Signal receiving apparatus and signal receiving system

• US 6,011,597 A
• Filed: 02/20/1997
• Issued: 01/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Kubo, Kazuharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FERGUSON, ERIC M
• Application Number:
  US08/803,064
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: 348/3, 348/7, 348/10, 348/11, 348/12, 348/13, 455/3.1, 455/3.2, 455/4.1, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.2, 455/6.3
• US Class Current: 348/725
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite

Abstract

The present invention relates to a signal receiving apparatus and a signal receiving system, including a receive antenna for receiving plural high-frequency signals; first frequency converters each for down-converting a frequency of each of the plural high-frequency signals; second frequency converters each for further frequency-converting the signals converted by means of the first frequency converters; a frequency control information storage section for storing frequency control information used to perform a frequency conversion by the plural second frequency converters; a frequency-conversion control section for automatically controlling the frequency conversion by said plural second frequency converters based on the frequency control information; and a receiver for receiving only a signal of a desired frequency among signals frequency-converted by plural second frequency converters. In the signal receiving apparatus used suitably as a receive-only station which receives high-frequency signals from a communications satellite, the object is to reduce significantly troubles in the setting and control for signal receiving operation, thus leading to miniaturization of the device or system and cost reduction thereof.

Claims

1. A signal receiving apparatus comprising:

a receiver antenna for receiving a plurality of high-frequency signals;

a plurality of first frequency converters each for converting the frequency of a corresponding one of said high-frequency signals into a predetermined lower frequency;

a plurality of second frequency converters each for further converting said predetermined lower frequency of said corresponding signal, which is converted by the corresponding first frequency converter;

a frequency control information storage section for storing frequency control information, which is to be used for the frequency conversion by said second frequency converters;

a frequency-conversion control section for automatically controlling the frequency conversion by said second frequency converters based on said frequency control information stored in said frequency control information storage section; and

at least one receiver for receiving only a signal of a desired frequency among the signals whose frequencies are converted by said second frequency converters;

each said second frequency converter including a variable oscillator for generating a variable frequency signal under control by said frequency-conversion control section, and a frequency converter for further converting said resultant signal, which is the output of said first frequency converter, using said variable frequency signal generated by said variable oscillator.

2. The signal receiving apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

plural variable band-pass filters respectively arranged in the front stage of said receiver, for subjecting respective signals frequency-converted by means of said plural second frequency converters to a filtering process to remove undesired frequency components and to pass only signal components of said desired frequency;

a filtering control information storage section for storing filtering control information for executing a filtering process by means of said plural variable band-pass filters; and

a filtering control section for automatically controlling the filtering process by said plural variable band-pass filters based on the filtering control information stored in said filtering control information storage section.

3. The signal receiving apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

an inputting section for setting frequency control information which automatically controls said plural second frequency converters to said frequency control information storage section and for setting filtering control information which automatically controls said variable band-pass filters to said filtering control information storage section.

8. The signal receiving apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said frequency-conversion control section is connected to said plural second frequency converters via a trunk;

and wherein said filtering control section is connected to said variable band-pass filters via a trunk.

9. The signal receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said receiver comprising:

plural receive tuners each of which receives only a signal of a desired frequency, in response to respective signals frequency-converted by said plural second frequency converters.

4. A signal receiving apparatus comprising:

a receiver antenna for receiving a plurality of high-frequency signals;

a plurality of first frequency converters each for converting the frequency of a corresponding one of said high-frequency signals into a predetermined lower frequency;

a plurality of second frequency converters each for further converting said predetermined lower frequency of said corresponding signal, which is converted by the corresponding first frequency converters;

a frequency control information storage section for storing frequency control information, which is to be used for the frequency conversion by said second frequency converters;

a frequency-conversion control section for automatically controlling the frequency conversion by said second frequency converters based on said frequency control information stored in said frequency control information storage section;

at least one receiver for receiving only a signal of a desired frequency among the signals whose frequencies are converted by said second frequency converters;

a plurality of variable band-pass filters respectively arranged in the front stage of said receiver, for subjecting the signal, which is converted by said corresponding second frequency converter, to a filtering process to remove undesired frequency components and to pass only signal components of said desired frequency;

a filtering control information storage section for storing filtering control information, which is to be used for the filtering process by said variable band-pass filters;

a filtering control section for automatically controlling the filtering process by said variable band-pass filters based on the filtering control information stored in said filtering control information storage section; and

a hybrid circuit arranged in the front stage of said receivers, for supplying the signals produced from said variable band-pass filters to said receivers.

5. A signal receiving apparatus comprising:

a receiver antenna for receiving a plurality of high-frequency signals;

a plurality of first frequency converters each for converting the frequency of a corresponding one of said high-frequency signals into a predetermined lower frequency;

a plurality of second frequency converters each for further converting said predetermined lower frequency of said corresponding signal, which is converted by the corresponding first frequency converter;

a frequency control information storage section for storing frequency control information, which is to be used for the frequency conversion by said second frequency converters;

a frequency-conversion control section for automatically controlling the frequency conversion by said second frequency converters based on said frequency control information stored in said frequency control information storage section; and

at least one receiver for receiving only a signal of a desired frequency among the signals whose frequencies are converted by said second frequency converters;

said frequency control information being formed of information regarding said high-frequency signals and information regarding a differential between the frequency of the signal converted by said first frequency converter and the frequency of the signal received by said receiver.

6. The signal receiving apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said frequency control information storage section stores the frequency control information based on a signal receive schedule for receiving signal for each of said receivers.

7. A signal receiving apparatus comprising:

a receiver antenna for receiving a plurality of high-frequency signals;

a plurality of first frequency converters each for converting the frequency of a corresponding one of said high-frequency signals into a predetermined lower frequency;

a plurality of second frequency converters each for further converting said predetermined lower frequency of said corresponding signal, which is converted by the corresponding first frequency converter;

a frequency control information storage section for storing frequency control information, which is to be used for the frequency conversion by said second frequency converters;

a frequency-conversion control section for automatically controlling the frequency conversion by said second frequency converters based on said frequency control information stored in said frequency control information storage section;

at least one receiver for receiving only a signal of a desired frequency among the signals whose frequencies are converted by said second frequency converters;

a plurality of variable band-pass filters respectively arranged in the front stage of said receiver, for subjecting the signal, which is converted by said corresponding second frequency converter, to a filtering process to remove undesired frequency components and to pass only signal components of said desired frequency;

a filtering control information storage section for storing filtering control information, which is to be used for the filtering process by said variable band-pass filters;

a filtering control section for automatically controlling the filtering process by said variable band-pass filters based on the filtering control information stored in said filtering control information storage section;

said frequency control information storage section storing the filtering control information based on a signal receive schedule for receiving signal for each of said receivers.

10. A signal receiving system comprising:

(a) at least one signal receiving apparatus including

a receiver antenna for receiving a plurality of high-frequency signals,

a plurality of first frequency converters each for converting the frequency of a corresponding one of said high-frequency signals into a predetermined lower frequency,

a plurality of second frequency converters each for further converting said predetermined lower frequency of said corresponding signal, which is converted by the corresponding first frequency converter, and

a plurality of receivers each for receiving only a signal of a desired frequency among signals whose frequencies are converted by said second frequency converters; and

(b) a receive frequency control unit including

a frequency control information storage section, connected to said signal receiving apparatus via an information transmission line, for storing frequency control information, which is to be used for the frequency conversion by said second frequency converters, and

a frequency-conversion control section for automatically controlling the frequency conversion by said second frequency converters based on said frequency control information stored in said frequency control information storage section;

wherein each said second frequency converter includes a variable oscillator for generating a variable frequency signal under control by said frequency-conversion control section, and a frequency converter for further converting said resultant signal, which is the output of said first frequency converter, using said variable frequency signal generated by said variable oscillator.

11. A signal receiving system comprising:

(a) at least on e signal receiving apparatus including

a receiver antenna for receiving a plurality of high-frequency signals,

a plurality of first frequency converters each for converting the frequency of each of said high-frequency signals into a predetermined lower frequency,

a plurality of second frequency converters each for further converting said predetermined lower frequency of said corresponding signal, which is converted by the corresponding first frequency converter,

a plurality of variable band-pass filters each for subjecting the signal, which is converted by said corresponding second frequency converter, to a filtering process to remove undesired frequency components and to pass only signal components of said desired frequency, and

a plurality of receivers each for receiving only a signal of a desired frequency among input signals passed through said variable band-pass filters; and

a receive frequency control unit including

a frequency control information storage section, connected to said signal receiving apparatus via an information transmission line, for storing frequency control information, which is to be used for the frequency conversion by said second frequency converters, and

a frequency-conversion control section for automatically controlling the frequency conversion of said second frequency converters based on said frequency control information stored in said frequency control information storage section,

a filtering control information storage section for storing filtering control information, which is to be used for the filtering process by said variable band-pass filters, and

a filtering control section for automatically controlling the filtering process by said variable band-pass filters based on said filtering control information stored in said filtering control information storage section;

wherein each said second frequency converter includes a variable oscillator for generating a variable frequency signal under control by said frequency-conversion control section, and a frequency converter for further converting said resultant signal, which is the output of said first frequency converter, using said variable frequency signal generated by said variable oscillator.