MMDS over-the-air bi-directional TV/data transmission system and method therefor

• US 5,437,052 A
• Filed: 04/16/1993
• Issued: 07/25/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Andrew LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Conifer Corporation
• Inventors: Brown, Charles L., Hemmie, Dale L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, NGUYEN THANH
• Application Number:
  US08/048,985
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 455/190.1, 455/3.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.1, 455/4.2, 455/6.2, 455/45, 455/3.1, 455/4.1, 455/73, 455/86, 370/37, 348/7, 348/8, 348/10, 348/11, 348/12
• US Class Current: 725/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/06 among broadcast stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

An integrated bi-directional MMDS/MDS converter connected to an antenna for receiving MMDS programming for receiving information/data signals from a set top for retransmission of these signals back to central location. The integrated bi-directional converter has a down converter connected to the diplexer for down converting conventional programming signals into a group of converted programming signals in the 222 to 408 MHz range, an up converter for up converting data/information signals in the 116 to 128 MHz range from the communication line into MDS signals and delivers it into the diplexer. The diplexer applies the outgoing MDS data signals to the feed of the antenna for transmission. The integrated bi-directional MMDS/MDS converter of the present invention uses a common local oscillator for driving both the down converter and the up converter.

Claims

1. A bi-directional MMDS/MDS over-the-air communications system for receiving MMDS programming and for transmitting MDS data, said system comprising:

an antenna, said antenna receiving said MMDS programming and transmitting said MDS data,

a bi-directional converter connected to said antenna for down converting said received MMDS programming from said antenna into a group of converted MMDS signals in a first predetermined frequency range,

a receiver,

a communications link connected to said receiver and to said bi-directional converter for delivering said group of converted MMDS signals over said communications link to said receiver,

means connected over said communications link to said bi-directional converter for generating data in a second predetermined frequency range, said communications link simultaneously delivering said group of converted MMDS signals and said generated data,

said bi-directional converter responsive to said generated data in said second predetermined frequency range over said communications link for up converting said generated data in said second predetermined frequency range from said generating means into said MDS data, said antenna responsive to said MDS data from said bi-directional converter for transmitting said MDS data, said bi-directional converter down-converting said received MMDS programming simultaneously with up-converting said generated data.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said first predetermined frequency range is 222 to 408 MHz.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said second predetermined frequency range is 116 to 128 MHz.

4. An integrated bi-directional MMDS/MDS converter connected to an antenna for receiving MMDS signals and transmitting MDS signals, said integrated bi-directional MMDS/MDS converter further connected to a communications line for receiving signals carrying data, said integrated bi-directional MMDS/MDS converter comprising:

means connected to said antenna for outputting said MMDS signals,

means connected to said outputting means for down converting said MMDS signals into a group of converted MMDS signals,

means connected to said down converting means and responsive to said group of converted MMDS signals for delivering said group of converted signals onto said communications line, said delivering means further receiving said signals carrying data from said communications line, said delivering means outputting said signals carrying data on said communications line.

means connected to said delivering means for up converting said signals carrying data from said delivery means into said MDS signals,

said outputting means further responsive to said MDS signals from said up converting means for delivering said MDS signals to said antenna, and

means connected to said down converting means and to said up converting means for providing a common local oscillator so as to up convert said signals carrying data and to down convert said MMDS signals simultaneously.

5. An integrated bi-directional MMDS/MDS converter connected to an antenna for receiving MMDS signals and transmitting MDS signals, said integrated bi-directional MMDS/MDS converter further connected to a communications line for receiving signals carrying data, said integrated bi-directional MMDS/MDS converter comprising:

a diplexer connected to said antenna for outputting said MMDS signals from said antenna,

a down converter connected to said diplexer for down converting said outputted MMDS signals from said diplexer into a group of converted MMDS signals,

a band separator connected to said down converter and responsive to said group of converted MMDS signals for delivering said group of converted MMDS signals onto said communications line, said band separator further receiving said signals carrying data from said communications line,

an up converter connected to said band separator for up converting said signals carrying data from said communications line into said MDS signals.

said diplexer responsive to said MDS signals from said up converter for delivering said MDS signals to said antenna, and

a local oscillator connected to said down converter and to said up converter for simultaneously generating said group of converted MMDS signals and said MDS signals.

6. The integrated bi-directional MMDS/MDS converted of claim 5 wherein said down converter further comprises:

a filter connected to the diplexer, said filter having an output,

an RF amplifier connected to the output of the filter, said RF amplifier having an output,

said local oscillator generating an oscillator signal,

a mixer receptive to the output of the RF amplifier and to the oscillator signal from the local oscillator, said mixer having an output,

a band pass filter connected to the output of said mixer, and

an amplifier connected to the band pass filter, said amplifier having an output, the output of the amplifier connected to the band separator.

7. The integrated bi-directional MMDS/MDS converter of claim 5 wherein said converter comprises:

an amplifier with level control connected to the band separator, said amplifier having an output,

a band pass filter connected to the output of the amplifier with level control, said band pass filter having an output,

said local oscillator generating an oscillator signal,

a mixer connected to the output of the band pass filter and receptive to the oscillator signal from the local oscillator, said mixer having an output,

an RF amplifier connected to the output of the mixer, said RF amplifier having an output, and,

a filter connected to the output of the RF amplifier for delivering said MDS signals to the diplexer.

8. An integrated bi-directional MMDS/MDS converter connected to an antenna for receiving MMDS signals and transmitting MDS signals, said integrated bi-directional converter further connected to a communications line for receiving signals carrying data, said integrated bi-directional MMDS/MDS converter comprising:

a diplexer connected to said antenna for outputting said MMDS signals,

a local oscillator for generating an oscillator signal,

a down converter connected to said diplexer for down converting said MMDS signals into a group of converted MMDS signals, said down converter comprising;

(a) a down converter filter connected to the diplexer, said down converter filter having an output,

(b) a down converter RF amplifier connected to the output of said down converter filter, said down converter RF amplifier having an output,

(c) a down converter mixer responsive to the output of the down converter RF amplifier and to the oscillator signal from said local oscillator, said down converter mixer having an output,

(d) a down converter band pass filter connected to the output of said down converter mixer, and

(e) a down converter amplifier connected to the down converter band pass filter,

a band separator connected to said down converter and receptive of said group of converted MMDS signals from said down converter amplifier for delivering said group of converted MMDS signals onto said communications line, said band separator receiving said signals carrying data from said communications line,

an up converter connected to said band separator for up converting said signals carrying data into said MDS signals, said up converter comprising;

(a) an up converter amplifier with level control connected to the band separator, said up converter amplifier having an output,

(b) an up converter band pass filter connected to the output of said up converter amplifier, said up converter band pass filter having an output,

(c) an up converter mixer connected to the output of said up converter band pass filter and responsive to the oscillator signal from the local oscillator, said up converter mixer having an output signal,

(d) an up converter RF amplifier connected to the output of the up converter mixer, said up converter RF amplifier having an output, and

(e) an up converter filter connected to the output of the up converter RF amplifier for delivering said MDS signals to the diplexer,

said diplexer receptive of said MDS signals from said up converter for delivering said MDS signals to said antenna, and

said local oscillator connected to said down converter and to said up converter for simultaneously generating said group of converted MMDS signals and said MDS signals.

9. The integrated bi-directional converter of claim 8 wherein said down converter filter and said up converter filter are each interdigital filters.

10. The integrated bi-directional converter of claim 8 wherein said down converter filter, said up converter filter and said diplexer are one component.

11. An improved over-the-air bi-directional TV/data transmission system for receiving MMDS programming and transmitting MDS data, said transmission system having an MMDS microwave frequency range antenna for receiving said MMDS programming, a down converter located at the antenna, a remote receiver, and a coax line connecting the receiver to the down converter, said improvement to said transmission system comprising:

said down converter connected to said antenna for down converting said received MMDS programming from said antenna into a group of converted signals in a first predetermined frequency range for delivery over said coax line to said remote receiver,

means at the location of said remote receiver and connected to said coax line for generating data in second predetermined frequency range over said coax line simultaneously with the delivery of said group of converted signals,

an up converter connected to said antenna and to said coax line responsive to said data in said second predetermined frequency range over said coax line for up converting said generated data in said second predetermined frequency range from said generating means into said MDS data, said antenna responsive to said MDS data from said up converter for transmitting said MDS data, said down converter and said up converter operating simultaneously.

12. The improvement of claim 11 further comprising:

a diplexer connected to said antenna for outputting said MMDS programming from said antenna,

said down converter connected to said diplexer for down converting said outputted MMDS programming from said diplexer into said group of converted signals,

a band separator connected to said down converter and responsive to said group of converted signals for delivering said group of converted signals onto said coax line, said band separator further receiving said generated data in said second predetermined frequency range from said coax line,

said up converter connected to said band separator for up converting said generated data in said second predetermined frequency range from said coax line into said MDS data

said diplexer responsive to said MDS data from said up converter for delivering said MDS data to said antenna, and

a local oscillator connected to said down converter and to said up converter for simultaneously generating said group of converted signals and said MDS data.