Self configuring multi-dwelling satellite receiver system

• US 6,205,185 B1
• Filed: 09/01/1999
• Issued: 03/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation Of America (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kajiwara, Tadashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Don N.
• Application Number:
  US09/387,867
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 375/316, 455/3.2, 455/4.2, 455/12.1, 342/374, 342/361, 342/352, 348/8
• US Class Current: 375/316
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18523 Satellite systems for providing broadcast service to terrestrial stations, i.e. broadcast satellite service arrangements specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving H04H40/90; picture transmission via satellite H04N1/00103; television transmission via satellite H04N7/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/1739 the upstream communication being transmitted via a separate link, e.g. telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite

Abstract

In a receiver for a DBS (direct broadcasting satellite) system, a method of implementing multi-dwelling reception and normal reception. The method is implemented in receiver. The receiver of the present invention is capable of setting itself up for use with a DBS antenna unit and LNB without any intervention from the user. The present invention automatically configures itself for operation with either right-hand circular polarized signals or left-hand circular polarized signals as received from the antenna unit and LNB. The DBS system includes an antenna unit for receiving the DBS signal from the DBS satellite. The DBS signal is converted to a DBS IF (intermediate frequency) signal and is coupled to the receiver. The receiver receives the DBS IF signal and detects whether the IF signal is in a multi-dwelling format or a normal format by tuning to an upper band of the IF signal. If the multidwelling format is detected, the receiver configures itself for multi-dwelling reception. If the normal format is detected, the receiver configures itself for normal reception. The steps of receiving the DBS IF signal, detecting whether the IF signal is in a multi-dwelling format or a normal format, and configuring for multi-dwelling reception or normal reception are performed by the receiver automatically such that the receiver properly configures itself for operation without user intervention.

Claims

1. In a receiver for a DBS (digital broadcast satellite) system, an automatic configuring method of implementing multi-dwelling reception and normal reception comprising the steps of:

a) receiving an intermediate frequency signal from a DBS antenna unit;

b) detecting whether the intermediate frequency signal is in a multi-dwelling format or a normal format by tuning to an upper band of the intermediate frequency signal;

c) if the multi-dwelling format is detected in step b), configuring the receiver for multi-dwelling reception; and

d) if the normal format is detected in step b), configuring the receiver for normal reception, wherein steps b), c), and d) are performed automatically to configure the receiver without user intervention.

2. The method of claim 1 further including the step of detecting whether the intermediate frequency signal is in the multi-dwelling format or the normal format by tuning to an upper band of the intermediate frequency and determining whether modulated data is present.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the intermediate frequency is in the multi-dwelling format if modulated data is detected in the upper band.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the intermediate frequency is in the normal format if modulated data is not detected in the upper band.

5. The method of claim 1 further including the step of receiving the intermediate frequency signal from an LNB (low noise down converter) coupled to the DBS antenna unit.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the upper band of the intermediate frequency includes the range 1450 MHz to 2050 MHz and a lower band of the intermediate frequency includes the range 950 MHz to 1450 MHz.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the multi-dwelling format intermediate frequency signal includes a right-hand circular polarized component in the lower band and a left-hand circular polarized component in the upper band.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the multi-dwelling format intermediate frequency signal includes a right-hand circular polarized component and a left-hand circular polarized component.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the normal format intermediate frequency signal includes a right-hand circular polarized component.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the normal format intermediate frequency signal includes a left-hand circular polarized component.

11. In a receiver for a DBS (digital broadcast satellite) system, a method of implementing automatic configuration for operating with multidwelling reception and normal reception comprising the steps of:

a) receiving an intermediate frequency signal from a LNB (low noise down converter) coupled to a DBS antenna unit;

b) detecting whether the intermediate frequency signal is in a multidwelling format or a normal format by tuning to an upper band of the intermediate frequency signal, wherein the upper band of the intermediate frequency signal includes the range of 1450 MHz to 2050 MHz and a lower band of the intermediate frequency signal includes the range of 950 MHz to 1450 MHz;

c) if the multi-dwelling format is detected in step b), configuring the receiver for multi-dwelling reception; and

d) if the normal format is detected in step b), configuring the receiver for normal reception, wherein steps b), c), and d) are performed automatically to configure the receiver without user intervention.

12. The method of claim 11 further including the step of detecting whether intermediate frequency signal is in the multi-dwelling format or the normal format by tuning to the upper band and determining whether modulated data is present in the upper band.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the intermediate frequency signal is in the multi-dwelling format if modulated data is detected in the upper band.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the intermediate frequency signal is in the normal format if modulated data is not detected in the upper band.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the multi-dwelling format intermediate frequency signal includes a right-hand circular polarized component in the lower band and a left-hand circular polarized component in the upper band.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the multi-dwelling format intermediate frequency signal includes a right-hand circular polarized component and a left-hand circular polarized component.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the normal format intermediate frequency signal includes a right-hand circular polarized component in the lower band.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the normal format intermediate frequency signal includes a left-hand circular polarized component in the lower band.

19. A DBS (digital broadcast satellite) receiver for a DBS system including an embedded computer system having a processor coupled to a memory via a bus, the memory storing software which when executed causes the receiver to implement a method of automatic configuration for operating with multi-dwelling reception and normal reception, the method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving an intermediate frequency signal from a LNB (low noise down converter) coupled to a DBS antenna unit;

b) detecting whether the intermediate frequency signal is in a multi-dwelling format or a normal format by tuning to an upper band of the intermediate frequency signal, wherein the upper band of the intermediate frequency signal includes the range of 1450 MHz to 2050 MHz and a lower band of the intermediate frequency signal includes the range of 950 MHz to 1450 MHz;

c) if the multi-dwelling format is detected in step b), configuring the receiver for multi-dwelling reception; and

d) if the normal format is detected in step b), configuring the receiver for normal reception, wherein steps b), c), and d) are performed automatically to configure the receiver without user intervention.

20. The receiver of claim 19 further including the step of detecting whether the intermediate frequency signal is in the multi-dwelling format or the normal format by tuning to the upper band of the intermediate frequency and determining whether modulated data is present in the upper band.

21. The receiver of claim 20 wherein the intermediate frequency is in the multi-dwelling format if modulated data is detected in the upper band.

22. The receiver of claim 20 wherein the intermediate frequency is in the normal format if modulated data is not detected in the upper band.

23. The receiver of claim 20 wherein the multi-dwelling format intermediate frequency signal includes a right-hand circular polarized component in the lower band and a left-hand circular polarized component in the upper band.

24. The receiver of claim 19 wherein the multi-dwelling format intermediate frequency signal includes a right-hand circular polarized component and a left-hand circular polarized component.

25. The receiver of claim 19 wherein the normal format intermediate frequency signal includes a right-hand circular polarized component in the lower band.

26. The receiver of claim 19 wherein the normal format intermediate frequency signal includes a left-hand circular polarized component in the lower band.

27. An automatic configuring receiver for a DBS (digital broadcast satellite) system, comprising:

means for receiving an intermediate frequency signal from a DBS antenna unit;

means for detecting whether the intermediate frequency signal is in a multi-dwelling format or a normal format by tuning to an upper band of the intermediate frequency signal;

means for configuring the receiver for multi-dwelling reception if the multi-dwelling format is detected by the detecting means; and

means for configuring the receiver for normal reception if the normal format is detected by the detecting means wherein the configuring for multi-dwelling reception or the configuring for normal reception are performed automatically to configure the receiver without user intervention.