POINT OF ENTRY (POE) SPLITTER HOUSING
The present invention is directed to a CATV & MoCA® device, such as a passive, point of entry (POE) splitter or a RF amplifier. In the passive, POE splitter, a resistive splitter network connects plural “MoCA® only” ports, e.g., four, five or eight, to two or more “MoCA® and CATV” ports. The MoCA® only ports and MoCA® and CATV ports are connected to a MoCA® rejection filter, which is in turn connected to an input connected to a service provider. In the passive, POE splitter or the RF amplifier, an intuitive female coaxial port layout and marking scheme assists technicians with correctly connecting the POE splitter or RF amplifier to the correct coaxial cables at a customer's premises. The port layout also simplifies the circuitry design parameters on a printed circuit board (PCB) by orienting the “CATV & MoCA®” output ports at similar distances from a CATV input port of the POE splitter or RF amplifier.
1 . A passive, CATV home network splitter device comprising:
a housing with a top face;
a female coaxial input port located proximate a first, central section of said top face, said input port for receiving downstream service provider signals and for transmitting upstream signals from customer devices to the service provider;
a second section of said top face, on one side of said first section, said second section including a plurality of first output ports, said plurality of first output ports for outputting service provider signals to customer devices and for receiving signals directed to the service provider, and said plurality of first output ports also for transmitting and receiving in-home network signals allowing customer devices within the home network to communicate with each other; and
a third section of said top face, on an opposite side of said first section, said third section including a plurality of second output ports, said plurality of second output ports for transmitting and receiving in-home network signals allowing customer devices within the home network to communicate with each other, wherein said plurality of second output ports do not output service provider signals to customer devices and do not pass customer device signals to the service provider.
2 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein upstream and downstream signals associated with said service provider signals reside within a frequency band of 5 to 1002 MHz, and wherein said in-home network signals reside within a MoCA® frequency band of 1125 to 1675 MHz.
3 . The device according to claim 2 , wherein said plurality of first output ports are labeled as CATV/MoCA® ports, and wherein said plurality of second output ports are labeled as MoCA® only ports.
4 . The device according to claim 2 , wherein said plurality of second output ports includes at least four ports.
5 . The device according to claim 2 , wherein said plurality of first output ports includes first, second and third output ports.
6 . A CATV home network device comprising:
a housing with a top face;
a input port located in a first section of said top face;
a plurality of first output ports located in a second section of said top face; and
a plurality of second output ports located in a third section of said top face wherein said first section is located between said second section and said third section on said top face.
7 . The device according to claim 6 , wherein said first section is characterized by a first color or colors, proximate said input port, said second section is characterized by a second color or colors proximate said plurality of first output ports, and said third section is characterized by a third color or colors proximate said plurality of said second output ports, and wherein said first color or colors are visually distinguishable from said second color or colors and said third color or colors, and wherein said second color or colors are visually distinguishable from said third color or colors.
8 . The device according to claim 6 , wherein said plurality of first output ports includes first and third female coaxial ports, each having a centrally located pin receiving portion, and wherein said input port is formed as a fourth female coaxial port having a pin receiving portion.
9 . The device according to claim 8 , wherein said pin receiving portion of said fourth female coaxial port is located a first distance from said pin receiving portion of said first female coaxial port, and wherein said pin receiving portion of said fourth female coaxial port is located a second distance from said pin receiving portion of said third female coaxial port, and wherein said first distance is approximately equal to said second distance.
10 . The device according to claim 9 , wherein said first distance is equal to said second distance.
11 . The device according to claim 9 , wherein said plurality of first output ports further includes a second female coaxial port having a centrally located pin receiving portion, and wherein said pin receiving portion of said fourth female coaxial port is located a third distance from said pin receiving portion of said second female coaxial port, and wherein said third distance is approximately equal to said first distance.
12 . The device according to claim 6 , wherein each of said input port, said plurality of first output ports and said plurality of second output ports is formed as a female coaxial port with a pin receiving portion, and further comprising:
dielectric inserts for each of said female coaxial ports, said dielectric inserts surrounding said pin receiving portions, wherein said dielectric inserts for said plurality of first output ports have a first shade, wherein said dielectric insert for said input port has a second shade, wherein said dielectric inserts for said plurality of second output ports have a third shade, wherein said first shade is visually distinguishable from said second shade and said third shade, and wherein said second shade is visually distinguishable from said third shade.
13 . The device according to claim 6 , wherein said input port is provided for receiving downstream service provider signals and for transmitting upstream signals from customer devices to the service provider.
14 . The device according to claim 13 , wherein said plurality of first output ports are provided for outputting service provider signals to customer devices and for receiving signals directed to the service provider, and said plurality of first output ports are also provided for transmitting and receiving in-home network signals allowing customer devices within the home network to communicate with each other.
15 . The device according to claim 14 , wherein said plurality of second output ports are provided for transmitting and receiving in-home network signals allowing customer devices within the home network to communicate with each other, and wherein said plurality of second output ports do not output service provider signals to customer devices and do not pass customer device signals to the service provider.
16 . A CATV home network device comprising:
a housing with a top face;
a input port located in a first section of said top face, said input port being formed as a female coaxial port with a pin receiving portion;
a plurality of first output ports located in a second section of said top face, each of said plurality of first output ports being formed as a female coaxial port with a pin receiving portion; and
a plurality of second output ports located in a third section of said top face, each of said plurality of second output ports being formed as a female coaxial port with a pin receiving portion, wherein said plurality of first output ports includes first and third female coaxial ports, and wherein said input port is formed as a fourth female coaxial port.
17 . The device according to claim 16 , wherein said pin receiving portion of said fourth female coaxial port is located a first distance from said pin receiving portion of said first female coaxial port, and wherein said pin receiving portion of said fourth female coaxial port is located a second distance from said pin receiving portion of said third female coaxial port, and wherein said first distance is approximately equal to said second distance.
18 . The device according to claim 17 , wherein said first distance is equal to said second distance.
19 . The device according to claim 17 , wherein said plurality of first output ports further includes a second female coaxial port, and wherein said pin receiving portion of said fourth female coaxial port is located a third distance from said pin receiving portion of said second female coaxial port, and wherein said third distance is approximately equal to said first distance.
20 . The device according to claim 16 , wherein said first section is located between said second section and said third section on said top face.