Full Band Cable Receiver Segmentation Architecture

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cable receivers face limitations in scalability due to size, cost, and power consumption constraints, making it difficult to support multiple simultaneous channels, especially with the increasing demand for high-bandwidth services like HD broadcast channels and internet services.

Innovation Solution

A full-band capture cable receiver architecture utilizing ultra-low power tuners and high-speed Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADCs) is implemented, dividing the 50 MHz to 1 GHz band into eight segments and using a digital signal processor to demultiplex and filter signals, allowing for the selection and delivery of multiple channels with reduced power and cost.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If traditional cable tuners are used to provide multiple simultaneous channels, then channel variety and service capability are improved, but device size, cost, power consumption, and heat dissipation increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechannel varietyVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the 1 GHz cable band into multiple segments (e.g., 50-200 MHz, 200-400 MHz, 400-600 MHz, 600-950 MHz) and assigns separate tuners to each segment. This segmentation allows the system to cover the full bandwidth with fewer tuners than would be needed if each channel required a dedicated tuner, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining channel variety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a shared signal processing architecture where multiple tuners feed into common downconverters, ADCs, and digital signal processing resources. This multi-functionality allows a single set of expensive, power-hungry components to serve multiple channel streams simultaneously, reducing overall power consumption and cost while maintaining the ability to deliver multiple simultaneous channels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If traditional cable tuners are used to provide multiple simultaneous channels, then service capability is improved, but device cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice capabilityVSAvoiddevice cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the signal processing functions of multiple tuners into shared hardware resources. Multiple tuners feed into common downconversion stages, shared ADCs, and pooled digital signal processing resources. This consolidation eliminates the need for duplicate expensive components for each channel, significantly reducing device cost while maintaining the ability to provide multiple simultaneous channels and diverse services.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If more channels are supported simultaneously, then customer demand for HD channels and internet services is met, but heat dissipation increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechannel throughputVSAvoidheat dissipation

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the frequency band and assigning dedicated tuners to specific segments, the patent enables parallel processing of multiple channels without requiring all components to operate at maximum capacity simultaneously. This segmentation reduces the thermal load on individual components while maintaining high overall channel throughput capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The shared signal processing architecture allows thermal load to be distributed across multiple components that can share processing duties. When multiple channels are active, the workload and heat generation are spread across the pooled digital signal processing resources rather than concentrated in dedicated processors for each channel, reducing peak heat dissipation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Adaptability or versatility

If the number of tuners is increased to support more channels, then channel selection flexibility is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechannel selection flexibilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal signal processing platform where downconverters, ADCs, and digital signal processing resources can handle signals from any of the multiple tuners. This universal architecture provides channel selection flexibility equivalent to having dedicated processing for each channel while avoiding the complexity of truly independent processing paths for each tuner.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9203658B2Full band cable receiver

Publication Date: 2015.12.01 ARCTIC SEMICON CORP

AI summary

Systems and methods are described for the implementation of a full band cable receiver by using a combination of tuners (e.g., ultra-low power Tuners) and Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADCs) to attain the goal of digitization with reduced power and/or cost. The full-band capture cable receiver can overcome the constraints of conventional cable receiver systems and deliver multiple channels, thereby allowing operators to provide consumers with an increased number of services.