Multiple antenna detecting and selecting
First Claim
1. A system for selecting antennas in a satellite communications system having a satellite transmitting a signal and a user terminal having a plurality of antennas, the system for selecting the antennas, comprising:
- a first signal path coupled to a first one of the plurality of antennas;
a second signal path coupled to a second one of the plurality of antennas, said second signal path including a signal delay unit; and
a signal processor coupled to said first and second signal paths that distinguishes a signal received from the satellite by said first one of the plurality of antennas from the signal received from the satellite by said second one of the plurality of antennas based on a signal delay produced by said signal delay unit.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for selecting and combining satellite communication signals from multiple antennas. The system includes at least two signal paths, each coupled to a separate antenna, and a combiner for combining signals from the two paths for processing by a signal processor. At least one of the two paths includes a signal delay unit. The signal processor can distinguish a signal received from a source on one of the antennas from that signal received from the source on the other antenna based on a signal delay produced by the signal delay unit. Each signal path includes a variable attenuator for selectively coupling each signal path to the signal processor. The signal processor determines the quality of the signals received along the signal paths, and provides data regarding signal quality to a control processor, which manipulates the attenuators to couple the signal path having the highest quality signal to the signal processor.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A system for selecting antennas in a satellite communications system having a satellite transmitting a signal and a user terminal having a plurality of antennas, the system for selecting the antennas, comprising:
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a first signal path coupled to a first one of the plurality of antennas; a second signal path coupled to a second one of the plurality of antennas, said second signal path including a signal delay unit; and a signal processor coupled to said first and second signal paths that distinguishes a signal received from the satellite by said first one of the plurality of antennas from the signal received from the satellite by said second one of the plurality of antennas based on a signal delay produced by said signal delay unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of selecting antennas for use in a satellite communications system having a satellite transmitting a signal and a user terminal having a plurality of antennas, wherein each of the plurality of antennas can be selectively coupled to one of a plurality of signal paths, the signal paths coupled to a signal processor, wherein a first one of the signal paths initially receives the signal on a first one of the plurality of antennas and initially applies a predetermined minimum level of attenuation to the signal, the method of selecting the antennas, comprising the steps of:
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applying a predetermined maximum level of attenuation on a second one of the signal paths; coupling a second one of the plurality of antennas to said second signal path; decreasing the level of attenuation applied on said second signal path until the noise power level on said second signal path is substantially equivalent to the noise power level on the first signal path; and when the quality of the signal received from the satellite by said second one of the plurality of antennas exceeds the quality of the signal received from the satellite by the first one of the plurality of antennas, applying said predetermined maximum level of attenuation on the first signal path and applying the predetermined minimum level of attenuation on said second signal path. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for selecting antennas based on received signal quality in a satellite communications system having a satellite transmitting a signal and a user terminal having a plurality of antennas for receiving signals, comprising:
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a first signal path coupled to a first one of the plurality of antennas; a second signal path coupled to a second one of the plurality of antennas; at least one signal delay unit connected in series with said second signal path; a first signal processor coupled to said first signal path; a second signal processor coupled to said second signal path; and a control processor, coupled to said first and second signal processors, that determines a relative quality of the signal on said first signal path and the signal on said second signal path and selects the one of the first and second ones of the plurality of antennas that receives the signal of higher quality. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification