Scientific-atlanta, Inc.

Robert C Loveless

Bart F Spriester

Robert S Collmus

A communications system includes first and second fiber optic links, each including at least one fiber optic cable, and a coaxial distribution plant including coaxial distribution lines and a plurality of amplifiers. A first fiber optic node couples the first fiber optic link to the coaxial distribution plant and a second fiber optic node located proximate to one of the amplifiers of the coaxial distribution plant couples the second fiber optic link to the coaxial distribution plant.

Hybrid fiber coax communications systems

A cable television system (100) includes a head end section (105) for generating a cable signal; a communication medium (110, 117), such as fiber optic cable and coaxial cable, coupled to the head end section (105) for routing the cable signal through the cable television system (100), and cable taps (200) coupled to the communication medium (110, 117) for receiving the cable signal and providing subscriber drops to subscribers of the cable television system (100). As the cable signal is routed through the system (100), the signal levels of the signal decrease, and higher frequencies are attenuated more rapidly than are lower frequencies of the signal. Therefore, taps (200) of the cable television system (100) include equalizer circuits (212) for attenuating lower frequencies of the cable signal to provide relatively flat signal levels at the subscriber drops. The equalizer circuits (212) also conveniently attenuate reverse signals, as necessary, so that relatively equivalent reverse signal levels are seen by the headend section (105).

Signal equalizer circuit for cable tap

A broadband cable television system for delivering broadband cable television signals from a headend to a plurality subscribers includes a bridger module. The bridger module allows upgrading of the system to a much higher channel capacity or to a fiber to the service area architecture with a minimum amount of subscriber down-time. The bridger module is advantageous in that it permits CATV systems to be reconfigured without having to relocate the trunk/bridger stations. The bridger module utilizes a signal director which is capable of directing broadband television signal flow from left-to-right or from right-to-left along a trunk cable. The bridger module also incorporates plug-in passive devices, the value of which is selected in accordance with the signal loss levels between independently located distribution amplifiers.

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Lawrenceville, GA, United States of America

Robert C Loveless