Abstract: A CMTS may instruct one or more cable modems to transmit an upstream test signal with a particular preamble (and or any other type of signature) in the upstream transmission bandwidth. The preamble may be within a significant band of the upstream transmission bandwidth. A leakage detection device may be brought in the vicinity of the cable network to listen for various signals. The leakage detection device may filter received signals to retain the portions thereof within a desired limited band and further filter the band-limited signals to reduce noise, e.g., removing the payload following the preamble. A correlation filter in the leakage detection device may compare the pattern in the band-limited filtered signal with a stored preamble. If there is a match, the leakage detection device may generate an indication that leakage is detected in the upstream transmission.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus providing common path distortion (CPD) detection from a field instrument, particularly when the source of the common path distortion is at a portion of the network beyond the subscriber's tap.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting leakage in a cable network system are disclosed. In at least some illustrative embodiments, a system may include a digital tagger operable to generate a digital tag including a chirp signal configured to be placed on a downstream signal path of the cable network system, and a cable network test instrument configured detect the digital tag in wireless signal data received from the cable network system when a point of ingress is presented in the cable network system. The network test instrument may be operable to provide a user-perceptible indication when the digital tag is detected to inform a technician or other user that a flaw in the cable network system is nearby.

Abstract: A network test instrument is operable to conduct sweep tests with a cable modem termination system having a distributed architecture. Through signaling performed via a telemetry channel between the network test instrument and a sweep server, the network test instrument can initiate the sweep test. The sweep server communicates with the cable modem termination system to facilitate the sweep test between the network test instrument and the cable modem termination system.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for per-channel MER calibration and determination on a multi-channel receiver.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting leakage in a cable network system are disclosed. In at least some illustrative embodiments, a system may include a digital tagger operable to generate a digital tag including a chirp signal configured to be placed on a downstream signal path of the cable network system, and a cable network test instrument configured detect the digital tag in wireless signal data received from the cable network system when a point of ingress is presented in the cable network system. The network test instrument may be operable to provide a user-perceptible indication when the digital tag is detected to inform a technician or other user that a flaw in the cable network system is nearby.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus providing common path distortion (CPD) detection from a field instrument, particularly when the source of the common path distortion is at a portion of the network beyond the subscriber's tap.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for per-channel MER calibration and determination on a multi-channel receiver.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus providing common path distortion (CPD) detection from a field instrument, particularly when the source of the common path distortion is at a portion of the network beyond the subscriber's tap.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting leakage in a cable network system are disclosed. In at least some illustrative embodiments, a system may include a digital tagger operable to generate a digital tag including a chirp signal configured to be placed on a downstream signal path of the cable network system, and a cable network test instrument configured detect the digital tag in wireless signal data received from the cable network system when a point of ingress is presented in the cable network system. The network test instrument may be operable to provide a user-perceptible indication when the digital tag is detected to inform a technician or other user that a flaw in the cable network system is nearby.

Abstract: A TDR technique for performing in-service distance-to-fault measurements in cable TV networks is disclosed. Using a cable network tester configured to generate chirped probe pulses and to perform pulse-matched filtering and averaging of received echoes, network faults may be detected without interfering with the downstream reception. The probe pulse transmission may be timed to take advantage of the error correction coding in the network.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for per-channel MER calibration and determination on a multi-channel receiver.

Abstract: A TDR technique for performing in-service distance-to-fault measurements in cable TV networks is disclosed. Using a cable network tester configured to generate chirped probe pulses and to perform pulse-matched filtering and averaging of received echoes, network faults may be detected without interfering with the downstream reception. The probe pulse transmission may be timed to take advantage of the error correction coding in the network.

Abstract: A network test instrument is operable to conduct sweep tests with a cable modem termination system having a distributed architecture. Through signaling performed via a telemetry channel between the network test instrument and a sweep server, the network test instrument can initiate the sweep test. The sweep server communicates with the cable modem termination system to facilitate the sweep test between the network test instrument and the cable modem termination system.

Abstract: A network test instrument is operable to conduct sweep tests with a cable modem termination system having a distributed architecture. Through signaling performed via a telemetry channel between the network test instrument and a sweep server, the network test instrument can initiate the sweep test. The sweep server communicates with the cable modem termination system to facilitate the sweep test between the network test instrument and the cable modem termination system.

Abstract: A TDR technique for performing in-service distance-to-fault measurements in cable TV networks is disclosed. Using a cable network tester configured to generate chirped probe pulses and to perform pulse-matched filtering and averaging of received echoes, network faults may be detected without interfering with the downstream reception. The probe pulse transmission may be timed to take advantage of the error correction coding in the network.

Abstract: Methods and devices for characterization of repetitious noise in cable networks are disclosed. A frequency band of interest is identified, a time trace of a signal parameter within the frequency band is obtained, and an autocorrelation of the time trace is computed to detect repetitious noise. The repetition frequency can serve as an indicator of the noise source type, and thus it can assist in noise segmentation.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting leakage in a cable network system are disclosed. In at least some illustrative embodiments, a system may include a digital tagger operable to generate a digital tag including a chirp signal configured to be placed on a downstream signal path of the cable network system, and a cable network test instrument configured detect the digital tag in wireless signal data received from the cable network system when a point of ingress is presented in the cable network system. The network test instrument may be operable to provide a user-perceptible indication when the digital tag is detected to inform a technician or other user that a flaw in the cable network system is nearby.

Abstract: A TDR technique for performing in-service distance-to-fault measurements in cable TV networks is disclosed. Using a cable network tester configured to generate chirped probe pulses and to perform pulse-matched filtering and averaging of received echoes, network faults may be detected without interfering with the downstream reception. The probe pulse transmission may be timed to take advantage of the error correction coding in the network.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for obtaining an upstream signal spectrum as it was during a time of transmission of a received upstream data packet. The apparatus includes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a packet detector coupled to ADC, and a spectrum calculation unit coupled to the ADC and the packet detector. In operation, the spectrum calculation unit computes a spectrum of the digitized upstream signal as it was between the start and end times of the first packet. As a result, the obtained spectrum is representative of a condition of the transmission path during transmission of the upstream data packet.