IP Library Granted Patent US 12,418,323
Granted Patent B2
US 12,418,323 · App. 18/762,571 · Granted Sep 16, 2025

Distortion-optimized transmission in hybrid fiber coax networks

Inventors: Rainer Strobel (Munich, DE); Thushara Hewavithana (Chandler, AZ)
Assignee: MaxLinear, Inc.
H04B3/04H04L5/006
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,418,323
App. No.
18/762,571
Granted
Sep 16, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A node circuit associated with a hybrid fiber coax (HFC) network is disclosed. The node circuit includes an optimizer circuit configured to process a plurality of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) values associated with a plurality of subcarriers, respectively, associated with a set of cable modem (CM) circuits coupled to the node circuit. In some embodiments, at least one subcarrier is allocated to the set of CM circuits for communication with the node circuit. In some embodiments, the optimizer circuit is further configured to determine an optimal transmit power of the node circuit, based on the plurality of SNR values and a transmitter distortion of a transmitter circuit associated with the node circuit. In some embodiments, the transmitter distortion defines a transmitter distortion associated with the transmitter circuit in terms of a total transmit power of the node circuit.

Claims (27)

1. A method, comprising:

transmitting, to first network equipment, a performance indicator value related to a second network equipment connected to a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) network;

receiving, from the first network equipment, information related to an operating parameter related to the second network equipment, the information related to the operating parameter having been determined based on the performance indicator value; and

adjusting the operating parameter based on the information related to the operating parameter, wherein the operating parameter represents a controllable transmission characteristic related to a communication with the second network equipment.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first network equipment includes a CMTS circuit.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second network equipment includes a cable modem.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second network equipment includes a small cell equipment.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the small cell equipment includes a femtocell.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the performance indicator value includes a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) value.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the operating parameter facilitates a reduction of a transmission power level related to the communication with the second network equipment.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the operating parameter further comprises determining an optimal transmit power related to the communication with the second network equipment.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the optimal transmit power is determined based on signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) values.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the optimal transmit power is determined in view of a transmitter distortion of a transmitter circuit.

11. A node circuit associated with a hybrid fiber coax (HFC) network, comprising:

an optimizer circuit configured to:

transmit, to first network equipment, a performance indicator value related to a second network equipment connected to a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) network;

receive, from the first network equipment, information related to an operating parameter related to the second network equipment, the information related to the operating parameter having been determined based on the performance indicator value; and

adjust the operating parameter based on the information related to the operating parameter, wherein the operating parameter represents a controllable transmission characteristic related to a communication with the second network equipment.

12. The node circuit of claim 11 , wherein the first network equipment includes a CMTS circuit.

13. The node circuit of claim 11 , wherein the second network equipment includes a cable modem.

14. The node circuit of claim 11 , wherein the second network equipment includes a small cell equipment.

15. The node circuit of claim 14 , wherein the small cell equipment includes a femtocell.

16. The node circuit of claim 11 , wherein the performance indicator value includes a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) value.

17. The node circuit of claim 11 , wherein when adjusting the operating parameter, the optimizer circuit is to provide a reduction of a transmission power level related to the communication with the second network equipment.

18. The node circuit of claim 11 , wherein when adjusting the operating parameter, the node circuit is further to determine an optimal transmit power related to the communication with the second network equipment.

19. The node circuit of claim 18 , wherein the optimal transmit power is determined based on signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) values.

20. The node circuit of claim 18 , wherein the optimal transmit power is determined in view of a transmitter distortion of a transmitter circuit.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 22, 2026
From: MAXLINEAR, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 075800/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 8, 2024
From: STROBEL, RAINER; HEWAVITHANA, THUSHARA
To: MAXLINEAR, INC.
Reel/Frame 069216/0112 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17434383
Provisional Application 62810471 · Feb 26, 2019
Related Publication 20240356581A1 · Oct 24, 2024
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