Appeal No. 2003-2027
Application No. 08/804,908
path. That is, head end unit 20 scans the return frequency range
and measures the power as a function of frequency in that range.
This data is then included in the message sent in the forward
direction. See page 6 of Appellants' specification.
Claim 1 is representative of Appellants' claimed invention
and is reproduced as follows:
1. A method for analyzing a bi-directional communication path
connecting a headend station to a remote station, said
communication path being used for sending and receiving messages,
messages in a forward direction being sent by modulating a
carrier at a forward frequency and messages sent in a return
direction being sent by modulating a carrier at a return
frequency, said method comprising the steps of:
sending a sign-on message in said forward direction from
said headend station;
monitoring said return frequency for a response message,
said response message being sent in response to said sign-on
message being received by a remote unit connected to said bi-
directional communication path, said monitoring step including
determining a power level for signals received at said return
frequency; and
sending an error message in said forward direction if no
response message is received on said return frequency and said
power level is greater than a threshold value.
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