Icon-based home certification, in-home leakage testing, and antenna matching pad
A method for determining the magnitude of leakage in a subscriber's premises CATV installation; a frequency multiplexer for coupling between an antenna and a receiver for the multiplexed frequencies; and, a method for a technician to certify a CATV subscriber's premises for the provision of CATV services are disclosed.
1. An instrument for determining leakage at a subscriber's premises in a cable television (CATV) network, the instrument comprising:
an antenna that receives (i) a first test signal having a first frequency in a first band and a first signal level and (ii) a second test signal having a second frequency in an Long Term Evolution (LTE) band and a second signal level, the first and second test signals being radiated from at least one oscillator connected to the subscriber's premises CATV network for determining a leak in cable wiring at the subscriber's premises, wherein the first and second signal levels are each 40 dB to 70 dB above a third signal level of a cable signal supplied by the CATV network to provide a high power offset between the first and second signal levels and the third signal level, and the third signal level is in a range of −5 dBmV to 0 dBmV; and
a signal level meter electrically coupled to the antenna to receive the first and second test signals from the antenna, the signal level meter being configured to measure the first signal level of the first test signal and the second signal level of the second test signal and to generate an output signal to cause a graphical indication of the measured first and second signal levels to be presented on a display, wherein the graphical indication includes a field strength of at least one of the first and second test signals,
wherein the instrument is portable to be transported around the subscriber's premises to locate the leak.
2. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the first frequency is about 138 MHz.
3. The instrument of claim 2 , wherein the first frequency is about 139.25 MHz.
4. The instrument of claim 2 , wherein the second frequency is about 750 MHz.
5. The instrument of claim 3 , wherein the second frequency is about 757.5 MHz.
6. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the second frequency is about 750 MHz.
7. The instrument of claim 6 , wherein the second frequency is about 757.5 MHz.
8. The instrument of claim 1 , further comprising a global positioning system (GPS) receiver to track movement of the instrument around the subscriber's premises.
9. A portable instrument system for determining a magnitude of leakage in a subscriber's premises Cable Television (CATV) network, the portable instrument system comprising:
an antenna that receives from the CATV network at least two test frequency signals radiated from at least one oscillator connected to the subscriber's premises CATV network, the at least two test frequency signals including a first test frequency signal having a first test frequency level and a second test frequency signal having a second test frequency level different than the first test frequency level, a signal level provided by the CATV network being in a range of −5 dBmV to 0 dBmV, and the first test frequency signal and second test frequency signal being at a level in a range of 40 dB to 70 dB above the signal level provided by the CATV network to provide a high power offset between signal levels for the first and second test frequency signals and the signal level provided by the CATV network;
a signal level meter that electrically couples to the antenna, analyzes the at least two test frequency signals to detect a presence of leakage at the subscriber's premises CATV network, and outputs an indication for display on a display screen in response to the presence of leakage wherein the indication includes a field strength of at least one of the first and second test frequency signals; and
an antenna matching pad that electrically and physically couples the antenna and the signal level meter and including at least one filter,
wherein the antenna matching pad receives the first test frequency signal and the second test frequency signal from the antenna, provides the first test frequency signal to the signal level meter via the at least one filter, and provides the second test frequency signal to the signal level meter via the at least one filter.
10. The portable instrument system of claim 9 , wherein the first test frequency level is about 750 MHz.
11. The portable instrument system of claim 9 , wherein the first test frequency level is within a Long Term Evolution (LTE) frequency band.
12. The portable instrument system of claim 9 , wherein the second test frequency level is about 138 MHz.
13. The portable instrument system of claim 9 , wherein the antenna matching pad includes:
a first connector coupleable to the antenna;
a second connector coupleable to the signal level meter;
an enclosure body coupled between and at least partially surrounded by the first connector and the second connector;
a sleeve surrounded by the enclosure body, the first connector, and the second connector; and
a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly having a PCB, a first pin electrically coupled between the PCB and the first connector, and a second pin electrically coupled between the PCB and the second connector, wherein the PCB assembly is at least partially surrounded by the sleeve.
14. A portable instrument system for determining a magnitude of leakage in a subscriber's premises Cable Television (CATV) network, the portable instrument system comprising:
an antenna that receives from the CATV network at least two test frequency signals radiated from at least one oscillator connected to the subscriber's premises CATV network, the at least two test frequency signals including a first test frequency signal having a first test frequency level and a second test frequency signal having a second test frequency level different than the first test frequency level, a signal level provided by the CATV network being in a range of −5 dBmV to 0 dBmV, and the first test frequency signal and second test frequency signal being at a level in a range of 40 dB to 70 dB above the signal level provided by the CATV network to provide a high power offset between signal levels for the first and second test frequency signals and the signal level provided by the CATV network;
a frequency multiplexer coupling the at least two test frequency signals between the antenna and a receiver, wherein the frequency multiplexer includes a low pass filter and a high pass filter for passing different frequencies to the receiver, and
a signal level meter that electrically couples to the antenna, analyzes the at least two test frequency signals to detect a presence of leakage at the subscriber's premises CATV network, and outputs an indication for display on a display screen in response to the presence of leakage wherein the indication includes a field strength of at least one of the first and second test frequency signals.
15. The portable instrument system of claim 14 , wherein the first test frequency level is about 750 MHz.
16. The portable instrument system of claim 14 , wherein the first test frequency level is within a Long Term Evolution (LTE) frequency band.
17. The portable instrument system of claim 14 , wherein the second test frequency level is about 138 MHz.
18. The portable instrument system of claim 14 , comprising:
a first connector coupleable to the antenna;
a second connector coupleable to the signal level meter;
an enclosure body coupled between and at least partially surrounded by the first connector and the second connector;
a sleeve surrounded by the enclosure body, the first connector, and the second connector; and
a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly having a PCB, a first pin electrically coupled between the PCB and the first connector, and a second pin electrically coupled between the PCB and the second connector, wherein the PCB assembly is at least partially surrounded by the sleeve.
19. The portable instrument system of claim 14 , wherein the signal level meter measures a peak of each of the first and second test frequency signals.
20. The portable instrument system of claim 14 , wherein the signal level meter measures a gain of leakage in cable wiring.