Leakage detection for cable TV systems with upstream signals above 118 MHz

1. A method of cable network leakage detection, comprising

transmitting signals configured for a special use purpose from a plurality of household cable modems directly into a cable upstream spectrum;

using either a time or frequency multiplexing method for the signals configured for the special use purpose;

controlling time sequencing of the signals with a controlling device; and

finding, with a handheld leakage detection device and without using detection time stamps, one or more leakage sources in the cable network when the signals are detected in over-the-air spectrum by the handheld leakage detection device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising measuring over-the-air spectrum in search of the signals configured for the special use purpose.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signals configured for a special use purpose are pilot tones and/or subcarriers and/or the spectral content of subcarriers.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the pilot tones and/or subcarriers and/or spectral content are contained within OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) signaling.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the OFDMA signals are OUDP burst signals.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the controlling device is a headend device or a remote PHY node.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of household cable modems transmit the signals in a round-robin and time-sequenced manner.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of household cable modems transmit the signals with each modem transmitting on a unique frequency.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the household cable modems comprise DOCSIS standard modems.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signals configured for a special use purpose comprise a continuous signal type.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signals configured for a special use purpose comprise a non-continuous signal type.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signals include a modulated signal type.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signals include a non-modulated signal type.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising repairing the leakage sources found in any portion of the cable network including both the drop side and network side.

15. A cable network leakage detection system, comprising

a controlling device configured to

cause a plurality of household cable modems to transmit signals configured for a special use purpose directly into a cable upstream spectrum for purposes of finding one or more leakage sources in the cable network when the signals are detected in over-the-air spectrum,

use either a time or frequency multiplexing method for the signals configured for the special use purpose, and

control time sequencing of the signals; and

a handheld receiver configured to find, without using detection time stamps, the one or more leakage sources in the cable network when the signals are detected in over-the-air spectrum by the handheld receiver.

16. The cable network leakage detection system of claim 15 , wherein the receiver is configured to sample over-the-air spectrum in search of the signals configured for the special use purpose.

17. A method of cable network leakage detection, comprising

causing a plurality of cable modems to transmit signals configured for a special use purpose directly into a cable upstream spectrum, comprising

using either a time or frequency multiplexing method for the signals, and

controlling time sequencing of the signals;

identifying one or more leakage locations when the signals are detected with a moving vehicle in over-the-air spectrum when the vehicle is in range of one or more leakage sources; and

finding, with a handheld leakage detection device and without using detection time stamps, the one or more leakage sources at the one or more leakage locations when the signals are detected in over-the-air spectrum by the handheld leakage detection device.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein a leakage location of the one or more leakage locations comprises an area covering multiple houses.