Universal Services Multiplexer Time-Interleaved Digital Transport

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing video distribution methods in hybrid fiber/coax networks face a challenge where increased bandwidth leads to decreased signal quality due to analog modulation and processing constraints at the edge of the network, limiting capacity expansion.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a universal services multiplexer that interleaves multiple data streams into a time-interleaved multiplexer stream, allowing digital transport to a remote QAM module, which reduces processing power requirements and eliminates analog conversions, enabling improved signal quality and increased capacity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If bandwidth is increased to continue expanding capacity, then capacity increases, but signal quality decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebandwidth capacityVSAvoidsignal quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the traditional analog mechanical modulation system with a digital time-interleaved multiplexing system. Multiple digital data streams are interleaved in the time domain and transmitted over fiber optics, eliminating the need for analog modulation and RF combining networks. This digital approach allows for higher bandwidth capacity while maintaining signal quality through regenerative signaling and error correction capabilities inherent in digital transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Adaptability or versatility

If analog modulation and RF combining networks are used, then existing infrastructure is utilized, but processing power and size constraints at the edge limit capacity expansion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinfrastructure compatibilityVSAvoidprocessing power requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the complex analog modulation and RF combining network functions from the edge of the network. By using time-interleaved digital multiplexing, the system removes the need for these processing-intensive components at remote locations, reducing device complexity and processing power requirements while maintaining infrastructure compatibility through standard fiber optic transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the data transmission process into multiple parallel digital streams that are time-interleaved. This segmentation allows each stream to be transmitted independently over fiber optics, eliminating the need for complex analog processing at the edge and reducing the processing power and size constraints that previously limited capacity expansion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9967601B2Universal services multiplexer and time-based interleaving of multiple streams

Publication Date: 2018.05.08 ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC

AI summary

Interleaving multiple streams of data using a universal services multiplexer is followed by conveying a time interleaved multiplexer stream to a remote QAM module. A universal services multiplexer interleaves multiple streams of data into a time interleaved multiplexer stream.