Communications circuitry for combining terrestrial and satellite signals

• US 6,634,027 B1
• Filed: 04/15/1999
• Issued: 10/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Johnson, Harold W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, Chris
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chung, Jason
• Application Number:
  US09/293,465
• Time in Patent Office: 1,643 Days
• Field of Search: 725/48, 725/59, 725/63, 725/70, 725/71, 725/73, 725/78, 725/80, 725/82, 725/106, 725/109, 725/144, 725/146, 725/147, 725/138, 725/114, 725/116, 725/117, 725/67, 725/68, 348/723, 348/724, 348/469, 455/3.01, 455/3.02, 455/12.1, 455/427
• US Class Current: 725/67
• 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 20/63 to plural spots in a confined site, e.g. MATV [Master Antenna Television]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/438 Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. retrieving encoded video stream packets from an IP network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6112 involving terrestrial transmission, e.g. DVB-T
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite

Abstract

Communications circuitry comprising integration circuitry coupled to interface circuitry. The integration circuitry is configured to convert at least a portion of a terrestrial signal into a satellite channel frequency and to combine the converted terrestrial signal and a satellite signal into an integrated digital signal. The converted terrestrial signal occupies at least one unoccupied channel in the satellite signal. The interface circuitry is configured to provide the terrestrial signal and the satellite signal to the integration circuitry and to transmit the integrated digital signal.

Claims

1. Communications circuitry comprising:

interface circuitry configured to receive a satellite signal having a frequency in a satellite frequency band, to receive a terrestrial signal having a frequency outside of the satellite frequency band, and to transfer the satellite signal and the terrestrial signal; and

integration circuitry comprising;

selector circuitry configured to separate a voice signal and a video signal from the terrestrial signal,

converter circuitry configured to convert the video signal to a converted video signal having a frequency in the satellite frequency band, and

combiner circuitry configured to combine the converted video signal with the satellite signal to generate an integrated digital signal;

wherein the converted terrestrial video signal occupies at least one unoccupied channel in the satellite signal;

wherein the interface circuitry is further configured to transmit the integrated digital signal.

2. The communications circuitry of claim 1, wherein the terrestrial signal comprises a terrestrial wireless signal.

3. The communications circuitry of claim 1, wherein the terrestrial signal comprises a terrestrial wireline signal.

4. The communications circuitry of claim 1, wherein the terrestrial signal comprises a microwave multi-point distribution signal.

5. The communications circuitry of claim 1,

wherein the terrestrial signal comprises full duplex communications; and

wherein the interface circuitry is further configured to transmit the terrestrial signal to a terrestrial communication system.

6. The communications circuitry of claim 1, wherein the terrestrial signal comprises a digital subscriber line signal.

7. The communications circuitry of claim 1, wherein the satellite signal comprises a direct broadcast satellite signal.

8. The communications circuitry of claim 1, wherein the interface circuitry comprises:

a satellite antenna configured to receive the satellite signal from a satellite communication system; and

a non-satellite antenna configured to receive the terrestrial signal from a terrestrial communication system.

9. The communications circuitry of claim 1, wherein the interface circuitry is further configured to deliver the integrated digital signal to at least one user device.

10. The communications circuitry of claim 1, wherein the selector circuitry is configured to deliver the separated voice signal to the interface circuitry.

11. The communications circuitry of claim 1, wherein the sector circuitry is configured to separate a data signal and the video signal from the terrestrial signal.

12. The communications circuitry of claim 11, wherein the sector circuitry is configured to deliver the separate data signal to the interface circuitry.

13. The communications circuitry of claim 1, wherein the sector circuitry is configured to separate a voice signal, a data signal, and the video signal from the terrestrial signal.

14. The communications circuitry of claim 13, wherein the sector circuitry is configured to deliver the separate voice signal data signal to the interface circuitry.

15. A method of operating communication circuitry to integrate a satellite signal from a satellite communication system with a terrestrial signal from a terrestrial communications system, wherein the communication circuitry comprises interface circuitry and integration circuitry, wherein the interface circuitry is located in a near proximity to the integration circuitry, the method comprising:

in the interface circuitry,

receiving the satellite signal having a frequency in a satellite frequency band,

receiving the terrestrial signal having a frequency outside of the satellite frequency band, and

transferring the satellite signal and the terrestrial signal to the integration circuitry; and

in the integration circuitry,

separating a voice signal and a video signal from the terrestrial signal;

converting the video signal to a converted video signal having a frequency in a the satellite frequency band,

combining the converted video signal with the satellite signal to generate an integrated digital signal, and

transmitting the integrated digital signal;

wherein the converted video signal occupies at least one unoccupied channel in the satellite signal.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the satellite signal comprises a direct broadcast satellite signal.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

separating at least one of a voice signal and a data signal from the terrestrial signal; and

providing the separated voice signal and data signal to at least one user device.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein:

receiving the satellite signal in the interface circuitry comprises receiving the satellite signal using a satellite antenna; and

receiving the terrestrial signal in the interface circuitry comprises receiving the terrestrial signal using a non-satellite antenna.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the terrestrial signal comprises a terrestrial wireline signal.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the terrestrial signal comprises a full duplex communications;

and

wherein the method further comprises transmitting the terrestrial signal to the a terrestrial communication system.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the terrestrial wireline signal comprises a digital subscriber line signal.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the terrestrial signal comprises a terrestrial wireless signal.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the terrestrial wireless signal comprises a microwave multi-point distribution signal.