Smart taps

Abstract

Mitigating noise in a network is contemplated, such as but not necessarily limited to mitigating noise through a detection process whereby noise deviations resulting from selectively controlling smart taps, switches or other devices to block signaling in the network may be used to locate sources of noise.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for mitigating noise in a network, the network employing a bounded medium to facilitate carrying signals between a termination and a plurality of taps, the method comprising:
 determining a noise at the termination resulting from ingress signaling funneled thereto from the taps; and   determining one or more mitigation switches capable of being controlled from a closed position to an opened position to facilitate mitigating the noise, the mitigation switches being determined from a plurality of switches deployed within the bounded medium.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising determining the mitigation switches to corresponding with the one or more of the switches needed to isolate signaling associated with a source of the noise. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising determining a closest switch of the mitigation switches when two or more of the mitigation switches are determined, the closest switch being the mitigation switch closest to the source. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising:
 determining a switch location within the bounded medium for the closest switch; and 
 determining a noise location within the bounded medium for the source as the switch location of the closest switch. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising determining the mitigation switches using a detection process, the detection process iteratively controlling the mitigation switches and additional switches of the switches between the opened and closed positions to determine a combination of the switches sufficient to isolate the source. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising executing the detection process without disrupting services being accessed by clients connected to the taps. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising iteratively controlling the switches to the opened position for a duration insufficient to interrupt services for clients connected to the taps. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising iteratively controlling the switches to the opened position for a duration not to exceed a threshold, the threshold corresponding with a length of time needed to disconnect clients connected to the taps. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising controlling the switches between the opened and closed positions using wireless signaling transmitted thereto independently of the bounded medium. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising controlling the switches between the opened and closed positions using signaling transmitted thereto over the bounded medium. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 determining addresses uniquely associated with each of the switches; and 
 addressing control messages to the addresses of the mitigation switches, the control messages controlling the switch in receipt thereof from the closed position to the opened positioned such that signaling capable of passing through the switch while in the closed position is prevented from passing through the switch while in the opened position. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising embedding the switches within a housing associated with the taps. 
     
     
         13 . The method  claim 1  further comprising attaching the switches to an exterior of a housing associated with the taps. 
     
     
         14 . The method  claim 11  further comprising attaching the switches to coaxial cable connectors extending from the exterior of the housings. 
     
     
         15 . A method for detecting a source of noise in a hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) network comprising:
 measuring a benchmark noise in the HFC network at a termination device, the termination device being positioned at a convergence in the HFC network where signaling commonly funnels from a plurality of taps;   measuring a first noise at the termination device at a first instance coinciding with one or more first switches of a plurality of switches deployed within the HFC being controlled from a closed position to an opened position;   measuring a second noise at the termination device at a second instance coinciding with one or more second switches of the switches being controlled from the closed position to the opened position; and   comparing the benchmark noise to the first and second noises to detect the source of the noise.   
     
     
         16 . The method  claim 15  further comprising controlling the first and second switches from the closed position to the opened position using wirelessly transmitted control messages. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising specifying a bounce within the control messages, the bounce specifying a length of time for the switch in receipt thereof to be in the opened position before automatically returning to the closed position. 
     
     
         18 . A system for detecting a source of noise in a hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) network, the HFC network including a headend, a cable modem termination system (CMTS) or other termination to exchange signals with clients connected thereto through one or more of a plurality of taps, the taps providing access to a bounded medium used to exchange the signals between the clients and the termination, the system comprising:
 a plurality of switches connected to the bounded medium at one or more of the taps and/or at locations upstream thereof, the switches being independently controllable between an opened position and a closed position to corresponding block and pass the signals being exchanged therethrough over the bounded medium; and   a detection device at the termination for detecting a source of noise in the HFC network based on variations in noise measurements made at the termination while different combinations of the switches are being controlled to the opened position.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the detection device wirelessly transmits control messages to the switches independently of the bounded medium to control the switches to the opened position, the control messages specifying a length in time for the switch in receipt thereof to be in the opened position before automatically returning to the closed position. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18  wherein at least a portion of the switches are solid-state devices included within a housing having at least one fitting and at least one connector, the fitting being shaped to fit over a corresponding coaxial-cable connector included on the attached-to tap and the connector being shaped to mirror the coaxial-cable connector being fitted over.