Television signal receiver system

• US 20040252243A1
• Filed: 05/03/2004
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Stewart, John Sidney
• Granted Patent: US 7,685,622 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/725
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2143 located in a single building, e.g. hotel, hospital or museum arrangements specially adapted for plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63; adaptations for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution in television systems H04N7/106
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/436 Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB or one or more peripheral devices inside the home
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6112 involving terrestrial transmission, e.g. DVB-T
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/40 Modulation circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution

Abstract

A television signal receiving system is operative to optimally tune to one or a plurality of television channels and provide one or plurality of optimum television channel signals to one or a plurality of television signal receivers. The television signal receivers are operative to request a particular channel of a television signal processor. The television signal processor is coupled to an antenna array. Television signals from the antenna array are processed in accordance with the principles of the subject invention to provide optimum television channel signals. The optimum television channel signals are demodulated then remodulated before being distributed to the various television signal receivers.

Claims

1. A method of processing a television signal comprising the steps of:

receiving a selected terrestrial television signal on a plurality of antennas;

converting said selected terrestrial television signal received on each one of said plurality of antennas into a digitized signal;

summing said digitized signals into an aggregate signal;

demodulating said aggregate signal;

modulating said demodulated aggregate signal; and

distributing said modulated aggregate signal to a television signal receiver.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving a terrestrial television signal on a plurality of antennas includes receiving a terrestrial television signal on a plurality of uni-directional antennas.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

separately processing each one of said digitized signals before the step of summing.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of separately processing each one of said digitized signals includes adjusting the phase and gain of each one of said digitized signals.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of demodulating said aggregate signal includes utilizing a VSB demodulation scheme.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of modulating said aggregate demodulated television signal includes utilizing a VSB modulation scheme.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of distributing said modulated aggregate signal to a television signal receiver includes utilizing coaxial cable.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving a selected terrestrial television signal on a plurality of antennas includes selecting said terrestrial television signal to receive.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein selecting said terrestrial television signal to receive is accomplished by user selection.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein user selection is accomplished via said television signal receiver.

11. An apparatus for processing a television signal comprising:

means for receiving a selected terrestrial television signal via a plurality of antennas;

means for converting said selected terrestrial television signal received on each one of said plurality of antennas into a digitized signal;

means for summing said digitized signals into an aggregate signal;

means for demodulating said aggregate signal; and

means for modulating said demodulated aggregate signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said means for receiving a terrestrial television signal on a plurality of antennas includes means for receiving a terrestrial television signal on a plurality of uni-directional antennas.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

means for separately processing each one of said digitized signals before said summing means.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said means for separately processing each one of said digitized signals includes means for adjusting the phase and gain of each one of said digitized signals.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said means for demodulating said aggregate signal utilizes a VSB demodulation scheme.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said means for modulating said demodulated aggregate signal utilizes a VSB modulation scheme.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising means for distributing said modulated aggregate signal to a television signal receiver.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said means for distributing said modulated aggregate signal to a television signal receiver utilizes coaxial cable.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said means for receiving a selected terrestrial television signal on a plurality of antennas includes means for selecting said terrestrial television signal to receive.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said means for selecting said terrestrial television signal to receive includes means for allowing user selection of said terrestrial television signal to receive.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said means for user selection is accomplished via said television signal receiver.

22. An apparatus for processing a television signal comprising:

a plurality of tuners each of which is couplable to one antenna of an antenna array and operative to receive a selected terrestrial television channel signal from said one antenna;

a converter in communication with each one of said plurality of tuners and operative to convert said selected terrestrial television channel signal into a digitized television channel signal;

a summer in communication with each one of said converters and operative to combine each digitized television channel signal to form an aggregate television channel signal;

a demodulator in communication with said summer and operative to demodulate said aggregate television channel signal; and

a modulator in communication with said demodulator and operative to modulate said demodulated aggregate television channel signal.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

processing circuitry disposed between and in communication with said converter and said summer, said processing circuitry operative to digitally process each one of said digitized television channel signals.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said processing circuitry adjusts the phase and gain of each one of said digitized television channel signals.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said demodulator utilizes a VSB demodulation scheme.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said modulator utilizes a VSB modulation scheme.

27. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising means for distributing said modulated aggregate television channel signal to a television signal receiver.

28. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a selector operative to select said terrestrial television channel signal to receive.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said selector is operative to allow a user to select said terrestrial television channel signal to receive.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein selection by said user is accomplished via said television signal receiver.