SATELLITE TELEVISION ANTENNA SYSTEM

• US 20130127665A1
• Filed: 11/17/2012
• Published: 05/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Controlled Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Electronic Controlled Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Shuster, Sam, Miller, Craig
• Granted Patent: US 8,789,116 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/359
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1257 using the received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/42 Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/19 comprising one main concave reflecting surface associated with an auxiliary reflecting surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/08 for varying two co-ordinates of the orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite

Abstract

The satellite television antenna device receives a set of desired satellite identifications (IDs) from a set top box (STB). The antenna device scans the sky and locks onto a satellite candidate by measuring microwave radiation. The antenna acquires identification of the satellite candidate from a set top box (STB), if ID is possible. Then, if the candidate was identifiable, the antenna system compares the candidate'"'"'s ID to the set of desired satellite IDs. If the candidate ID is a member of the set, then the satellite antenna'"'"'s dish orientation is stored in memory. The antenna then attempts to acquire the remaining members of the set of desired satellite IDs until all members are acquired or no further candidates remain. If the candidate is not identifiable, or not a member of the set, then the antenna proceeds to the next satellite candidate.

Claims

1. A satellite television antenna apparatus, comprising:

an enclosure, wherein at least a portion of the enclosure comprises an electromagnetic wave permeable material;

a reflector dish disposed inside of the enclosure, the dish configured to be movable in at least one of an azimuth orientation and an elevation orientation;

a first motor disposed inside of the enclosure and operably engaged with the dish to move the dish in at least one of the azimuth and elevation orientations;

an antenna control system disposed inside of the enclosure, the antenna control system including a physical memory and a microprocessor, the microprocessor communicatively coupled to the first motor to control the operation of the first motor, the antenna control system including executable code stored in the memory,

wherein the antenna control system is configured to receive a set of desired satellite identifications (IDs) from a set top box (STB);

lock onto a first satellite candidate;

receive a first ID for the first satellite candidate from the STB;

compare the first ID for the satellite candidate to the set of desired IDs;

communicate a status of the antenna apparatus to the STB; and

energize the first motor to change at least one of the azimuth and elevation orientations of the dish to lock onto a second satellite candidate if the entire set of desired satellite IDs have not been located.

2. The satellite television antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein the antenna control system is further configured to initiate a background microwave radiation scan and set a signal-to-noise ratio prior to locking onto the first satellite candidate.

3. The satellite television antenna apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second motor disposed inside of the enclosure, the second motor operably coupled to the dish to move the dish in at least one of the azimuth and elevation orientations.

4. The satellite television antenna apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a single coaxial cable coupled to a fitting disposed on the outside of the enclosure, the single coaxial cable in communication with the antenna control system to communicate the status of the antenna apparatus to the STB and to communicate NIDs from the STB to the antenna control system.

5. The satellite television antenna apparatus of claim 4, wherein the antenna system draws power to operate the motor and the antenna control system from the single coaxial cable.

6. The satellite television antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein the antenna control system is further configured to store the orientation of the dish corresponding to each satellite candidate whose ID matched the set of desired satellite IDs.

7. The satellite television antenna apparatus of claim 6, wherein the antenna control system is further configured to directly switch orientations of the dish without scanning in response to a user changing channels on the STB.

8. The satellite television antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein the antenna control system is further configured to store the orientation of the dish corresponding to each satellite candidate whose ID did not match the set of desired satellite IDs.

9. The satellite television antenna apparatus of claim 8, wherein the antenna control system is further configured to store the orientation of the dish corresponding to each satellite candidate whose ID could not be determined by the STB.

10. The satellite television antenna apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a subreflector disposed adjacent the focal point of the dish and a low noise block converter disposed behind the dish.

11. A satellite television system comprising a STB and a motorized enclosed antenna apparatus, the antenna apparatus configured to receive satellite television signals broadcast from a satellite in geosynchronous orbit above the Earth and relay those signals to the STB via a communications conduit, the STB configured to decode the audio and video signals received from the antenna apparatus and to send signals back through the same communications conduit to the antenna apparatus, the antenna apparatus comprising:

an enclosure, wherein at least a portion of the enclosure comprises an electromagnetic wave permeable material;

a reflector dish disposed inside of the enclosure, the dish configured to be movable in at least one of an azimuth orientation and an elevation orientation;

a first motor disposed inside of the enclosure and operably engaged with the dish to move the dish in the at least one of the azimuth and elevation orientations;

an antenna control system disposed inside of the enclosure, the antenna control system configured to control the operation of the first motor, receive a set of desired satellite IDs from a STB, control the first motor to move the dish during a scan the sky and lock onto a first satellite candidate, receive from the STB an ID corresponding to the first satellite candidate;

determine whether the ID corresponding to the first satellite candidate is listed in the set of desired satellite IDs; and

determine whether all members of the set of desired satellite IDs have been located.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the antenna apparatus further includes a global positioning system (GPS) receiver disposed inside of the enclosure.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the antenna control system is further configured to determine a particular elevation range of the sky to scan based upon a location of the antenna determined by the GPS receiver.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the antenna control system is further configured to initiate a background microwave radiation scan and set a signal-to-noise ratio prior to initiating a scan for the first satellite candidate.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the antenna apparatus is powered via the communications conduit.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the antenna control system is further configured to store the orientations of the dish corresponding to each satellite candidate whose NID matched the set of desired satellite IDs, each satellite candidate whose ID did not match the set of desired satellite IDs, and each satellite candidate whose ID could not be determined by the STB.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the antenna control system is further configured to store the orientations of the dish corresponding to each satellite candidate whose ID matched the set of desired satellite IDs, and to initiate switching of the dish orientation between two or more stored orientations of the dish without scanning in response to a user changing channels on the STB.

18. A method of obtaining location information for television broadcast satellites by a portable motorized satellite antenna device, the method comprising:

receiving a set of desired satellite IDs from a STB;

setting a signal-to-noise ratio by scanning at least a portion of the sky for background microwave radiation;

moving a parabolic reflector dish via a motor in at least one of an azimuth orientation and an elevation orientation until the antenna device is locked onto a first satellite candidate;

receiving from the STB at least one of an ID corresponding to the first satellite candidate or an indication that an ID corresponding to the first satellite candidate cannot be determined;

determining whether the ID corresponding to the first satellite candidate is a member of the set of desired satellite NIDs;

moving the parabolic reflector dish via the motor in at least one of the azimuth and elevation orientations until the antenna device is locked onto a second satellite candidate if the ID corresponding to the first satellite candidate is determined to not be a member of the set of desired satellite IDs;

determining whether there are any further members of the set of desired satellite IDs to be located if the ID corresponding to the first satellite candidate is determined to be a member of the set of desired satellite IDs; and

moving the parabolic reflector dish via the motor in at least one of the azimuth and elevation orientations until the antenna device is locked onto a second satellite candidate if the ID corresponding to the first satellite candidate cannot be determined.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising storing in memory contained in the antenna device at least one of the azimuth and elevation orientations of the dish corresponding to each satellite candidate whose ID matched the set of desired satellite IDs, each satellite candidate whose ID did not match the set of desired satellite IDs, and each satellite candidate whose ID could not be determined by the STB.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising sending satellite acquisition status information from the antenna device to the STB via a two-way communications conduit and powering the antenna device solely through the two-way communications conduit.