface 430 may be an 802.11 wireless (Wi-Fi) interface. In one embodiment, any one of the first wireless interface 420 to the nth wireless interface 430 may operate in the 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) Wi-Fi band. In another embodiment, any one of the first wireless interface 420 to the nth wireless interface 430 may operate in the 5 gigahertz (GHz) Wi-Fi band. In yet another embodiment, any one of the first wireless interface 420 to the nth wireless interface 430 may operate in both the 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) and 5 gigahertz (GHz) Wi-Fi bands. In one embodiment, any one of the first wireless interface 420 to the nth wireless interface 430 may include a Wi-Fi web server to allow any user device having a web browser, such as Figure 3 the first user device 340 or the nth user device 342 in, to access the radio frequency line extension interface via any wireless interface (the first wireless interface 420 to the nth wireless interface 430).

[0038] In one embodiment, any one of the first wireless interface 420 to the nth wireless interface 430 can be a Bluetooth interface. In one embodiment, any one of the first wireless interface 420 to the nth wireless interface 430 can be a standard Bluetooth interface, such as Bluetooth 5. In another embodiment, any one of the first wireless interface 420 to the nth wireless interface 430 can be a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) interface. In yet another embodiment, any one of the first wireless interface 420 to the nth wireless interface 430 can be a Bluetooth mesh interface.

[0039] The selected global positioning system receiver 440 is electrically coupled to the global positioning system antenna 442. The controller 402 can be configured to receive global positioning information from the global positioning system receiver 440, and the global positioning information can be used, for example, to determine the geographical location, specific model, or serial number of the RF line extender amplifier from a database where the RF line extender amplifier is installed based on the global positioning information.

[0040] Figure 4B is a example of the Figure 4A wireless adapter 400 according to the present invention. Figure 4B The examples are for illustrative purposes only. Many other configurations of the wireless adapter 400 will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0041] Figure 5 is an example of the RF line extender amplifier 500 in combination with a wireless adapter according to the present invention. In Figure 5 the example, the RF line extender amplifier 500 includes a housing 520, which is composed of a housing cover 522 and a housing bottom 524, and has a RF amplifier circuit 502 of a wireless adapter 504 inserted into a universal serial bus service port. The RF line extender amplifier 500 is electrically coupled to an incoming hybrid fiber coaxial cable 506 and an outgoing hybrid fiber coaxial cable 508. The RF line extender amplifier 500 further includes a remote management module 510, and the RF line extender amplifier 500 is powered by a power supply 512.

[0042] Figure 6A and Figure 6B are examples of the maintenance control panels 600A and 600B of the RF amplifier circuit for using a graphical user interface (GUI) according to the present invention. In one embodiment, the RF line extender amplifier such as Figure 3The first RF line extension amplifier 302 in [[ ]] can include a maintenance console, which can be accessed by a user, such as a maintenance technician, to perform diagnostic, maintenance, reconfiguration, update, and repair procedures on the RF amplifier circuit in the RF line extension amplifier. In one embodiment, the maintenance control panel can include a graphical user interface to display information about the RF amplifier circuit and provide one or more controls to allow the user to control the functions of the RF amplifier circuit and adjust the parameters of the RF amplifier circuit.

[0043] In one embodiment, the graphical user interface can be a web graphical user interface, which can be accessed through a network (such as Figure 1 the network 330 in [[ ]]). In one embodiment, the graphical user interface can be an application program executed on a user device (such as Figure 1 the first user device 340 in [[ ]]). In some embodiments, the web graphical user interface and the application program graphical user interface can be the same graphical user interface. In some other embodiments, the web graphical user interface and the application program graphical user interface can be different.

[0044] In one embodiment, the graphical user interface can include, but is not limited to, status information, configuration information, and spectrum information. The status information can include, but is not limited to, enclosure status, alarm status, amplifier status, and duplex filter status.

[0045] In one embodiment, the enclosure status can include the cover status, which is an indication of whether the cover of the RF line extension amplifier enclosure (such as Figure 5 the enclosure cover 522 in [[ ]]) is open or closed. In one embodiment, the enclosure status can include the alarm status. The alarm status can include an indication that there are currently no alarms pending in the RF line extension amplifier, as shown in Figure 6A and Figure 6B If there are any alarms pending in the RF line extension amplifier, the alarm status can include a list of the pending alarms and can indicate the alarm type and provide further description for each existing alarm.

[0046] In one embodiment, the enclosure status can include the amplifier status, which can indicate the current functional status of the RF amplifier circuit, such as the input power of the RF amplifier circuit. This can include AC voltage and any required DC voltages, such as 24 volts direct current, 5 volts direct current, and 3.3 volts direct current. The amplifier status can also include the temperature of the RF amplifier circuit.

[0047] In one embodiment, the duplex filter status can include the high / low split value of the RF amplifier circuit.

[0048] In one embodiment, the spectrum information may include downstream spectrum information and upstream spectrum information. The downstream spectrum information may include, but is not limited to, gain, slope, automatic gain control configuration, and general plug-in state. Gain is the amplification or boost of a radio frequency amplifier circuit and is typically the ratio of output power to input power, measured in decibels (dB). Slope is a measure of the attenuation of a high-frequency signal relative to a low-frequency signal.

[0049] In one embodiment, the downstream spectrum information may include, but is not limited to, gain, slope, and inlet switch state.

[0050] In one embodiment, the spectrum information may include control of starting a downstream alignment procedure and control of starting an upstream alignment procedure.

[0051] The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the disclosure. The scope of the invention is intended to be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the scope of the claims for which a patent is sought.

[0052] Embodiments of the methods described herein may be implemented using a controller, a processor, and / or other programmable devices. To that end, the methods described herein may be implemented on a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, perform the methods. The storage medium may include any type of tangible medium, such as, for example, semiconductor devices such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), such as dynamic and static RAM, erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, or any type of medium suitable for storing electronic instructions.

[0053] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that any block diagrams herein represent a conceptual view of illustrative circuits embodying the principles of the invention. Similarly, it should be understood that any block diagrams, flowcharts, state transition diagrams, pseudocode, etc., represent various processes that may be substantially represented in a computer-readable medium and thus executed by a computer or processor, whether or not such a computer or processor is explicitly shown. Software modules or simple modules implicitly as software may be represented herein as any combination of flowchart elements or other elements indicating the execution of process steps and / or a textual description. Such modules may be executed by hardware that is explicitly or implicitly shown.

[0054] The functions of the various components shown in the figures, including any functional blocks labeled as a controller or a processor, can be provided by using dedicated hardware as well as hardware capable of executing software in association with appropriate software. These functions can be provided by a single dedicated processor, a single shared processor, or multiple individual processors, some of which may be shared. Additionally, the explicit use of the term controller or processor should not be construed as specifically referring to hardware capable of executing software and can implicitly include, but not be limited to, digital signal processor (DSP) hardware, network processors, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), read only memories (ROMs) for storing software, random access memories (RAMs), and non-volatile memories. Other conventional and / or custom hardware may also be included.

[0055] As used herein, the term "coupled" refers to any connection, coupling, linkage, etc., through which a signal carried by one system component is passed to the "coupled" component. Such "coupled" devices or signals and devices are not necessarily directly connected to each other and may be separated by intermediate components or devices that can manipulate or modify such signals.

[0056] Unless otherwise specified, the use of the word "substantially" can be interpreted to include the exact relationships, conditions, arrangements, orientations, and / or other features understood by those skilled in the art and their deviations, provided that these deviations do not materially affect the disclosed methods and systems. Throughout the entire content of the present invention, the use of the articles "a", "an", and / or "the" to modify a noun can be understood to be for convenience and to include one or more of the following modified nouns, unless otherwise explicitly stated. The terms "comprising", "including", and "having" are intended to be inclusive and mean that additional elements may exist in addition to the listed elements.

[0057] Although the methods and systems have been described with respect to their specific embodiments, they are not limited thereto. Obviously, many modifications and variations can become apparent in light of the above teachings. Those skilled in the art can make many additional changes to the details, materials, and arrangements of the components described and shown herein.

[0058]

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0059] 100: Hybrid Fiber Coaxial Network

[0060] 102: Subscriber

[0061] 110: Headend / Hub

[0062] 111: Forward Path Fiber

[0063] 112: Fiber Trunk

[0064] 113: Reverse path optical fiber

[0065] 114: Optical node

[0066] 115: Coaxial cable

[0067] 116: Coaxial cable distribution network

[0068] 117: Tap

[0069] 118: User terminal device

[0070] 119: Line extension RF amplifier

[0071] 200: Hybrid fiber coaxial network

[0072] 210: Headend

[0073] 212: Optical fiber

[0074] 214: Hybrid fiber coaxial node

[0075] 216: Coaxial cable

[0076] 219a, 219b, 219c: RF amplifier

[0077] 220: Core

[0078] 222: Converged interconnection network

[0079] 224: Out-of-band core

[0080] 226: Gateway device

[0081] 228: Active network maintenance system

[0082] 230: Remote physical layer device

[0083] 300: System

[0084] 302, 312, 322: RF line extension amplifier

[0085] 304, 314, 324: Universal serial bus

[0086] 306, 316, 326: Wireless adapter

[0087] 330: Network

[0088] 332: Network connection

[0089] 334a, 334b, 334c: Network connection

[0090] 340: User device

[0091] 342: User device

[0092] 400: Wireless adapter

[0093] 402: Controller

[0094] 410: Service port interface

[0095] 420, 430, 440: Wireless interface

[0096] 422, 432, 442: Antenna

[0097] 500: RF line extension amplifier

[0098] 502: RF amplifier circuit

[0099] 504: Wireless adapter

[0100] 506: Hybrid fiber coaxial cable

[0101] 508: Hybrid fiber coaxial cable

[0102] 510: Remote management module

[0103] 512: Power supply

[0104] 520: Enclosure

[0105] 522: Enclosure cover

[0106] 524: Enclosure bottom

[0107] 600A, 600B: Maintenance console

Claims

1. A radio frequency line extension amplifier in a hybrid fiber coaxial network, characterized in that: Include: a radio frequency amplifier circuit; a service port communicatively coupled to the RF amplifier circuit; and A wireless adapter is communicatively coupled to the RF amplifier circuit via the service port, the wireless adapter being configured to communicatively couple to a user device to allow wireless maintenance of the RF circuit extension amplifier.

2. The radio frequency line extension amplifier in a hybrid fiber coaxial network as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The service port is a universal serial bus port.

3. The radio frequency line extension amplifier in a hybrid fiber coaxial network as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that: The USB port is a USB Type-A port.

4. The radio frequency line extension amplifier in a hybrid fiber coaxial network as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that: The USB port is a USB Type-C port.

5. The radio frequency line extension amplifier in a hybrid fiber coaxial network as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The wireless adapter also includes: a service port interface; and One or more wireless interfaces.

6. The radio frequency line extension amplifier in a hybrid fiber coaxial network as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that: The service port interface is a universal serial bus port.

7. The radio frequency line extension amplifier in a hybrid fiber coaxial network as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that: The USB port is a USB Type-A port.

8. The radio frequency line extension amplifier in a hybrid fiber coaxial network as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that: The USB port is a USB Type-C port.

9. The radio frequency line extension amplifier in a hybrid fiber coaxial network as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that: At least one of the one or more wireless interfaces is a wireless interface based on the 802.11 standard.

10. The radio frequency line extension amplifier in a hybrid fiber coaxial network as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that: The wireless interface operates in the 2.4 GHz frequency band.

11. The radio frequency line extension amplifier in a hybrid fiber coaxial network as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that: The radio interface operates in the 5 GHz frequency band.

12. The radio frequency line extension amplifier in a hybrid fiber coaxial network as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that: The wireless adapter further includes a global positioning system receiver.

13. A system for wireless maintenance of radio frequency line extension amplifiers in a hybrid fiber coaxial network, characterized in that: Include: a radio frequency amplifier circuit; a service port; a wireless adapter communicatively coupled to the RF amplifier circuit via the service port; and A user device communicatively coupled to the wireless adapter and comprising a maintenance control panel for the RF amplifier circuit, the maintenance control panel being configured as: receiving status information from the radio frequency amplifier circuit; and Sending control information to the RF amplifier circuit.

14. The system for wireless maintenance of radio frequency line extension amplifiers in a hybrid fiber coaxial network as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that: The maintenance control panel includes a graphical user interface.

15. The system for wireless maintenance of radio frequency line extension amplifiers in a hybrid fiber coaxial network as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that: The service port is a universal serial bus port.

16. The system for wireless maintenance of radio frequency line extension amplifiers in a hybrid fiber coaxial network as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that: The wireless adapter also includes: a service port interface; and One or more wireless interfaces.

17. The system for wireless maintenance of radio frequency line extension amplifiers in a hybrid fiber coaxial network as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that: The service port interface is a Universal Serial Bus Type-A port.

18. The system for wireless maintenance of radio frequency line extension amplifiers in a hybrid fiber coaxial network as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that: The service port interface is a Universal Serial Bus Type-C port.

19. The system for wireless maintenance of radio frequency line extension amplifiers in a hybrid fiber coaxial network as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that: At least one of the one or more wireless interfaces is a wireless interface based on the 802.11 standard.

20. The system for wireless maintenance of radio frequency line extension amplifiers in a hybrid fiber coaxial network as claimed in claim 19, characterized in that: At least one of the one or more wireless interfaces is a Bluetooth interface.

21. The system for wireless maintenance of radio frequency line extension amplifiers in a hybrid fiber coaxial network as claimed in claim 20, characterized in that: The Bluetooth interface is selected from the group consisting of standard Bluetooth, low energy Bluetooth, and Bluetooth mesh.

22. The system for wireless maintenance of radio frequency line extension amplifiers in a hybrid fiber coaxial network as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that: The wireless adapter further includes a global positioning system receiver.

23. The system for wireless maintenance of radio frequency line extension amplifiers in a hybrid fiber coaxial network as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that: The graphical user interface includes at least one of status information, configuration information, and spectrum information.

24. The system for wireless maintenance of radio frequency line extension amplifiers in a hybrid fiber coaxial network as claimed in claim 23, characterized in that: The status information includes at least one of a housing status, an alarm status, an amplifier status, and a duplex filter status.

25. The system for wireless maintenance of radio frequency line extension amplifiers in a hybrid fiber coaxial network as claimed in claim 23, characterized in that: The spectrum information further includes: A downstream spectrum information includes at least one of gain, slope, automatic gain control configuration and general plug-in status.

26. The system for wireless maintenance of radio frequency line extension amplifiers in a hybrid fiber coaxial network as claimed in claim 23, characterized in that: The spectrum information further includes: An upstream spectrum information includes at least one of a gain, a slope, and an inlet switch state.

27. The system for wireless maintenance of radio frequency line extension amplifiers in a hybrid fiber coaxial network as claimed in claim 23, characterized in that: The spectrum information further includes: one or more first controls to initiate a downstream alignment procedure; and One or more second controls to initiate an upstream alignment procedure.

28. The system for wireless maintenance of radio frequency line extension amplifiers in a hybrid fiber coaxial network as claimed in claim 20, characterized in that: The user device is communicatively coupled to the wireless adapter via both the wireless interface and the Bluetooth interface.

29. The system for wireless maintenance of radio frequency line extension amplifiers in a hybrid fiber coaxial network as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that: The graphical user interface is an application program executed on the user device.

30. The system for wireless maintenance of radio frequency line extension amplifiers in a hybrid fiber coaxial network as claimed in claim 19, characterized in that: The graphical user interface is a web page graphical user interface accessed through the wireless interface.

31. A system for wireless maintenance of radio frequency line extension amplifiers in a hybrid fiber coaxial network, characterized in that: Include: a radio frequency amplifier circuit; a service port; a wireless adapter communicatively coupled to the RF amplifier circuit via the service port, the wireless adapter comprising a service port interface and at least one of a wireless interface based on the 802.11 standard, a Bluetooth interface, and a global positioning system receiver; as well as A user device communicatively coupled to the wireless adapter and comprising a maintenance control panel graphical user interface for the RF amplifier circuit, the maintenance control panel graphical user interface being configured as: receiving status information and configuration information from the RF amplifier circuit, wherein the status information and the configuration information include at least one of a housing status, an alarm status, an amplifier status, a duplex filter status, downstream spectrum information, and upstream spectrum information; and Sending control information to the RF amplifier circuit.

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