Method and apparatus for de-icing a satellite dish antenna
First Claim
1. A method of controlling a heating device mounted on a satellite receiver antenna for receiving a signal having a signal characteristic, the method comprising the steps of:
- determining whether said signal characteristic is degrading;
determining whether a temperature is below a threshold temperature; and
operating a heating device if said signal characteristic is degrading and said temperature is below said threshold.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for controlling a heating device mounted on e.g. a satellite receiver antenna is disclosed. The method includes the steps of determining whether the signal strength is degrading, determining whether a temperature is below a threshold temperature, and operating a heating device on the antenna only if the signal is degrading and the temperature is below the threshold. The system includes a temperature sensor that samples a relevant temperature, a device that measures a signal strength of a signal received by the antenna, logic in communication with the temperature sensor and the measuring device for determining whether both the signal strength is degrading and the sample temperature is below a threshold temperature, and a control or switch device for operating a corrective device, such as a heater. The system and method herein automatically turns on an antenna heating device or other device to melt snow or frost accumulated on the receiver antenna upon detecting a loss of signal strength and a sufficiently low temperature.
52 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of controlling a heating device mounted on a satellite receiver antenna for receiving a signal having a signal characteristic, the method comprising the steps of:
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determining whether said signal characteristic is degrading; determining whether a temperature is below a threshold temperature; and operating a heating device if said signal characteristic is degrading and said temperature is below said threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of controlling a heating device mounted on a satellite receiver antenna, said receiver antenna for receiving a signal from a satellite, said signal having a signal strength, the method comprising the steps of:
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establishing a signal strength threshold and a temperature threshold; sampling said signal strength of said signal and a temperature; comparing said signal strength with said signal strength threshold; comparing said temperature with said temperature threshold; and operating said heating device for at least a period of time, said operation based on both said signal strength threshold comparison and said temperature threshold comparison. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for controlling a heating device mounted on a satellite receiver antenna, the system comprising:
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a temperature sensor that samples the temperature of said receiver antenna; a device that measures at least one signal characteristic of a signal received by said receiver antenna; logic in communication with said temperature sensor and said device, said logic determining whether said signal characteristic is degrading and whether the sampled temperature is below a threshold temperature; and a switch linked to said logic for operating said heating device. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of controlling a heating device mounted on a satellite receiver antenna, said receiver antenna for receiving a signal from a satellite, the method comprising the steps of:
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establishing a first signal characteristic threshold and a second signal characteristic threshold; sampling said signal; deriving a value indicative of a signal characteristic; comparing said value with said first threshold and said second threshold; and operating said heating device based on said comparison. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. An accessory device for use with a satellite receiver system including a satellite antenna and a satellite receiver, said device comprising:
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a measuring device that measures a characteristic of a signal received by said satellite antenna, said measuring device separate from said satellite receiver, and linked to said satellite antenna to receive a signal from the satellite antenna; logic in communication with said measuring device, said logic determining whether said signal characteristic is degrading; the satellite antenna also linked to said satellite receiver; a heating device mounted to said antenna; and a switch linked to said logic for operating said heating device upon a predetermined amount of degradation of said signal characteristic.
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24. An accessory device for use with a satellite receiver system, said device comprising:
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a measuring device that measures a characteristic of a signal received by a satellite antenna and provided to said receiver, said characteristic being derived from a service frequency component and a noise component of a received signal; logic in communication with said measuring device, said logic determining whether said signal characteristic is degrading; the satellite antenna also linked to said receiver; a heating device mounted to said antenna; and a switch linked to said logic for operating said heating device upon a predetermined amount of degradation of said signal characteristic.
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25. An accessory device for use with a satellite receiver system, said device comprising:
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measuring device that measures a characteristic of a signal received by a satellite antenna and linked to said receiver; a temperature sensor that samples the temperature of said antenna; logic in communication with both said measuring device and said temperature sensor, said logic determining whether said signal characteristic is degrading and whether the sample temperature is below a pre-determined threshold temperature; the satellite antenna also linked to said receiver; a heating device mounted to said antenna; and a switch linked to said logic for operating said heating device upon a predetermined amount of degradation of said signal characteristic.
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Specification