Coaxial communication active tap device and distribution system
An apparatus, system, and method for affordably distributing cable communication signals at greatly reduced power consumption levels with high signal quality with an active tap having gain stage characterized by low power (less than 1 Watt), low noise figure (less than 3 dB), high bandwidth (typically DC-2 GHz), and high gain (at least 15 dBmV).
1. An active signal tap device comprising:
a signal input;
a signal output;
a signal tap output;
a single directional coupler in series between the signal input and the signal output, the single directional coupler providing a single data signal tap to a combined port of a diplex filter; and an active component coupled to an output of the diplex filter;
a first AC power passing choke;
a second AC power passing choke connected to the first AC power passing choke;
an AC output tap between the first and second AC power passing chokes;
an AC to DC power supply connected to the AC output tap;
an amplifier connected to the DC power supply;
a circuit in parallel to the two AC power pass/tag chokes, said circuit comprising a first capacitor connected to the directional coupler connected to second capacitor,
the first diplex port connected to an output of the directional coupler and comprising a first high pass filter and the first low-pass filter;
the first attenuator connecting an output of the first high-pass filter to an input to the amplifier;
and a second diplex port connected to an output of the amplifier and comprising a second high-pass filter and a second low-pass filter.
2. The active signal tap device of claim 1 , wherein said active component comprises:
a noise figure of no more than 3 dB.
3. The active signal tap device of claim 1 , wherein said active component comprises:
a bandwidth of 20 MHz-1.5 GHz.
4. The active signal tap device of claim 1 , wherein said active component comprises:
a gain configured to provide an 18 dBmV output signal at said at least one signal tap output.
5. The active signal tap device of claim 1 , wherein said active component comprises:
an input impedance of approximately 75 ohms; and
an output impedance of approximately 75 ohms.
6. The active signal tap device of claim 1 , wherein said active component comprises:
an active component configured to provide an RF output of approximately 18 dBmV with a maximum DC power consumption of no more than 0.5 Watts.
7. The active signal tap device of claim 1 , wherein said active component comprises:
a MMIC component.
8. The active signal tap device of claim 7 , wherein said MMIC component comprises:
discrete components including silicon or GaAs based transistors.
9. The active signal tap device of claim 1 , wherein an output of said second diplex port is connected to said at least one active tap output.
10. The active signal tap device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first signal splitter connected to an output of the second diplex port and having a plurality of first signal splitter output ports;
a set of second signal splitters connected to the first signal splitter, each of said second signal splitters having a plurality of second signal splitter output ports; and
a plurality of tap ports, each of said plurality of tap ports connecting a respective second signal splitter output port to a respective one of said at least one signal tap output.
11. The active signal tap device of claim 10 , wherein
said plurality of first signal splitter output ports comprise two first signal splitter output ports; and
said plurality of second signal splitter output ports comprise two second signal splitter output ports.
12. The active signal tap device of claim 10 , wherein said plurality of first signal splitter output ports comprise:
two first signal splitter output ports.
13. The active signal tap device of claim 10 , wherein said plurality of second signal splitter output ports comprise
two second signal splitter output ports.
14. The active signal tap device of claim 1 , further comprising one of:
a signal output port connected to an output of said second power passing choke; and
a terminus connected to an output of said second power passing choke.
15. The active signal tap device of claim 1 , further comprising:
the first diplex filter comprising a first low-pass filter;
a second diplex filter comprising a second low-pass filter; and
a feedback circuit coupling the second low-pass filter to the first low-pass filter;
wherein said feedback circuit comprises:
an attenuator between the first and second low-pass filters.
16. The active signal tap unit of claim 1 , further comprising:
an environmentally secure housing configured to house said active component.
17. The active signal tap unit of claim 16 , wherein the environmentally secure housing comprises:
RFI protection.
18. The active signal tap unit of claim 16 , wherein the environmentally secure housing comprises one of:
a housing configured to be mounted indoors; and
a housing configured to be strand mounted outdoors.
19. The active signal tap unit of claim 1 , wherein the active component comprises one of:
an active component which can be cable powered; and
an active component which can be AC line powered.
20. A signal distribution system, comprising:
one of a passive tap and a first active signal tap;
and a second active signal tap connected to the first active signal tap, said first and second active signal taps each including:
a signal input;
a signal output;
a signal tap output;
a single directional coupler in series between the signal input and the signal output, the single directional coupler providing a single data signal tap to a combined port of a diplex filter; and an active component coupled to an output of the diplex filter;
a first AC power passing choke;
a second AC power passing choke connected to the first AC power passing choke;
an AC output tap between the first and second AC power passing chokes;
an AC to DC power supply connected to the AC output tap;
an amplifier connected to the DC power supply;
a circuit in parallel to the two AC power passing chokes, said circuit comprising a first capacitor connected to the directional coupler connected to second capacitor;
the first diplex filter connected to an output of the directional coupler and comprising a first high-pass filter and a first low-pass filter;
a first attenuator connecting an output of the first high-pass filter to an input to the amplifier;
and a second diplex filter port connected to an output of the amplifier and comprising a second high-pass filter and a second low-pass filter.
21. The signal distribution system of claim 20 , wherein said active component comprises:
a noise figure of no more than 3 dB.
22. The signal distribution system of claim 20 , wherein said active component comprises:
a bandwidth of 20 MHz-1.5 GHz.
23. The signal distribution system of claim 20 , wherein said active component comprises:
a gain configured to provide an 18 dBmV output signal at said at least one signal tap output.
24. The signal distribution system of claim 20 , wherein said active component comprises:
an input impedance of approximately 75 ohms; and
an output impedance of approximately 75 ohms.
25. The signal distribution system of claim 20 , wherein said active component comprises:
an active component configured to provide an RF output of approximately 18 dBmV with a maximum DC power consumption of no more than 0.5 Watts.
26. The signal distribution system of claim 20 , wherein said active component comprises:
a MMIC component.
27. The signal distribution system of claim 20 , wherein said MMIC component comprises:
discrete components including silicon or GaAs based transistors.
28. The signal distribution system of claim 20 , wherein an output of said second diplex filter port is connected to said at least one active tap output.
29. The signal distribution system of claim 20 , wherein at least one of said first and second active taps further comprise:
a first signal splitter connected to an output of the second diplex filter port and having a plurality of first signal splitter output ports;
a set of second signal splitters connected to the first signal splitter, each of said second signal splitters having a plurality of second signal splitter output ports; and
a plurality of tap ports, each of said plurality of tap ports connecting a respective second signal splitter output port to a respective one of said at least one signal tap output.
30. The signal distribution system of claim 20 , further comprising:
a signal source connected to said first active tap.
31. The signal distribution system of claim 20 , wherein one of the first and second active tap comprises:
an environmentally secure housing configured to house said corresponding active component.
32. The signal distribution system of claim 31 , wherein the environmentally secure housing comprises:
RFI protection.
33. The signal distribution system of claim 31 , wherein the environmentally secure housing comprises one of:
a housing configured to be mounted indoors; and
a housing configured to be strand mounted outdoors.
34. The signal distribution system of claim 20 , wherein one of the first and second active tap comprises one of:
an active component which can be cable powered; and
an active component which can be AC line powered.