A choke comprising a ferrite core (202) having a first diameter (204); a conductor (206) wound around the core into a plurality of windings characteristic to a first frequency range of the RF signals, wherein a first end (206a) of said windings is substantially aligned with a first end (202a) of the core (202) and a subset of said windings (206b), from a second end of said windings, extends beyond a second end of the core (202b) or surrounds a length of the second end of the core, wherein said length of the second end of the core has a second smaller diameter (208), for extending an upper frequency edge of the first frequency range.

A choke comprising a ferrite core (202) having a first diameter (204); a conductor (206) wound around the core into a plurality of windings characteristic to a first frequency range of the RF signals, wherein a first end (206a) of said windings is substantially aligned with a first end (202a) of the core (202) and a subset of said windings (206b), from a second end of said windings, extends beyond a second end of the core (202b) or surrounds a length of the second end of the core, wherein said length of the second end of the core has a second smaller diameter (208), for extending an upper frequency edge of the first frequency range.

A cable distribution system includes a head end connected to a plurality of customer devices through a transmission network that includes a remote fiber node, that converts received data to analog data suitable to be provided on a coaxial cable for the plurality of customer devices. The cable distribution system includes a license manager.

Systems and methods provide live broadcasts with real-time feedback from viewers using mobile computing devices. An example method includes providing a live feed broadcast from a source mobile device to a plurality of viewing devices, receiving, during the live feed broadcast, a plurality of feedback signals, each feedback signal being from at least one of the plurality of viewing devices, and associating each feedback signal with a respective time in the live feed broadcast. The method further includes providing, for each feedback signal in the plurality of feedback signals, an indication of the feedback signal to the source mobile device and to each viewing device of the plurality of viewing devices, the indication being used to display a symbol representing the feedback signal as an animation, the animation moving the symbol on a path during display and lasting for a predetermined time subsequent to the respective time.

A method and apparatus to create and transmit transport multiplexes comprising one or more levels of service over a network. In one embodiment, the level of service comprises high definition (HD) content or programs, and the transmitted multiplexes are distributed over a plurality of downstream RF carriers in a cable network simultaneously. A head-end architecture for performing the multiplexing and distribution of multiple HD programs over the multiple carriers (i.e., in a “wideband” configuration) is disclosed. CPE having one or more wideband tuners is also disclosed, the CPE being adapted to receive the multiplexed HD content from the various RF carriers, and demultiplex it in order to permit decoding and subsequent viewing by the user. The use of multiple HD source programs with the multiplex advantageously provides for enhanced statistical multiplexing by providing a larger “pool” of constituent inputs and available carriers.

The existing Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) carriers generated by field test equipment or by the CATV subscriber modems are used to determine the amplitude response of the return band in a CATV system.

According to an example implementation, a method may include transmitting, by a user device to a base station in a wireless network, a system information request for on-demand system information during a random access procedure, where the system information request is a request for one or more parameters that enable the user device to communicate in the wireless network, receiving, by the user device from the base station, an indication of a wait period in which the user device waits before obtaining the on-demand system information, waiting, by the user device, a time duration during the wait period, and monitoring, by the user device after expiration of the wait period, a system information window in which a system information message having the on-demand system information is broadcasted by the base station.

Techniques are disclosed for managing media playback among an ad hoc group of playback devices. Such techniques may involve building a session among the playback devices in which playback devices communicate information regarding their playback capabilities. Based on the playback capabilities of the devices, playback mode may be derived for the session. Playback operations may be synchronized among the devices that are members of the session, in which devices receive identification of asset(s) to be rendered pursuant to the playback operation and timing information of playback of the asset. The devices may stream the playback assets directly from media sources when they are capable of doing so. In this manner, communication resources are conserved.

A network element of a cable television network includes at least a first and a second upstream amplifier stage, a first attenuator and a first equalizer between the first and the second amplifier stage, and a second attenuator after the second upstream amplifier stage in upstream signal path direction. A target value is determined for total attenuation of the components of the amplifier. The total attenuation is a sum of attenuations of the first attenuator, the first equalizer, and the second attenuator. The attenuation of the first equalizer is preset. The attenuation of the first attenuator is set to a maximum value such the sum of the attenuations of the first attenuator and the first equalizer is below a first threshold value. The attenuation of the second attenuator is set such that the total attenuation reaches the target value.

In one embodiment, a system includes a CATV node, a first device, and at least one micro distribution system. The CATV node transmits CATV RF signals to the first device, which converts the RF signals to optical signals. Each micro distribution system includes a micro node receiving the optical signals from the first device and converting the optical signals to RF signals. Each micro distribution system further includes at least two strings of taps independently coupled to the micro node and receiving the RF signals from the micro node. Each string of taps is terminated at an end by a low pass filter (LPF). For each string of taps, the received RF signals are passed from the micro node along the taps and blocked by the LPF, while a powering signal is passed along the taps and through the LPF.