The invention to which this application relates is to apparatus and a method for the distribution of audio and/or video data between and/ or within premises.

The provision and transmission of data to allow audio and video to be generated therefrom is well known and typically includes the use of satellite transmission systems, cable transmission systems and other shorter range wireless transmission systems to allow the data to be carried from a source to one or more end locations for use and at which end locations data processing apparatus is located to allow the data to be provided in a required format to end users and in response to selections made by the end users, such as in the form of video and/ or audio for a selected radio or television channel.

The invention is particularly, although not exclusively, directed towards the transmission of what is often referred to as Wideband (RTM) data. The signals can be said to be wideband when the message bandwidth significantly exceeds the coherence bandwidth of the channel. This is useful in transmission systems which have a relatively high data transmission rate and is also useful in the transmission of relatively low data rates which use the wide bandwidth in order to gain other advantages such as wide spectrum and/or improved quality in the video and/or audio which is subsequently generated from the data signals.

It is presently known that wideband data signals may be distributed using optic fibre cable systems but these systems typically use two parallel cables between locations, with one cable being provided to carry data signals of a first polarity and the second cable used to carry data signals of a second polarity. Alternatively, the two cables can be used to carry data signals at different wavelengths. This can therefore result in relatively expensive distribution systems having to be used and installed due to the additional lengths of cable required to be used and can also lead to the time for installation of such systems to be relatively long.

An aim of the present invention is therefore to provide a system for the distribution of wideband data signals in a more efficient and economical manner than is performed currently and therefore allow an increase in the use of wideband data signals and allow the advantages of the use of the same to be made available to more end users.

In a first aspect of the invention there is provided a system for the distribution of data signals between a first location and at least one further locations, with, at the first location, an output source of wideband data signals which are to be transmitted to said at least one further location, said system including means for the modulation of said data signals from the first location into an optical format and transmitted via a fibre optic cable network provided intermediate said first and at least one further locations and wherein, upstream of the modulation means the data signals are frequency stacked so as to enable the said data signals to be transmitted along a single cable within a single wavelength.

Typically the system utilises one optical fibre cable to distribute the said data signals between the said first and second.

In one embodiment, further single cable distribution means are used to distribute the data signals between the first and further location. In one embodiment the data signals are provided in Vertical Polarity and Horizontal Polarity formats and in one embodiment are initially provided at substantially the same frequency ranges.

In one embodiment at least one of the Horizontal or Vertical polarity outputs is upconverted so as to enable the same to be frequency stacked, with the other polarity data signals.

Typically said data signals are initially provided to the frequency stacking means in a wideband format.

In one embodiment at said second and/ or further locations there are provided frequency de-stacking means to allow the data signals to be provided in the original Vertical and Horizontal Polarity formats for further processing by apparatus at the second or further locations.

In one embodiment the once stacked at the first location, the frequency stacked data signals are transmitted from said first location to the second location and a plurality of further locations and at each of which the data signals in the same format are made available for further processing.

Typically the distribution of the data is from the first location to said second and further locations in different rooms or apartments within the same building or in different buildings.

In one embodiment the said data signal feed to the stacking means is from a satellite transmission system which allows the received data signals in the required frequency ranges to be processed by data processing means and then frequency stacked.

In one embodiment the data processing means includes a Low Noise Block (LNB) . In one embodiment the LNB is a wideband LNB, which has two outputs, one for Vertical Polarity data signals and one for Horizontal Polarity data signals.

In one embodiment the Vertical and Horizontal Polarity data signals are initially in the same frequency range, such as, for example, 290 to 2340MHz.

In one embodiment, the frequency stacking means receive the H and V polarity data signals and a stack within the range of 290 to 5450MHz is created with one of the V or H polarity data signals retained at the range 290 to 2340MHz, so that no frequency translation is required and the other of the V or H polarity data signals are converted up, such as to the higher frequency range 3400 to 5450MHz, so that the output from the frequency stacking means is in a stacked configuration over a single wavelength and along the single cable.

Typically the data signals of the stacked frequency range, such as 950 to 5450MHz is modulated onto a laser, and carried over a distribution system such as a Passive Optical Network (PON) . Typically, a Gateway Terminal Unit (GTU) at the second and further locations unstacks the stacked frequency range data signals and then those data signals in the frequency range and polarity which has been upconverted by the frequency stacking means are down converted so that the V and H Polarity data is provided at the original frequency ranges as was received at the first location for further processing by conventional apparatus such as to provide audio and/or video.

In a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method for the distribution of data signals between a first and at least one further location, and providing, at the first location, an output of wideband data signals and transmitting said data signals in an optical format to the at least one further location via a single fibre optic cable network provided intermediate said first and at least one further location and wherein, upstream of modulation of the data signals into an optical format at the first location, said data signals are frequency stacked so as to enable the said data signals to be transmitted along said cable within a single wavelength.

In one embodiment the said data signals are received at the first location in a vertical polarity format and a horizontal polarity format and at least one of said outputs is upconverted to allow the two outputs to be subsequently stacked.

Specific embodiments of the invention are now described with respect to the accompanying drawings; wherein

Figure 1 illustrates schematically a distribution system in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; and

Figures 2a and b illustrate the stacking and de-stacking of the data signals in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

Turning firstly to Figure 1 there is illustrated schematically part of a premises 2 which is to be provided with data signals in a wideband format.

The distribution system in this embodiment includes a satellite antenna 4 mounted on the external surface of a wall 6 of the building and the antenna is provided to reflect data signals from one or more satellites onto data processing means 8 mounted on an arm 10 to the front of the antenna 4. The data processing means includes a feed horn and a waveguide of a suitable form to receive wideband data signals and allows the data signals at the desired frequency to pass therealong to reach a LNB and in turn frequency stacking means which will be described in more detail with regard to Figures 2a and b.

The data signals are passed from a first location to further locations 14,16,18 along a single fibre optic cable 12 via a distribution system within the premises which allows the data signal to be distributed to the further locations 14, 16,18 in this embodiment, and, at each of these locations, data processing apparatus is provided which allows the processing of the data into audio and/ or video and allows user interaction therewith to control the operation of the service.

Referring now to Figures 2a and b the invention, in one embodiment is described in more detail.

There is provided at the LNB 20, which is a Wideband LNB, data processing means 8, first and second outputs providing respectively a Vertical Polarity output 22 at a Frequency range of 290-2340MHz and a Horizontal Polarity output 24 at a frequency range of 290-2340MHz. Downstream from the LNB 20, one of the outputs, in this embodiment output 24, the frequency is upconverted 26 such that these data signals are then carried at a frequency range of 3400-5450MHz 28. The data signal paths 22,28 then pass through to frequency stacking apparatus 30 at which the Vertical Polarity and Horizontal Polarity data paths 22, 28 are stacked onto a single output 32 and are then modulated 34 into a fibre optic output form 36 so that all of the data signals are carried on the single fibre optic cable having a predetermined wavelength capacity such as, and in a non-limiting manner, 1310 nm, 1550nm or 850nm so that all of the data signals can be passed along the single optical cable 38 to the output. In Figure 2b there is illustrated the apparatus provided at each of the further locations 14, 16, 18. When the single optical data signals cable 38 reaches the locations the output of the cable is connected to a GTU 19 at each further location which enables the optical data signals to be demodulated 40 and then destacked 42 to form two outputs, output 44 for the Vertical Polarity format data signals and output 46 for the Horizontal polarity data signals. The output 46 is then downconverted 48 so as to return to the frequency range at which the data signals were originally carried, 290-2340 MHz and therefore provide the expected wideband data signal output 50 along with output 44 to the apparatus at each of the said locations for further processing.

The invention therefore provides for the distribution of wideband data signals without the requirement for dual cabling installation and therefore allows a more economical and efficient installation to be performed whilst allowing the data signals to be made available at a plurality of locations for subsequent processing.