Satellite broadcasting system and broadcasting satellite

• US 6,501,938 B1
• Filed: 11/30/1999
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Kikuchi, Hideo, Suenaga, Masashi, Koishi, Yoichi, Fujimori, Yukiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Nguyen T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ly, Nghi H.
• Application Number:
  US09/424,255
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 455/12.1, 455/13.1, 455/13.3, 455/427, 455/20, 455/103, 455/3.02
• US Class Current: 455/3.02
• 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 20/74 of satellite networks

Abstract

In a broadcasting satellite, signals transmitted through an up transmission line of a Ka band, which includes a plurality of communication channels, are received by a Ka-band antenna. The signals received by the antenna are passed through band-pass filters to thereby extract a broadcasting signal transmitted through each communication channel. Those of the thus-extracted broadcasting signals, which have been transmitted through predetermined communication channels, are synthesized by each of synthesizers, then amplified by a corresponding one of high power amplifiers, and output to a corresponding one of a plurality of primary radiators employed in an S-band antenna. The S-band antenna transmits each synthesized signal to a predetermined area that corresponds to a corresponding primary radiator. Thus, the system can be made to a simple structure, and the service area can be changed for each broadcasting signal.

Claims

1. A satellite broadcasting system comprising:

a broadcasting satellite to provide a user with broadcasting signals transmitted from a plurality of transmitting stations, the broadcasting satellite including,

a reception antenna for receiving a signal transmitted via an up transmission line that includes a plurality of channels,

signal extracting means for extracting, from the signal received by the reception antenna, signals transmitted through the respective channels,

a transmission antenna having a plurality of radiators respectively directed to different broadcasting areas to form a plurality of transmission beams,

a plurality of signal processing means provided corresponding to the plurality of radiators for each taking a signal transmitted thereto, thereby amplifying it and outputting it to a corresponding one of the radiators, and

signal distribution means for recognizing broadcasting areas designated by the signals of the plurality of channels extracted by the signal extracting means, and distributing them to the respective signal processing means in response to the recognized broadcasting areas; and

each of the plurality of transmitting stations selects one of the plurality of the channels, and transmits a broadcasting signal to the up transmission line with a broadcasting area designated.

2. A satellite broadcasting system according to claim 1, wherein when the signal distribution means distributes signals of a plurality of channels, each of the plurality of signal processing means multiplexes the signals and outputs a multiplexing result to a corresponding one of the radiators.

3. A satellite broadcasting system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of transmitting stations transmits a broadcasting signal obtained by spread spectrum modulation, and when the signal distribution means distributes signals of a plurality of channels to each of the plurality of signal processing means, said each of the plurality of signal processing means synthesizes the signals, thereby performing multiplexing.

4. A satellite broadcasting system according to claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of transmitting stations transmits a broadcasting signal obtained by spread spectrum modulation, and when the signal distribution means distributes signals of a plurality of channels to each of the plurality of signal processing means, said each of the plurality of signal processing means synthesizes the signals, thereby performing multiplexing.

5. A satellite broadcasting system according to claim 1, wherein the signal distribution means uses the plurality of channels as designation information for respective broadcasting areas, recognizes a designated broadcasting area on the basis of each channel from which a corresponding signal is extracted, and distributes the signal to a corresponding one of the signal processing means, each of the plurality of transmitting stations selecting a channel corresponding to a desired broadcasting area, and transmitting a broadcasting signal.

6. A satellite broadcasting system according to claim 2, wherein the signal distribution means uses the plurality of channels as designation information for respective broadcasting areas, recognizes a designated broadcasting area on the basis of each channel from which a corresponding signal is extracted, and distributes the signal to a corresponding one of the signal processing means, each of the plurality of transmitting stations selecting a channel corresponding to a desired broadcasting area, and transmitting a broadcasting signal.

7. A satellite broadcasting system according to claim 3, wherein the signal distribution means uses the plurality of channels as designation information for respective broadcasting areas, recognizes a designated broadcasting area on the basis of each channel from which a corresponding signal is extracted, and distributes the signal to a corresponding one of the signal processing means, each of the plurality of transmitting stations selecting a channel corresponding to a desired broadcasting area, and transmitting a broadcasting signal.

15. A satellite broadcasting system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a reception terminal device positioned in one of the broadcasting areas and receiving a transmission signal transmitted from the broadcasting satellite and directed to said one of the broadcasting areas.

8. A broadcasting satellite comprising:

a reception antenna for receiving a signal transmitted via an up transmission line that includes a plurality of communication channels;

signal extracting means for extracting, from the signal received by the reception antenna, signals transmitted through the respective channels;

a transmission antenna having a plurality of radiators respectively directed to different areas to form a plurality of transmission beams;

a plurality of signal processing means provided corresponding to the plurality of radiators for each taking a signal transmitted thereto, thereby amplifying it and outputting it to a corresponding one of the radiators; and

signal distribution means for recognizing broadcasting areas designated by the signals of the plurality of channels extracted by the signal extracting means, and distributing them to the respective signal processing means in response to the recognized broadcasting areas.

9. A broadcasting satellite according to claim 8, wherein when the signal distribution means distributes signals of a plurality of channels to each of the plurality of signal processing means, each of the plurality of signal processing means multiplexes the signals and outputs a multiplexing result to a corresponding one of the radiators.

10. A broadcasting satellite according to claim 8, wherein when any one of the signals transmitted through the plurality of channels is obtained by spread spectrum modulation, and the signal distribution means distributes signals of a plurality of channels to each of the plurality of signal processing means, said each of the plurality of signal processing means synthesizes the signals, thereby performing multiplexing.

11. A broadcasting satellite according to claim 9, wherein when any one of the signals transmitted through the plurality of channels is obtained by spread spectrum modulation, and the signal distribution means distributes signals of a plurality of channels to each of the plurality of signal processing means, said each of the plurality of signal processing means synthesizes the signals, thereby performing multiplexing.

12. A satellite broadcasting system according to claim 8, wherein the signal distribution means uses the plurality of channels as designation information for respective broadcasting areas, recognizes a designated broadcasting area on the basis of each channel from which a corresponding signal is extracted, and distributes the signal to a corresponding one of the signal processing means.

13. A satellite broadcasting system according to claim 9, wherein the signal distribution means uses the plurality of channels as designation information for respective broadcasting areas, recognizes a designated broadcasting area on the basis of each channel from which a corresponding signal is extracted, and distributes the signal to a corresponding one of the signal processing means.

14. A satellite broadcasting system according to claim 10, wherein the signal distribution means uses the plurality of channels as designation information for respective broadcasting areas, recognizes a designated broadcasting area on the basis of each channel from which a corresponding signal is extracted, and distributes the signal to a corresponding one of the signal processing means.