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ReversepathdesignforDOCSIS3.0andbeyondPart1:ThelongloopALC
ByLamarWest,systemengineeringconsultantforCiscoSystemsInc.
CedMagazine.com December01,2008
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Oneofthreerelatedarticles.Theothertwoare:
Part2:OpticalLinkDynamicRangeandPart3:LinkBudgetandSystemSetUp

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ThedemandsofDOCSIS3.0and64QAM(quadratureamplitudemodulation)intheupstreammakeitnecessarytorevisit
ournetworkdesignapproach.Thenetworksmustbeapproachedfromanoverallperspectivethatconsiderscable
modemterminationsystem(CMTS),HFCnetworkandsubscriberdevices(modemsandsettopboxes)aspartofan
overallunifiedsystemdesign.
Thosewhohavebeeninthebusinessforseveralyearsknowtheimportanceofunderstandingandcarefullyoptimizing
theoverallsystem(headendtosettopbox)forthedownstreamdeliveryofservices.Allofthedownstream
characterizationtechniquescompositetriplebeat(CTB),compositesecondorder(CSO),carrier tonoiseratio(CNR),
etc.havebeenbasedonathoroughunderstandingoftherequirementsoftheservicestobecarried.Itisequally
importanttodevelopasystemlevelunderstandingoftheupstreamnetworkinordertooptimizethedesignforvoice,
videoanddatatraffic.
OneofthemostmisunderstoodaspectsoftheDOCSISnetworkistheupstreamlongloopautomaticlevelcontrol(ALC).
ConventionalHFCplantdesignshaveutilizedautomaticgaincontrol(AGC)/ALCnetworksthatoperateonindividual
components(amplifiers,nodes,etc.).However,inthedownstreamthereisnooverall,networkwideAGC/ALC.Inthe
DOCSISnetwork,thereisanupstreamALCthatoperatesovertheentirenetwork.Thisarticlewillexplaintechniquesthat
willallowtheoperatortounderstandthislongloopALC.
OVERALLNETWORK
Downstreambalanceandalignmentistypicallydoneonecomponentatatimeinaconventionalsystem.Theanalogvideo
modulatorscanbeindividuallyadjustedfordepthofmodulation,audiodeviationandRFoutputpower.QAMmodulators
canalsobealignedformodulationorderandRFoutputpower.Theheadendcombiningnetworkcanbesetupfora
givenpercarrieroutputpower.Thedownstreamopticaltransmittercanbeadjustedforaparticularopticalmodulation
index(OMI)bysettingitsinputpowerandactivatingthemodulatorAGC,ifpresent.Thenodecanbepaddedand
equalizedforagivenoutputlevelandtilt.TheRFplant(ampsandtaps)canbedesignedandsetupfordownstreamRF
levelandtilt.Settopboxesaredesignedtooperateoverasufficientlylargeinputdynamicrangetoaccommodatethe
variouslevelsandtiltsexperiencedattheendofadrop.
SetupoftheupstreamdirectioninaDOCSISnetworkrequiresadifferentapproach.AGC/ALCcircuitsinindividual
componentsinthedownstreamareintendedtocontrolthelevelsinthatparticulardeviceonly.However,thelongloop
ALCintheupstreamcreatesinteractionsthataffecttheoverallnetworkfromsubscriberdevicethroughtheCMTS.Let s
considerasimpleexample.

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Figure1:SimplifiedDOCSISupstreamblockdiagram.
InFigure1,thesourceofupstreamRFsignalisthecablemodeminthesubscriber shome.TheRF/coaxialplantis
representedbythethreedirectionalcouplers(taps).ThenodeconsistsofRFinputlossandareverseopticaltransmitter.
Anopticalreceiverislocatedatthehuborheadend.Anopticalattenuatorisshownattheinputtotheopticalreceiver,
andanRFattenuator(pad)isshownattheoutputoftheopticalreceiver.Inthehuborheadend,thereisa
splitter/combinernetworkthatroutesRFsignalsfromvariousopticalreceiverstothevariousCMTSs.This
splitter/combinernetworkmayalsocombineRFsignalsfrommultipleopticalreceiversbeforeroutingthemtoaCMTS.An
attenuator(pad)islocatedattheCMTSupstreamRFinput.Finally,theCMTSreceivesanddemodulatestheupstreamRF
signals.NotshownintheblockdiagramisthedownstreamsignalpathfromCMTStothecablemodem.
ThelongloopALCisthemethodbywhichtheCMTSsetstheoperatinglevelsthroughouttheentirenetwork.TheCMTSis
configuredforaparticularupstreamRFcarrieramplitudecalledthecommandedreceivelevelattheCMTSupstream
RFinput(typically0dBmV).TheCMTSsignalsdownstreamtothecablemodeminordertoadjustthecablemodems
upstreamtransmitRFcarrieramplitude.TheupstreamRFcarrieramplitudeisadjustedupordownuntilthedesired
amplitudeattheCMTSupstreamRFinputisachieved.SincethisRFcarrieramplitudeadjustmentaffectsupstreamRF
carrierlevelsthroughouttheentiresystem,itisreferredtoasthelongloopALC.Ifdesignedproperlyfromasystem
standpoint,thislongloopALCcanmaintainproperoperatinglevelsthroughouttheentireupstreamplant.
However,ifnotdesignedproperly,thelongloopALCcanproduceunexpectedresults.Considerasystemthatisin
operation,asshowninFigure2.

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However,ifnotdesignedproperly,thelongloopALCcanproduceunexpectedresults.Considerasystemthatisin
operation,asshowninFigure2.

Figure2:LongloopALCexample.
Inthisexample,theCMTSisconfiguredforanupstreaminputcarrierlevelof0dBmV.TheCMTShasadjustedthecable
modemtransmitlevelinordertoachieve0dBmVattheCMTSinput.Inthisexample,thecablemodemtransmitpoweris
26dBmV.Thelevelatthenodeopticaltransmitter(aftertheinputpad)is10dBmVduetothelossesintheRFplant,input
lossesofthenodeandthereversetransmitterinputpadselection.
Nowimaginethatthetroublecenterbeginsgettingtroublecallsfromthesubscribersservedbythissystem.Inthis
example,thelikelycauseisthelowRFlevel(10dBmV)attheopticaltransmitterinput.Thislowlevelisresultingina
poorCNRattheopticalreceiveroutput,andconsequentlyattheCMTSinput.
IfthetechpollstheCMTS,itwilllikelyreportthepoorCNR.LetsassumethevalueoftheCNRasreportedbytheCMTSis
12dB.ThiswellmeaningbutinexperiencedtechmightassumethattheCMTSCNRisduetoinadequateupstreamRF
signallevelattheCMTSinput.Tofixthisproblem,heerroneouslyreducestheCMTSinputpadbychangingitfrom12dB
to6dB.Hisexpectationisthatthe6dBhigherRFlevelattheCMTSinputwillresultinanewCNRof18dB.
Unfortunately,hischangewillactuallymakethingsworse!
ThenewpadvaluewillresultintheRFinputlevelattheCMTSupstreaminputincreasingfrom0dBmVto6dBmVinitially.
However,theCMTSissetupforanupstreamRFinputlevelof0dBmV.ThelongloopALCwilltrytocorrectthis.The
higherinputlevelwillcausetheCMTStosendadownstreamcommandtothecablemodemindicatingthatthereceived
RFinputlevelis6dBtoohigh.Thecablemodemwillreduceitstransmitlevelby6dBtoanewlevelof20dBmV.The
resultingnewlevelatthenodeopticaltransmitter(aftertheinputpad)willbe 16dBmV.Thisnewlowerlevelwillreduce
theCNRattheopticalreceiveroutput(andCMTSinput)to6dB.Thetechsattempttoimprovethingshasmadethe
problemworse!ThenewlevelsareshowninFigure3.

Figure3:The fixmakesthingsworse!
ThisisanunexpectedconsequenceofthelongloopALC.Changingthingsinonepartofthesystemmayresultin
undesirablechangesinanotherpartofthesystem.
WHATCONTROLSWHAT?
Asitturnsout,thelongloopALCmakesthingsworkinawaythatisoppositeofwhatyoumightexpect.Ina
conventionaldownstreamsystem,changingapadwillaffecttheRFlevelofthesignalsafterthatpad(inthedirectionof
signalflow).However,thisisnotthecasefortheupstreamwiththelongloopALCinoperation.Intheupstream,
changingapadwillaffecttheRFlevelofthesignalsbeforethatpad(intheoppositedirectionofsignalflow).Agraphical
representationofthisisshowninFigure4.
ThelongloopALCisdesignedtomaintainafixedlevelattheCMTSupstreamRFinput.Ifthelevelatthispointiswrong,
theCMTSwillcommunicatedownstreamandcommandthecablemodemtoincreaseordecreaseitsupstreamRF
transmitleveltocorrecttheerror.
Considerwhatwillhappenifthevalueoftheattenuatoratthereverseopticaltransmitterisincreased.Thiswillinitially
reducetheRFlevelsthroughtheopticallink,thesplitter/combinernetworkinthehub/headend,andtheCMTSupstream
input.TheCMTSwillreacttothisdecreasedlevelbytellingthecablemodemtoincreaseitsupstreamRFtransmitpower.
ThepowerinthecoaxialplantwillincreaseuntiltheoriginallevelattheCMTSinputportisachieved.Thenetresultof
increasingtheopticaltransmitterattenuatorwillnotbeadecreaseintheRFlevelsfurtherupstream,butratheran
increaseinRFlevelsatthecablemodemoutputandintheRFplant!

Figure4:Whatcontrolswhat.
AsshowninFigure4,changesintheupstreamplantwillresultinchangesintheoppositedirectionfromthesignalflow.
Consequently,thiseffectmustbeconsideredinthedesignoftheloss andgainstructurethroughoutthenetwork.

input.TheCMTSwillreacttothisdecreasedlevelbytellingthecablemodemtoincreaseitsupstreamRFtransmitpower.
ThepowerinthecoaxialplantwillincreaseuntiltheoriginallevelattheCMTSinputportisachieved.Thenetresultof
increasingtheopticaltransmitterattenuatorwillnotbeadecreaseintheRFlevelsfurtherupstream,butratheran
increaseinRFlevelsatthecablemodemoutputandintheRFplant!

Figure4:Whatcontrolswhat.
AsshowninFigure4,changesintheupstreamplantwillresultinchangesintheoppositedirectionfromthesignalflow.
Consequently,thiseffectmustbeconsideredinthedesignoftheloss andgainstructurethroughoutthenetwork.
ImproperattenuatorvaluesmaycausethelongloopALCtoforcetheupstreamsignalsdownintothenoise,orraisethem
untilsevereclippingoccurs.
COMMONMISCONCEPTIONS
1.Theinputattenuatorintheupstreamopticaltransmittermustbechosenproperlytoavoidsevereclipping.
Asitturnsout,thisattenuatordoesnotaffecttheperformanceoftheopticallinkatall.Asshownpreviously,this
attenuatoractuallyaffectsthelevelsinthecoaxialplant.Theoperatinglevels(OMI)intheopticallinkareactuallysetby
theloss/gainstructurebetweentheopticalreceiverandtheCMTS.
2.Theonlywaytoimprovethecarriertoingressratioistorollatrucktoeverydrop.
Theeasiestwaytoimprovethecarriertoingressratioistomakecertainthatallupstreamtransmittersinmodemsand
settopboxesareoperatingintheupperendoftheirtransmitpowerranges.Thisisaccomplishedbyproperselectionof
theopticaltransmitterinputpad,andbyproperdesignandconditioningoftheRFplant.Thecarriertoingressratioisset
intheRFplantbeforesignalsgettothenode.Forcingtransmittersintotheupperendoftheirpowerrangesmaximizes
carriertoingressratioatthepointwheremostingressgetsintotheplant(i.e.,atthesubscriberdrop).
3.Changingtheattenuatorsatthereverseopticalreceiverinthehuborheadendwillchangethereversecarrierlevelat
theCMTSinput.
Asdescribedearlier,theseattenuators(eithertheopticalinputattenuatorortheRFoutputattenuator)affectthe
upstreamRFlevelsinthecoaxialplant,aswellasthedrivelevel(OMI)ofthereverseopticaltransmitter.Improper
selectionoftheseattenuatorsandthelossesbetweenthereverseopticalreceiverandtheCMTSmightcausethelaser
inthereverseopticaltransmittertoclipseverely,ormightforceupstreamsignalsdownintotheopticallinkrelative
intensitynoise(RIN)andopticalreceivernoise.Theplacetomakesurethatreverseopticallinkisoptimizedforbest
performanceisbetweenthereverseopticalreceiverandtheCMTS.
CONCLUSION
ThenewchallengespresentedbyDOCSIS3.0andupstream64QAMrequireacomprehensiveapproachtotheoverall
systemdesign.ThelongloopALCresultsininteractionbetweenallpartsofthenetwork.Therefore,allpartsmustbe
consideredinthedesignandoperationofthenetwork.
Inthisandfuturearticles,wewillpresentacleardescriptionofhowtheoverallsystemoperates.Wewillalsosuggesta
straightforwardwaytodesign,implementandoperatethenetwork.Thebeststrategyforthesystemoperatoristo
partnerwithsomeonethathasaclearunderstandingofallpartsofthenetwork,includingCMTS,optics,coaxialRFplant
andsubscriberdevices.
Email:lamar.west@sciatl.com
ThetwocompanionarticlescanbefoundinCED'sWebExtrasection:
Part2:OpticalLinkDynamicRangeandPart3:LinkBudgetandSystemSetUp
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