Method and apparatus for simultaneous live television and data services using single beam antennas

• US 20030097658A1
• Filed: 12/19/2002
• Published: 05/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Richards, William R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,921,442 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/69
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18508 with satellite system used as relay, i.e. aeronautical mobile satellite service
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2146 located in mass transportation means, e.g. aircraft, train or bus flight-deck installations for entertainment or communications B64D11/0015; arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62; moving wireless networks H04W84/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41422 located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6193 involving transmission via a satellite arrangements for data linking, networking or transporting, or for controlling an end to end session in a satellite broadcast system H04B7/18526
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for simultaneously receiving DBS and data signals on a mobile platform using a single beam receive antenna aperture and transmitting data signals from a mobile platform using the single beam transmit antenna aperture. A single beam receive antenna aperture receives first RF signals having a first polarization and second RF signals having a second polarization, the single beam receive antenna aperture outputting output signals having the first polarization. A first RF converter down-converts the output signals to first down-converted signals having the first polarization. A second RF converter down-converts the output signals to second down-converted signals having the second polarization. The first RF signals suitably include DBS signals, and the second RF signals suitably include data services signals.

Claims

1. A system for simultaneously receiving on a mobile platform first RF signals having a first polarization from a first satellite at an orbital location and second RF signals having a second polarization from a second satellite that is substantially co-located at the orbital location with the first satellite, the system comprising:

a single beam receive antenna aperture arranged to receive first RF signals having a first polarization and second RF signals having a second polarization, the single beam receive antenna aperture outputting output signals having the first polarization;

a first RF converter arranged to down-convert the output signals to first down-converted signals having the first polarization; and

a second RF converter arranged to down-convert the output signals to second down-converted signals having the second polarization.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first receiver arranged to demodulate and decode the first down-converted signals to first baseband signals; and

a second receiver arranged to demodulate and decode the second down-converted signals to second baseband signals.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an up-converter arranged to up-convert third signals to third up-converted signals; and

a single beam transmit antenna aperture arranged to receive the third up-converted signals, the single beam transmit antenna transmitting third RF signals having the second polarization.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a transmitter arranged to encode and modulate data transmission signals to the third signals.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first polarization includes circular polarization.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second polarization includes linear polarization.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first RF signals include DBS signals.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the second RF signals include data services signals.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the first baseband signals include video signals.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein the second baseband signals include data signals.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile platform includes an aircraft.

12. A system for simultaneously receiving on a mobile platform first RF signals having a first polarization from a first satellite at an orbital location and second RF signals having a second polarization from a second satellite that is substantially co-located at the orbital location with the first satellite and for transmitting third RF signals having the second polarization to the second satellite, the system comprising:

a single beam receive antenna aperture arranged to receive first RF signals having a first polarization and second RF signals having a second polarization, the single beam receive antenna aperture outputting output signals having the first polarization;

a first RF converter arranged to down-convert the output signals to first down-converted signals having the first polarization;

a first receiver arranged to demodulate and decode the first down-converted signals to first baseband signals;

a second RF converter arranged to down-convert the output signals to second down-converted signals having the second polarization;

a second receiver arranged to demodulate and decode the second down-converted signals to second baseband signals;

a transmitter arranged to encode and modulate data transmission signals to third signals;

an up-converter arranged to up-convert the third signals to third up-converted signals; and

a single beam transmit antenna aperture arranged to receive the third up-converted signals, the single beam transmit antenna transmitting third RF signals having the second polarization.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first polarization includes circular polarization.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the second polarization includes linear polarization.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the first RF signals include DBS signals.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the second RF signals include data services signals.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the first baseband signals include video signals.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the second baseband signals include data signals.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the mobile platform includes an aircraft.

20. A method for simultaneously receiving on a mobile platform first RF signals having a first polarization from a first satellite at an orbital location and second RF signals having a second polarization from a second satellite that is substantially co-located at the orbital location with the first satellite, the method comprising:

receiving with a single beam receive antenna aperture first RF signals having a first polarization and second RF signals having a second polarization;

outputting from the single beam receive antenna aperture output signals having the first polarization;

down-converting the output signals to first down-converted signals having the first polarization; and

down-converting the output signals to second down-converted signals having the second polarization.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

demodulating and decoding the first down-converted signals to first baseband signals; and

demodulating and decoding the second down-converted signals to second baseband signals.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

up-converting third signals to third up-converted signals;

providing the third up-converted signals to a single beam transmit antenna aperture; and

transmitting from the single beam transmit antenna aperture third RF signals having the second polarization.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising encoding and modulating data transmission signals to the third signals.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the first polarization includes circular polarization.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the second polarization includes linear polarization.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the first RF signals include DBS signals.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the second RF signals include data services signals.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the first baseband signals include video signals.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the second baseband signals include data signals.

30. The method of claim 20, wherein the mobile platform includes an aircraft.

31. An aircraft comprising:

a fuselage; and

a system for simultaneously receiving on a mobile platform first RF signals having a first polarization from a first satellite at an orbital location and second RF signals having a second polarization from a second satellite that is substantially co-located at the orbital location with the first satellite, the system including;

a single beam receive antenna aperture mounted on the fuselage and arranged to receive first RF signals having a first polarization and second RF signals having a second polarization, the single beam receive antenna aperture outputting output signals having the first polarization;

a first RF converter arranged to down-convert the output signals to first down-converted signals having the first polarization; and

a second RF converter arranged to down-convert the output signals to second down-converted signals having the second polarization.