Device for receiving satellite broadcast and a receiving method therefor

• US 6,334,218 B1
• Filed: 09/16/1999
• Issued: 12/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Handan Broadinfocom
• Original Assignee: Handan BroadInfocom Co., Ltd. (WOOJEON CO., LTD.)
• Inventors: Kim, Min-Gu, Lee, Jang-Hee, Jeong, Ki-Won, Lee, Yong-Kook, Park, Joong-Jeh
• Primary Examiner(s): Faile, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Ngoc K.
• Application Number:
  US09/398,838
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.2, 342/354, 342/359, 342/368, 342/449, 342/420, 343/760, 343/766, 348/570, 725/72
• US Class Current: 725/72
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/125 Means for positioning
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1257 using the received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/08 for varying two co-ordinates of the orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/10 to produce a conical or spiral scan
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite

Abstract

A satellite broadcast receiver comprises an antenna, a tuner, a modulator, a FEC decoder, a microprocessor, and an antenna driver. The antenna receives the satellite signal and the tuner tunes the satellite signal received by the antenna, and the modulator modulates the satellite signal tuned by the tuner into digital signal, the FEC decoder corrects a position error of the satellite antenna using the signal modulated by the modulator, and outputs a corresponding output signal, and the microprocessor receives the signal modulated by the modulator and the output signal of the error corrector, and outputs a control signal which controls the position of the antenna, and the antenna driver drives the antenna in accordance with the control signal of the microprocessor. The satellite broadcast receiver enables a user to detect satellites fast and see satellite broadcast conveniently.

Claims

1. A digital satellite broadcast receiver which comprises:

an antenna for receiving a satellite signal;

a tuner for tuning the satellite signal received by the antenna;

a demodulator which demodulates the satellite signal tuned by the tuner into digital signal;

an error corrector which corrects a position error of the satellite antenna using the signal demodulated by the demodulator, and outputs a corresponding output signal;

a microprocessor which receives the signal demodulated by the demodulator and the output signal of the error corrector, and outputs a control signal which controls the position of the antenna; and

an antenna driver which drives the antenna in accordance with the control signal of the microprocessor, the antenna driver generating a pulse having a predetermined period and on which movement of the antenna is based, the pulse driving the antenna, the antenna driver including;

a control logic which transmits the control signal of the microprocessor, including;

a first buffer which receives a first signal from the microprocessor,

a first gate driver which is connected to the first buffer and transmits the first signal,

a first switching element which receives the first signal from the first gate driver and switches in accordance with the transmitted first signal,

a second switching element which receives the first signal from the first gate driver and switches in accordance with the transmitted first signal,

a second buffer which receives a second signal from the microprocessor,

a second gate driver which is connected to the second buffer and transmits the second signal,

a third switching element which receives the second signal from the second gate driver and switches in accordance with the transmitted second signal, and

a fourth switching element which receives the second signal from the second gate driver and switches in accordance with the transmitted second signal;

a motor for driving the antenna in accordance with the control signal of the microprocessor received from the control logic; and

a power supply which supplies the power to the motor.

2. The digital satellite broadcast receiver of claim 1, wherein the first switching element is an n-MOS transistor, the second switching element is a p-MOS transistor, the third switching element is an n-MOS transistor, and the fourth switching element is a p-MOS transistor.

3. The digital satellite broadcast receiver of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the power supply supplies power simultaneously to a common terminal of the second switching element and the fourth element and simultaneously to a common terminal of the first switching element and the third switching element.

4. A method for receiving digital satellite broadcast, comprising the steps of:

setting moving limits of a satellite antenna;

detecting satellites by measuring a magnitude of a signal received by the satellite antenna by changing a direction of the satellite antenna;

confirming verification information of a desired satellite;

setting the direction of the satellite antenna by correcting a position error;

comparing the verification information of the desired satellite with verification information of the detected satellite;

changing the direction of the satellite antenna if the verification information of the desired satellite does not correspond to the verification information of the detected satellite; and

storing the set direction and the verification information of the detected satellite if the verification information of the desired satellite corresponds to the verification information of the detected satellite;

wherein the step of correction of the position error in the step of setting the direction of the satellite antenna is performed with a FEC decoder and further includes the steps of;

determining a FEC rate of the detected satellite;

comparing the FEC rate of the detected satellite with a standardized FEC rate;

choosing another FEC rate if the standardized FEC rate does not correspond to the FEC rate of the detected satellite; and

changing the direction of the satellite antenna if the standardized FEC rate does not correspond to the FEC rate of the detected satellite.

5. A method for receiving digital satellite broadcast, comprising the steps of:

setting moving limits of a satellite antenna;

detecting satellites by measuring a magnitude of a signal received by the satellite antenna by changing a direction of the satellite antenna;

confirming verification information of a desired satellite;

setting the direction of the satellite antenna by correcting a position error;

comparing the verification information of the desired satellite with verification information of the detected satellite;

changing the direction of the satellite antenna if the verification information of the desired satellite does not correspond to the verification information of the detected satellite; and

storing the set direction and the verification information of the detected satellite if the verification information of the desired satellite corresponds to the verification information of the detected satellite;

wherein the step of storing the position of the detected satellite is characterized by storing a number of pulses which are outputted from an antenna driver while the satellite antenna moves from a moving limit of the satellite antenna to the detected satellite.