System and method for multipoint distribution of satellite digital audio radio service

• US 7,123,875 B1
• Filed: 11/04/1999
• Issued: 10/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sirius XM Radio Inc. (Liberty Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: XM Satellite Radio Incorporated (Liberty Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Wadin, Craig, Marko, Paul D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, John J.
• Application Number:
  US09/435,315
• Time in Patent Office: 2,539 Days
• Field of Search: 455/277.1, 455/402, 455/270, 455/562, 455/522, 455/12.1, 455/13.2, 455/13.1, 455/20, 455/42, 455/63, 455/11.1, 455/16, 455/17, 455/21, 455/22, 455/23, 455/426.2, 455/429, 455/430, 455/3.01, 455/3.02, 455/3.03, 455/18, 455/427, 370/320, 370/477, 370/204, 370/229, 375/229
• US Class Current: 455/3.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/02 Arrangements for relaying broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving

Abstract

A satellite digital audio radio service multipoint distribution system and method. The system comprises a satellite antenna and a satellite receiver for receiving a satellite digital audio radio signal and distributing a converted signal in response thereto. The distributed signal is received by plural receivers each of which provides a respective output signal in response thereto. In the best mode, the satellite receiver is a terrestrial repeater. The repeater decodes a stream of data received from the satellite and recodes the stream using a satellite radio terrestrial broadcast format. In the best mode, the signal is an intermediate frequency signal in the XM radio, multi-carrier modulation format. The recoded signal is rebroadcast by the repeater via a distribution network and received by a plurality of intermediate frequency (IF) receivers. The distribution system may be wireless, cable, or fiber optic. In the illustrative embodiment, the IF receivers are modified conventional satellite digital audio service receivers. A user interface is provided for each IF receiver to allow for channel selection and audio processing.

Claims

1. A satellite digital audio radio multipoint distribution system comprising:

a satellite antenna for receiving a satellite digital audio radio signal;

a terrestrial repeater connected to said antenna for decoding said satellite signal and recoding said signal into an XM radio terrestrial intermediate frequency (IF) multi-carrier modulated satellite radio terrestrial broadcast format signal, said repeater including;

a receiver and demodulator for down-converting the satellite digital audio radio signal to a TDM bitstream,

a de-interleaver and reformatter for re-ordering the TDM bitstream for a terrestrial waveform,

a terrestrial waveform modulator coupled to said de-interleaver and reformatter, and

means for recording the output of said modulator to an IF frequency;

a system for distributing said recoded IF signal, and

plural satellite digital audio radio service receivers adapted to receive said recoded IF signal from said distributing system and provide an audio or visual output signal in response thereto.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein each of said plurality receivers includes a respective user interface to allow for channel selection and audio processing.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein each of said plural receivers includes a channel decoder integrated circuit adapted to receive said recoded signal and provided a digital bitstream output in response thereto.

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein each of said plural receivers further includes a source decoder digital signal processor adapted to receiver said digital bitstream and provide said output signal in response thereto.

5. The invention of claim 1 wherein said distribution system is a cable distribution system.

6. The invention of claim 1 wherein said distribution system is a wireless distribution system.

7. The invention of claim 1 wherein said distribution system is a fiber-optic distribution system.

8. The invention of claim 1 wherein said output signal is an audio output signal.

9. The invention of claim 1 wherein said satellite antenna, terrestrial repeater, system for distributing, and plural receivers are mounted on a single structure.

10. The invention of claim 9 wherein said structure is mobile.

11. A method for distributing a satellite digital audio radio signal to multiple receivers including the steps of:

receiving a satellite digital audio radio signal and distributing an XM radio terrestrial intermediate frequency (IF) multi-carrier modulated recoded signal in response thereto using a repeater comprising;

a receiver and demodulator for down-converting the satellite digital audio radio signal to a TDM bitstream,

a de-interleaver and reformatter for re-ordering the TDM bitstream for a terrestrial waveform,

a terrestrial waveform modulator coupled to said de-interleaver and reformatter, and

means for recording the output of said modulator to an IF frequency and

receiving said distributed recoded signal via plural receivers and providing plural output signals in response thereto.

12. The invention of claim 11 wherein said steps of:

receiving a satellite digital audio radio signal and distributing an XM radio terrestrial intermediate frequency (IF) multi-carrier modulated recoded signal in response thereto and receiving said distributed recoded signal via plural receivers are performed on a single structure.

13. The invention of claim 12 wherein said structure is mobile.

14. A satellite digital audio radio multipoint distribution system comprising:

a satellite antenna for receiving a satellite digital audio radio signal;

a terrestrial repeater connected to said antenna for decoding said satellite signal and recoding said signal into an XM radio terrestrial intermediate frequency (IF) multi-carrier modulated satellite radio terrestrial broadcast format signal, said repeater including;

a receiver and demodulator for down-converting the satellite digital audio radio signal to a TDM bitstream,

a de-interleaver and reformatter for re-ordering the TDM bitstream for a terrestrial waveform,

a terrestrial waveform modulator coupled to said de-interleaver and reformatter, and

means for recoding the output of said modulator to an IF frequency; and

a system for distributing said recoded IF signal.

15. The invention of claim 14 wherein said satellite antenna, terrestrial repeater, and system for distributing are mounted on a single structure.

16. The invention of claim 15 wherein said structure is mobile.