Pulse or digital communications – Receivers
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-01
2001-03-20
Vo, Don N. (Department: 2631)
Pulse or digital communications
Receivers
C455S003010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06205185
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The field of the present invention pertains to satellite receiver systems. More particularly, the present invention pertains to implementing a multidwelling satellite reception system for satellite receivers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Digital broadcast satellite (DBS) services are among the most popular consumer audio/video services to ever enter the market. Many thousands of consumers have purchased DBS systems to receive DBS delivered programming. According to industry statistics, DBS systems are among the fastest growing consumer electronic product categories.
DBS programming is delivered via satellite. Generally, the programming is transmitted from a central ground station to a satellite orbiting 22,300 miles above the equator where it is processed and broadcast back to Earth in a very broad RF signal. Because the signal beamed down to the Earth is so widely dispersed, the signal is available across a very large geographic area, such as for example, residences from Seattle, Washington, to Key West, Florida. The broadcast DBS signal is received via a DBS antenna unit, essentially an 18-inch satellite reception dish. The received signals are subsequently coupled to a DBS receiver. The DBS receiver decompresses and translates the digital DBS signal into analog television signal for display on a user's television.
Prior art
FIG. 1
shows a diagram depicting the operation of a typical DBS system
100
. System
100
includes a broadcast center
110
which functions by gathering programming content (e.g., movies, sporting events, commercials, etc.), digitizing encrypting, and uplinking the content to a DBS satellite
101
in geosynchronous orbit via a 17 GHz uplink signal
115
. The DBS satellite
101
immediately retransmits the signal back down to every earth-station, or in other words, every DBS antenna unit
103
at every subscribers' homes/businesses, via a 12 GHz downlink signal
102
. A low noise down converter (LNB)
104
is coupled to the antenna unit
103
for down converting the received 12 GHz downlink signal
102
into an IF (intermediate frequency) signal suitable for processing by receiver
106
. The IF signal is coupled to receiver
106
via a coaxial cable
105
. Receiver
106
functions by separating each digital channel in the IF signal, and decompressing and translating the channels so television
107
can show the programming to a user. Upstream communication is provided via a telephone line
108
coupled from receiver
106
back to the broadcast center
110
.
There exists a problem with system
100
, however, in that the format of the IF signal provided by LNB
104
to receiver
106
via cable
105
is often in different formats. Subscriber equipment (e.g., antenna unit
103
, LNB
104
, receiver
106
, etc.) typically varies among the large number of users. Different components
103
-
106
are often provided by different manufacturers. Due to the nature of downlink signal
102
, subscriber equipment is typically configured to use either left-hand circular or right-hand circular polarization of the IF signal
105
(or, vertical and horizontal polarization). These types of polarization are in the same frequency band. Hence, older types of subscriber equipment require the use of two cables coupling LNB
104
to receiver
106
to separately conduct left-hand circular and right-hand circular polarized signals respectively. Newer types of subscriber equipment are able to convert one type of signal (e.g., left-hand circular polarized) to a higher frequency band with respect to the other type of signal (e.g., right-hand circular polarized) so that only one cable (e.g., cable
105
) is required to couple LNB
104
to receiver
106
. The types of subscriber equipment are not readily combined by a user.
Thus, even a prior art subscriber equipment setup capable of functioning in both a “multi-dwelling” manner (e.g., left-hand and right-hand circular polarization in a single cable) and a “normal” manner (e.g., left-hand and right-hand circular polarization in separate cables) requires manual configuration and initialization by the user. Unfortunately, this most often involves the user reading a manual to best understand how to set the subscriber equipment up such that it functions correctly. Manual configuration is error prone and inconvenient. If successful (e.g., the user turns, pushes, and otherwise manipulates the appropriate dials, switches, and/or jumpers on LNB
104
and receiver
106
), system
100
functions as desired. However, if the configuration is incorrect, receiver
106
will not work and the user will be frustrated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Thus, what is needed is a system whereby when the receiver is turned on, the receiver automatically sets itself up for the correct operating mode (e.g. normal mode or multi-dwelling mode). The required system should set itself up without any intervention from the user. The required system should automatically configure itself for operation with either right-hand circular polarized signals, left-hand circular polarized signals, or both, as the subscriber equipment situation dictates. Accordingly, the present invention provides a novel solution to these requirements.
The present invention is directed to a self configuring DBS receiver for use in a DBS system. The receiver of the present invention is capable of setting itself up for use with a DBS antenna unit and LNB without any intervention from the user. The present invention automatically configures itself for operation with either right-hand circular polarized signals or left-hand circular polarized signals as received from the antenna unit and LNB. The system of the present invention automatically configures the receiver for the correct operating mode, as dictated by a user's existing subscriber equipment, without requiring input, control, intervention, etc., from the user. In so doing, a more easily used, more reliable, more robust DBS system is provided to the user.
In one embodiment, the process of the present invention is implemented using software/hardware within a DBS receiver for executing the automatic, self configuring functionality. The receiver includes the hardware (e.g., tuners, storage elements, etc.) and an embedded computer system platform necessary for implementing both multi-dwelling reception and normal reception. The DBS system includes an antenna unit for receiving the DBS signal from the DBS satellite and an LNB for down-converting the downlink signal received from the DBS satellite. The DBS signal is converted to a IF (intermediate frequency) signal and is coupled to the receiver. The receiver receives the IF signal and detects whether the IF signal is in a multi-dwelling format or a normal format by tuning to an upper band of the IF signal. If the multi-dwelling format is detected (e.g., modulated data detected in the upper band), the receiver configures itself for multi-dwelling reception. If the normal format is detected (e.g., no modulated data detected in the upper band), the receiver configures itself for normal reception.
The steps of receiving the DBS IF signal, detecting whether the IF signal is in a multi-dwelling format or a normal format, and configuring for multidwelling reception or normal reception are performed by the receiver automatically such that the receiver properly configures itself for operation without user intervention. In so doing, the receiver automatically configures itself for the correct operating mode without requiring input, control, intervention, etc., from a user, thereby providing a more easily used, more reliable, more robust DBS system.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4626858 (1986-12-01), Copeland
patent: 5805975 (1998-09-01), Green, Sr. et al.
patent: 5835128 (1998-11-01), Macdonald et al.
patent: 5978652 (1999-11-01), Burr et al.
patent: 5995818 (1999-11-01), Smith
Sony Corporation of Japan
Vo Don N.
Wagner , Murabito & Hao LLP
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