System and method for receiving broadcast content on a mobile platform during international travel

• US 7,715,783 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2005
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Moyer, Eric P., Girard, Lawrence E., Rilea, Dennis, Margis, Paul Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung; Nay A
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEREZ, ANGELICA
• Application Number:
  US11/269,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20060212909A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,646 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.02, 725/73, 725/76
• US Class Current: 455/3.02
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/28 Adaptation for use in or on aircraft, missiles, satellites, or balloons
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/062 for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/061 Two dimensional planar arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18508 with satellite system used as relay, i.e. aeronautical mobile satellite service
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite

Abstract

A vehicle information system for passenger vehicles, such as automobiles and aircraft, and methods for manufacturing and using same. The vehicle information system includes a universal antenna system and a universal receiver system for receiving viewing content provided by diverse content sources during travel, including international travel. The universal antenna and receiver system provide selected viewing content for distribution throughout the vehicle information system and presentation via one or more passenger interfaces. As the vehicle approaches the coverage region of a selected content source, the vehicle information system automatically reconfigures the universal antenna and receiver system to receive viewing content from the content source without requiring manual adjustment to, or replacement of, the universal antenna system and/or the universal receiver system. Passengers traveling aboard the vehicle thereby can continuously enjoy the viewing content during travel with limited interruption in service and without unwanted travel delays.

Claims

1. A vehicle information system suitable for presenting selected viewing content provided via a predetermined satellite, comprising:

a multi-regional antenna system for receiving viewing content from the predetermined satellite in response to antenna status and control data and having an antenna steering system for directing said multi-regional antenna system toward the predetermined satellite in response to antenna positioning data, said multi-regional antenna system including at least one hemispherical lens that focuses incoming satellite signals comprising the viewing content, a feedstick system that travels over an exterior surface of said at least one hemispherical lens, and at least one sensor that collects the satellite signals focused by said at least one hemispherical lens;

an antenna control system for providing said antenna positioning data based upon a comparison of a position of the vehicle information system with a position of the predetermined satellite;

a universal receiver system for receiving the viewing content from said multi-regional antenna system and processing the viewing content to provide the selected viewing content for presentation in response to receiver configuration data; and

an information system controller for providing said antenna status and control data and said receiver configuration data each being based upon a comparison of said position of the vehicle information system with contour boundary data regarding the predetermined satellite based upon a preselected signal strength.

2. The vehicle information system of claim 1, wherein said information system controller provides said antenna status and control data to said multi-regional antenna system as the vehicle information system approaches a coverage region associated with the predetermined satellite.

3. The vehicle information system of claim 1, wherein said antenna status and control data configures said multi-regional antenna system to receive the viewing content with at least one predetermined reception characteristic.

4. The vehicle information system of claim 3, wherein said at least one predetermined reception characteristic is selected from the group consisting of a signal frequency range and a signal polarization.

5. The vehicle information system of claim 1, wherein said antenna control system continuously provides said antenna positioning data to said multi-regional antenna system.

6. The vehicle information system of claim 1, wherein said information system controller provides said antenna positioning data to said multi-regional antenna system as the vehicle information system approaches a coverage region associated with the predetermined satellite.

7. The vehicle information system of claim 1, wherein said antenna control system includes a position system for providing said position of the vehicle information system.

8. The vehicle information system of claim 7, wherein said position system is selected from the group consisting of a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) system and an Inertial Reference System (IRS).

9. The vehicle information system of claim 1, wherein said antenna control system receives said position of the predetermined satellite from said information system controller.

10. The vehicle information system of claim 1, wherein said antenna control system includes a predictive algorithm for maintaining a pointing accuracy of said multi-regional antenna system.

11. The vehicle information system of claim 10, wherein said predictive algorithm comprises a second-order predictive algorithm for directing said multi-regional antenna system toward the predetermined satellite based upon rate of position change data when the vehicle information system experiences a high rate of turn.

12. The vehicle information system of claim 1, wherein said information system controller provides said receiver configuration data to said universal receiver system as the vehicle information system approaches a coverage region associated with the predetermined satellite.

13. The vehicle information system of claim 1, wherein said information system controller includes a database system for storing information regarding the predetermined satellite.

14. The vehicle information system of claim 13, wherein said database system stores information regarding a plurality of satellites.

15. The vehicle information system of claim 13, wherein said database system includes information regarding the predetermined satellite selected from the group consisting of the satellite position data, coverage region data, contour boundary data, transponder frequency data, signal polarization data, symbol rate data, video program identification (PID) data, audio program identification (PID) data, electronic program guide (EPG) data, forward error correction (FEC) data, and Program Clock Reference PID (PCR-PID) data.

16. The vehicle information system of claim 13, wherein said database system includes the contour boundary data regarding the predetermined satellite.

17. The vehicle information system of claim 1, wherein said preselected signal strength of said contour boundary data is −

48 dBW.

18. The vehicle information system of claim 1, further comprising a down-conversion system for converting the viewing content provided by said universal receiver system into converted viewing content having an intermediate frequency, said down-conversion system providing the converted viewing content to said universal receiver system for processing into the selected viewing content.

19. The vehicle information system of claim 18, wherein said down-conversion system converts the viewing content into the converted viewing content in response to interface control data provided by said information system controller based upon said comparison of said position of the vehicle information system with said coverage region data for the predetermined satellite.

20. The vehicle information system of claim 19, wherein said information system controller provides said interface control data to said down-conversion system as the vehicle information system approaches a coverage region associated with the predetermined satellite.

21. The vehicle information system of claim 1, wherein said universal receiver system provides the selected viewing content to a distribution system.

22. The vehicle information system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle information system is disposed aboard a vehicle.

23. A vehicle information system for installation aboard a passenger vehicle and for presenting selected viewing content provided via a predetermined satellite, comprising:

a vehicle position system for providing a vehicle position of the vehicle;

a multi-regional antenna system for receiving viewing content from the predetermined satellite in response to antenna status and control data and having an antenna steering system for directing said multi-regional antenna system toward the predetermined satellite in response to antenna positioning data, said multi-regional antenna system including at least one hemispherical lens that focuses incoming satellite signals comprising the viewing content, a feedstick system that travels over an exterior surface of said at least one hemispherical lens, and at least one sensor that collects the satellite signals focused by said at least one hemispherical lens;

an antenna control system for providing said antenna positioning data based upon a comparison of said vehicle position with a position of the predetermined satellite;

a down-conversion system for converting the viewing content provided by said universal receiver system into converted viewing content having an intermediate frequency in response to interface control data;

a universal receiver system for receiving the converted viewing content from said down-conversion system and processing the converted viewing content to provide the selected viewing content in response to receiver configuration data;

a distribution system for distributing the selected viewing content throughout the vehicle information system;

a passenger interface for presenting the selected viewing content distributed via the distribution system; and

an information system controller for providing said antenna status and control data and said receiver configuration data and having a database system for storing contour boundary data regarding the predetermined satellite based upon a preselected signal strength, said antenna status and control data and said receiver configuration data each being based upon a comparison of said vehicle position with the contour boundary data for the predetermined satellite.

24. The vehicle information system of claim 23, wherein the vehicle information system is disposed aboard an airplane.

25. The vehicle information system of claim 23, wherein said distribution system comprises a wired distribution system.

26. The vehicle information system of claim 25, wherein said wired distribution system supports wired communications having a protocol type selected from the group of protocol standards consisting of Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, and Gigabit Ethernet.

27. The vehicle information system of claim 23, wherein said distribution system comprises a wireless distribution system.

28. The vehicle information system of claim 27, wherein said wireless distribution system supports wireless communications having a protocol type selected from the group of protocol standards consisting of Bluetooth, wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi), Ultra-Wideband (UWB), and IEEE 802.11.

29. The vehicle information system of claim 23, wherein said passenger interface includes at least one video display system selected from the group consisting of an overhead cabin display system, a seatback display system, and a handheld presentation system.

30. The vehicle information system of claim 23, wherein said passenger interface includes at least one audio presentation system selected from the group consisting of an overhead speaker system, headphones, and a handheld presentation system.

31. An aircraft, comprising:

a fuselage and a plurality of passengers seat arranged within the fuselage; and

a vehicle information system for presenting selected viewing content provided via a predetermined satellite, said vehicle information system coupled with said fuselage and comprising;

a vehicle position system for providing a vehicle position of the vehicle;

a multi-regional antenna system for receiving viewing content from the predetermined satellite in response to antenna status and control data and having an antenna steering system for directing said multi-regional antenna system toward the predetermined satellite in response to antenna positioning data, said multi-regional antenna system including at least one hemispherical lens that focuses incoming satellite signals comprising the viewing content, a feedstick system that travels over an exterior surface of said at least one hemispherical lens, and at least one sensor that collects the satellite signals focused by said at least one hemispherical lens;

an antenna control system for providing said antenna positioning data based upon a comparison of said vehicle position with a position of the predetermined satellite;

a down-conversion system for converting the viewing content provided by said universal receiver system into converted viewing content having an intermediate frequency in response to interface control data;

a universal receiver system for receiving the converted viewing content from said down-conversion system and processing the converted viewing content to provide the selected viewing content in response to receiver configuration data;

a passenger interface for presenting the selected viewing content distributed via a distribution system; and

an information system controller for providing said antenna status and control data and said receiver configuration data and having a database system for storing contour boundary data regarding the predetermined satellite based upon a preselected signal strength, said antenna status and control data and said receiver configuration data each being based upon a comparison of said vehicle position with the contour boundary data for the predetermined satellite.

32. A method for presenting selected viewing content provided via a predetermined satellite, comprising:

providing a vehicle information system having a multi-regional antenna system and a universal receiver system, said multi-regional antenna system including at least one hemispherical lens that focuses incoming satellite signals comprising the viewing content, a feedstick system that travels over an exterior surface of said at least one hemispherical lens, and at least one sensor that collects the satellite signals focused by said at least one hemispherical lens;

calibrating said multi-regional antenna system by sampling the viewing content received from the predetermined satellite at a plurality of different orientations of said multi-regional antenna system;

determining a position of said vehicle information system;

comparing said position of said vehicle information system with a position of the predetermined satellite to provide antenna positioning data;

comparing said position of said vehicle information system with contour boundary data for the predetermined satellite based upon a preselected signal strength to provide antenna status and control data and receiver configuration data;

directing said multi-regional antenna system toward the predetermined satellite in response to said antenna positioning data;

configuring said multi-regional antenna system to receive viewing content from the predetermined satellite in response to said antenna status and control data;

configuring said universal receiver system to process the received viewing content in response to said receiver configuration data;

receiving the viewing content via said multi-regional antenna system;

processing the received viewing content via said universal receiver system; and

providing the selected viewing content for presentation.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said directing said multi-regional antenna system comprises directing said multi-regional antenna system as said multi-regional antenna system approaches a contour boundary associated with the predetermined satellite.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein said configuring said multi-regional antenna system includes configuring said multi-regional antenna system to receive the viewing content with at least one predetermined reception characteristic.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said configuring said multi-regional antenna system includes configuring said multi-regional antenna system to receive the viewing content with said at least one predetermined reception characteristic being selected from the group consisting of a signal frequency range and a signal polarization.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein said positioning said multi-regional antenna system includes continuously providing said antenna positioning data to said multi-regional antenna system and continuously positioning said multi-regional antenna system.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein said positioning said multi-regional antenna system includes providing said antenna positioning data to said multi-regional antenna system as said multi-regional antenna system approaches a contour boundary associated with the predetermined satellite.

38. The method of claim 32, wherein said positioning said multi-regional antenna system includes maintaining a pointing accuracy of said multi-regional antenna system via a predictive algorithm.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein said maintaining said pointing accuracy of said multi-regional antenna system includes maintaining said pointing accuracy of said multi-regional antenna system via a second-order predictive algorithm for directing said multi-regional antenna system toward the predetermined satellite based upon rate of position change data when said multi-regional antenna system experiences a high rate of turn.

40. The method of claim 32, wherein said configuring said universal receiver system includes configuring said universal receiver system to process the received viewing content as said universal receiver system approaches a contour boundary associated with the predetermined satellite.

41. The method of claim 32, further comprising converting the received viewing content into converted viewing content having an intermediate frequency and providing the converted viewing content to said universal receiver system for processing into the selected viewing content.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein said converting the received viewing content includes converting the received viewing content in response to said antenna status and control data.

43. The method of claim 32, further comprising distributing the selected viewing content to at least one passenger interface.

44. The method of claim 32, wherein said providing said multi-regional antenna system and said universal receiver system includes disposing said multi-regional antenna system and said universal receiver system aboard a vehicle.

45. The method of claim 32, wherein said calibrating said multi-regional antenna system comprises automatically calibrating said multi-regional antenna system.

46. The method of claim 32, wherein said calibrating said multi-regional antenna system includes sampling the viewing content at three different orientations of said multi-regional antenna system.

47. The method of claim 32, wherein said calibrating said multi-regional antenna system includes sampling the viewing content at said different orientations, which are separated by an angular displacement at least ninety degrees.

48. The method of claim 32, wherein said calibrating said multi-regional antenna system includes measuring a signal strength of the viewing content at each of said orientations of said multi-regional antenna system.