The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 12, 2000
Filed:
Feb. 06, 1997
Cornelius E Holliday, III, Houston, PA (US);
Edward C Nichols, Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Robert W Parry, Santa Cruz, CA (US);
Michael T Jennison, Bridgeville, PA (US);
Jennison Holding, Inc., Carnegie, PA (US);
Abstract
The present invention presents a multimedia signal distribution device that implements the Electronics Industry Association (EIA) 'Node Zero' standard for a Consumer Electronics Bus (CEBus) signal distribution network. The preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a block frequency conversion loop that is combined with other conventional electronic devices to accomplish the multimedia signal frequency conversion, filtering and distribution functions required of the ideal Node Zero device set forth in the EIA CEBus standard. The present invention preferably implements the CEBus block frequency conversion, input and output band-pass filtering, and signal amplification requirements by a block frequency conversion loop comprised of the following components which process the internal signal block in the following series order: (a) passive first low-pass or band-pass filter; (b) a 1000 MHz first frequency mixer; (c) an intermediate frequency (IF) filter; (d) a 38 dB signal amplifier; (e) a selectable second frequency mixer and (f) a tunable second low-pass or band-pass filter 11. Optionally, a broad-band quadrature signal phase shifting device may be implemented in conjunction with a signal coupling balun transformer at the input and output, respectively, of the first frequency mixer. This quadrature phase shifting improves the filtering of the internal signal block after the quadrature outputs have been shifted by the first frequency mixer to an intermediate frequency (IF) signal range.