Remote antenna and local receiver subsystems for receiving data signals carried over analog television

• US 20060212910A1
• Filed: 12/09/2005
• Published: 09/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callahan Cellular LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Omereen Wireless LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hoarty, W. Leo, Simovich, Slobodan, Chung, Wonzoo, Endres, Thomas J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,853,978 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/63 to plural spots in a confined site, e.g. MATV [Master Antenna Television]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for remote antenna subsystems that are physically isolated from receiver subsystems are disclosed. The communication between the two subsystems uses remote communication links. The remote communication links are either wireless, in which case they are designed for indoor low power communications, or are wired, using existing infrastructure in the household such as the power lines. Partitioning between the antenna and receiver subsystems is selectable.

Claims

1. An apparatus for wirelessly receiving a broadcast signal, processing the signal, and providing the processed signal to a television or display device at a dwelling, wherein the broadcast signal carries data component together with a video signal component, the apparatus comprising:

at least one antenna subsystem placed anywhere in or about the dwelling, and configured to;

receive the signal;

perform a set of preprocesses on the signal; and

transmit the preprocessed signal to a receiver subsystem, over a remote communication link, via a remote modem that encodes and modulates the preprocessed signal;

at least one receiver subsystem collocated with the television or the display device, and configured to;

receive the coded and modulated preprocessed signal;

demodulate the received signal using a remote demodulator, wherein the remote demodulator recovers the signal;

wherein the remote communication link is configured for sending the encoded and modulated preprocessed data from the at least one antenna subsystem to the at least one receiver subsystem in accordance with techniques suitable for indoor transmission and reception;

a return channel for providing command and control data from the at least one receiver subsystem to the at least one antenna subsystem; and

wherein the at least one antenna subsystem and the at least one receiver subsystem together form a unit that includes;

a tuner and an RF AGC (Automatic Gain Control) module for tuning to a broadcast channel, and performing level setting with respect to the broadcast signal;

an RF/IF/ADC (radio-frequency/intermediate-frequency/analog-to-digital converter) for digitizing the broadcast signal;

a DDC (direct digital downconvert) module for mixing the digitized signal from the RF/IF/ADC module to near baseband;

an RD4 (rate decimation by

     4) filter for decimating the digitized signal;

a QSCR (quasi-synchronous carrier recovery) module for translating the digitized signal to baseband so that a video carrier is aligned with a zero degree phasor and a data subcarrier is aligned with a 90-degree phasor, and for estimating frequency offset, and for providing a control signal to the controller;

a Nyquist and CVSB (complementary vestigial sideband) filter for performing linear filtering to isolate the video and data components;

a video-sync module for synchronization and framing to the television signal and providing control signals based on the television signal, wherein the video-sync module provides control signals, based on the analog television signal, to the controller and an FF-AGC (feed-forward-automatic-gain-control) module;

an SB-Mix (sub-band mix) module for adjusting a frequency by a data sub-carrier frequency to translate the video and data components to complex baseband with respect to a frequency spectrum of the data subcarier, and for adjusting a gain of the video and data components;

a slicer;

an equalizer coupled to the slicer;

an output framer configured for extracting command and control information, and for framing an output from the equalizer wherein both the equalizer and the slicer are coupled to an output framer;

an FEC (forward error correction) module for receiving framed data from the output framer, and applying error correcting codes to substantially reduce errors; and

wherein the unit may be partitioned to form the antenna subsystem and the receiver subsystem between the tuner, the RF/IF/ADC, the DDC module, the RD4 filter, the QSCR module, the Nyquist and CVSB filter, the SB-Mix module, the equalizer, the slicer, the FEC module, or after the FEC module.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the unit may be partitioned to form the antenna subsystem and the receiver subsystem between the tuner and the RF/IF/ADC, between the Nyquist and CVSB filter and the SB-Mix module, between the SB-Mix module and the equalizer, between the output framer and the FEC module, or after the FEC module.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the matched filter of the SRRC is a square-root raised cosine.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tuner and the RF AGC module also performs frequency translation and filtering.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the RF/IF/ADC further performs level setting, frequency translation, and filtering, wherein a sampling clock of the RF/IF/ADC is adjusted by clock signals generated in a controller.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the RD4 filter decimates a sampling rate without corrupting integrity of the television and data signals.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one controller using the control signals from the video-sync block and the QSCR modules to adjust the sampling clocks of the RF/IF/ADC and the DDC modules, respectively.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an FF-AGC (feedback automatic gain control) module using the control signals from the video-sync module to adjust a gain that is applied to the video and data signals in an SB-Mix (sub-band mix) module.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the SB-Mix (sub-band mix) adjusting of the gain of the video and data components is according to a control signal derived in FF-AGC (feedback automatic gain control) module.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an SRRC filter for applying a matched filter to the video and data signals or applying a matched filter to the video and data signals and further decimating the sampling rate.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the equalizer performs adaptive data equalization and video cancellation.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an FB-AGC (feedback automatic gain control) module coupled to the equalizer, providing gain adjustment based on a decision-directed measure, wherein the FB-AGC module uses an input from a slicer to derive a decision-directed measure.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a DDCL (decision-directed carrier loop) module coupled to the equalizer for providing phase/frequency adjustments based on the decision-directed measure and wherein an input to DDCL module from the slicer is used to derive the decision-directed measure.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the equalizer is coupled to the slicer, which may be a nearest-element decision device, or other quantizers, to provide estimates of data symbols.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the command and control information is provided to a controller that also provides control signals to the output framer to instruct for proper framing of the data or of formatting which may be regionally-specific.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one antenna subsystem further comprises a conventional television antenna or an active antenna.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the FEC applies a concatenated reed-solomon block code with a trellis code.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the return channel also communicates signal quality to the at least one antenna subsystem during an installation procedure, and a graphical user interface displays a measure of signal quality on the at least one antenna subsystem, at least one receiver subsystem, or both.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein another stage of down-conversion, level setting, and IF (intermediate frequency) filtering is implemented, or IF output samples from the Tuner and the RF AGC (automatic-gain-control) module are directly supplied with no intermediate down-conversion.

20. A signal-relay method for local distribution of a received composite wireless signal within at least one building, the method comprising:

receiving a composite signal by a first receiver-transmitter located in or in the vicinity of the at least one building, wherein the signal is received from outside of the at least one building;

processing the received signal by performing a first set of signal processes, wherein the first set of signal processes including signal processing beyond filtering or amplification;

transmitting the processed signal, by the first receiver-transmitter, within the at least one building; and

receiving the processed and transmitted signal by a second receiver-transmitter that resides within or in close proximity to the at least one building and is in two-way communication with the first receiver-transmitter, and further processing the received signal by performing a second set of signal processes on the signal, wherein the second receiver-transmitter provides command and control signals to the first receiver-transmitter; and

the further processed signal can be utilized by electronic equipment.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises employing multiple first or second receiver-transmitters and wherein each second receiver-transmitter receives and processes signals transmitted by all of the first receiver-transmitters or by a subset of the first receiver-transmitters.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein at least some of the receiving a composite signal, the processing, the transmitting, and the receiving the processed and transmitted signal are performed using computer-executable instructions in a general-purpose computer or in an embedded device.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the composite signal includes digital encoded signals including ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee), or analog encoded TV signals including NTSC, PAL (phase alternating line), or SECAM (Systeme Electronique Couleur Avec Memoire).

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the wireless signal is a television signal, an audio signal, or a video signal.

25. In a television broadcasting system for broadcasting aggregated television and data signals, a local signal-distribution system for serving at least one building or structure, the system comprising:

at least one antenna subsystem with signal processing facility and two-way communication capability, wherein the communication is wireless or through a non-dedicated wired medium associated with the structure, and wherein the at least one antenna subsystem receives the aggregated television and data signals, preprocesses the aggregated signals, and re-transmits the aggregated signals within the at least one structure as a preprocessed aggregated signal; and

at least one receiver subsystem with signal processing facility and two-way communication capability, wherein the communication is wireless or through the non-dedicated wired medium, and wherein the at least one receiver subsystem receives the preprocessed aggregated signal from the at least one antenna subsystem, further processes the preprocessed aggregated signal, and provides the further processed aggregated signal to at least one user electronic equipment.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the electronic equipment is a television set, a personal computer, a laptop computer, a visual display device, or a storage device.

27. A method for wirelessly receiving a datacast signal containing data and TV signals, and providing it to an electronic device at a dwelling, the method comprising:

positioning a first module outside or within the dwelling;

wirelessly receiving the datacast signal at the first module;

tuning to and at least initially processing the received datacast signal at the first module;

digitizing the received datacast signal;

preprocessing the datacast signal;

coding and modulating the preprocessed signal;

transmitting the coded signal from the first module to a second module over at least one dedicated or non-dedicated, wireless or wired, communication link;

demodulating the received datacast signal at the second module, wherein the second module is positioned within the dwelling and spaced apart from the first module;

further processing the signal;

providing the further processed datacast signal to the electronic device in the dwelling; and

transmitting command-and-control signals from the second module to the first module.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein television signals which carry standard analog video are transmitted together with a data-bearing sub-carrier that is placed in quadrature to a visual carrier, and wherein multiple sub-carriers are used instead of a single subcarrier, spread spectrum methods are used for data insertion, OFDM (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing) methods are used for data insertion, or any combination thereof.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein:

the dwelling contains multiple first and second modules and wherein each second module receives and processes signals transmitted by all first modules or by a subset of first modules;

or

the dwelling contains one first module and a plurality of second modules.

30. A means for wirelessly receiving a wireless composite signal containing data and TV signals and providing it to an electronic device at a dwelling, the means comprising:

means for positioning a first module in or about the dwelling;

means for wirelessly receiving the wireless composite signal at the first module;

means for initially processing the received signal at the first module;

means for coding and modulating the initially processed signal;

means for transmitting the coded and modulated signal from the first module to at least a second module over at least one communication link;

means for receiving the transmitted signal from the first module by the second module;

means for further processing the received signal at the second module, wherein the second module is positioned within the dwelling and spaced apart from the first module;

means for providing the processed signal to the electronic device in the dwelling; and

means for transmitting command-and-control signals from the second module to the first module over the at least one communication link.

31. In a television signal broadcasting and receiving arrangement where a transmitter transmits a composite signal, having ancillary data and a television signal, to electronic equipment in a structure, an apparatus for wirelessly receiving the composite signal, processing the composite signal, and providing the composite signal to the electronic equipment at the structure, the apparatus comprising:

at least one antenna subsystem placed in or about the structure, and configured to receive the composite signal, configured to perform a set of preprocesses on the composite signal, and configured to transmit the composite signal to at least one receiver subsystem located near the electronic equipment;

at least one receiver subsystem, spaced apart from the antenna subsystem, configured to receive the composite signal, configured to perform further processes on the composite signal, configured to provide the composite signal to the electronic equipment at the structure, and configured to transmit control signals to the antenna subsystem; and

a configuration wherein;

the set of preprocesses and the further processes performed on the composite signal are selectively partitioned between the antenna subsystem and the receiver subsystem; and

the receiver subsystem and the antenna subsystem are in two-way communication with each other wirelessly and/or through wired transmission mediums within the structure.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein television signals which carry standard analog video are transmitted together with a data-bearing sub-carrier that is placed in quadrature to a visual carrier, and wherein multiple sub-carriers are used instead of a single subcarrier, spread spectrum methods are used for data insertion, and OFDM (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing) methods are used for data insertion, or any combination thereof.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the antenna subsystem uses solar-power, rechargeable or disposable batteries, wind power, alternating current (AC) power, or low-voltage direct current (DC) power.

34. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the two-way communication comprises command-and-control signals and signals indicating reception quality measurements, and wherein two-way communication between the antenna subsystem and the receiver subsystem, comprises at least:

a wireless, frequency-hopped, spread spectrum communication system, and wherein interference with neighboring dwelling signals is prevented by keying of a pseudo-random sequence for modulated carrier tones;

a wireless COFDM (coded orthogonal frequency division multiplexing) communication system;

a wireless communication system combining COFDM and DS-SS (direct sequence spread spectrum), wherein each subcarrier in the COFDM system is spread by a spreading sequence prior to IDFT (inverse discrete Fourier transform) filtering, and de-spread after DFT (discrete Fourier transform) filtering;

a wireless, single-carrier QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation) communication system with trellis and reed-solomon error correcting codes or a communication system with turbo codes;

an existing Ethernet link, shared with other communication networks in the structure;

an existing power distribution network in the structure;

or

an existing IEEE 802.11a or IEEE 802.11g system in the structure.

35. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the ancillary data includes digital information, and wherein the digital information is inserted by negative AM of an FM aural carrier in the television signal, and wherein the antenna subsystem or the receiver subsystem recovers the digital information from the FM aural carrier.

36. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the structure is an automobile.

37. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein an entire set-top-box is placed in the antenna subsystem.