Satellite multi-choice switch system

• US 7,848,303 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2004
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Lindstrom, Mats, Moazzam, Reza, Moniz, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Mills, Donald L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baron, Henry
• Application Number:
  US11/026,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20050193419A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,167 Days
• Field of Search: 370/343, 370/340, 370/310, 370/480, 370/481, 370/486, 370/487, 455/3.02, 455/3.01, 455/427, 455/103, 455/137
• US Class Current: 370/343
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite

Abstract

A Multi-carrier Switch Converter (“MCSC”) for multiplexing a plurality of input signals received at the MCSC into a single MCSC output signal is disclosed. The MCSC may include a Multi-port Selector Switch, wherein the Multi-port Selector Switch receives the plurality of input signals and produces a Multi-port Selector Switch output, wherein the Multi-port Selector Switch output includes a plurality of switched output signals and a frequency translation block in signal communication with the Multi-port Selector Switch, wherein the frequency translation block receives the Multi-port Selector Switch output and frequency translates each switched output signal of the plurality of switched output signals to plurality of translated signals, wherein each translated signal has a fixed carrier frequency. Additionally, the MCSC may include a combiner in signal communication with frequency translation block, wherein the combiner receives the plurality of frequency translated signals and combines them to produce the single MCSC signal.

Claims

1. A Multi-carrier Switch Converter (“

MCSC”

) for multiplexing a plurality of input signals received at the MCSC into a single MCSC output signal, the MCSC comprising;

a Multi-port Selector Switch, wherein the Multi-port Selector Switch receives the plurality of input signals and produces a Multi-port Selector Switch output, wherein the Multiport Selector Switch output includes a plurality of switched output signals;

a frequency translation block in signal communication with the Multi-port Selector Switch, wherein the frequency translation block receives the Multi-port Selector Switch output and frequency translates each switched output signal of the plurality of switched output signals to a plurality of translated signals, wherein each translated signal has a fixed carrier frequency that is associated with a predetermined one of a plurality of set top boxes (STBs); and

a combiner in signal communication with frequency translation block, wherein the combiner receives the plurality of frequency translated signals and combines them to produce the single MCSC signal.

2. The MCSC of claim 1, further including a filter block in signal communication with the frequency translation block and the combiner, wherein the filter block includes a plurality of filters and each filter, of the plurality of filters, filters each frequency translated signal of the plurality of frequency translated signals to produce a plurality of filtered translated signals.

3. The MCSC of claim 2, wherein each filter of the plurality of filters is a low-pass filter.

4. The MCSC of claim 2, wherein each filter of the plurality of filters is a high-pass filter.

5. The MCSC of claim 2, wherein each filter of the plurality of filters is a band-pass filter.

6. The MCSC of claim 1, wherein

the Multi-port Selector Switch is configured, responsive to input selections received from the STBs, to output a single switched output signal to each set top box (STB), and

the frequency translation block frequency translates, for each STB, the single switched output signal to a translated signal having a fixed carrier frequency that is assigned to the STB for which the output signal is provided, wherein each STB has a single carrier frequency assigned thereto.

7. The MCSC of claim 6, wherein the STB communicates to the Multi-port Selector Switch, frequency translation block, and combiner utilizing the Digital Satellite Equipment Control System communication protocol.

8. The MCSC of claim 2, further including an automatic gain control block in signal communication with the filter block and the combiner, wherein the automatic gain control block includes a plurality of automatic gain control amplifiers and each automatic gain control amplifier, of the plurality of automatic gain control amplifiers, automatically adjusts the gain of each filtered signal of the plurality of filtered signals.

9. The MCSC of claim 1, wherein the frequency translation block includes a plurality of direct conversion mixers.

10. The MCSC of claim 9, further including a filter block in signal communication with the frequency translation block and the combiner, wherein the filter block includes a plurality of filters and each filter, of the plurality of filters, filters each frequency translated signal of the plurality of frequency translated signals to produce a plurality of filtered signals, wherein each filter of the plurality of filters is a band-pass filter.

11. The MCSC of claim 10, further including an automatic gain control block in signal communication with the filter block and the combiner, wherein the automatic gain control block includes a plurality of automatic gain control amplifiers and each automatic gain control amplifier, of the plurality of automatic gain control amplifiers, automatically adjusts the gain of each filtered signal of the plurality of filtered signals.

12. The MCSC of claim 11, wherein the frequency translation block is in signal communication with a frequency source, wherein the frequency source includes at least one voltage controlled oscillator and at least one phase-lock loop.

13. The MCSC of claim 12, further including an automatic gain control amplifier in signal communication the combiner, wherein the automatic gain control amplifier automatically adjusts the gain of the output signal.

14. The MCSC of claim 12, further including an automatic gain control input block in signal communication with the Multi-port Selector Switch, wherein the automatic gain control input block includes a plurality of automatic gain control amplifiers and each automatic gain control amplifier, of the plurality of automatic gain control amplifiers, automatically adjusts the gain of each input signal of the plurality of input signals.

15. The MCSC of claim 1, wherein the frequency translation block includes a plurality of demodulator and modulator translation sub-modules wherein each demodulator and modulator translation sub-module includes:

a first downconverter mixer in signal communication with the Multi-port Selector Switch;

an upconverter mixer; and

a low pass filter in signal communication with both the first downconverter mixer and the upconverter mixer.

16. The MCSC of claim 15, wherein the first downconverter mixer is in signal communication with a first frequency source, wherein the first frequency source includes at least one voltage controlled oscillator and at least one phase-lock loop.

17. The MCSC of claim 16, wherein the upconverter mixer is in signal communication with a second frequency source.

18. The MCSC of claim 17, wherein the second frequency source includes at least one voltage controlled oscillator and at least one phase-lock loop.

19. The MCSC of claim 17, further including an automatic gain control (“

AGC”

) block in signal communication with the each upconverter mixer of the filter block and the combiner, wherein the AGC block includes a plurality of AGC circuits and each AGC circuit, of the plurality of AGC circuits, automatically adjusts the gain of each filtered signal of the plurality of filtered signals.

20. The MCSC of claim 19, wherein each AGC circuit is an active circuit.

21. The MCSC of claim 19, wherein each AGC circuit is a passive circuit.

22. The MCSC of claim 19, further including a combiner AGC circuit in signal communication the combiner, wherein the combiner AGC circuit automatically adjusts the gain of the single MCSC signal.

23. The MCSC of claim 22, wherein the combiner AGC circuit is an active circuit.

24. The MCSC of claim 22, wherein the combiner AGC circuit is a passive circuit.

25. The MCSC of claim 22, further including an AGC input block in signal communication with the Multi-port Selector Switch, wherein the AGC input block includes a plurality of input AGC circuits and each input AGC circuit, of the plurality of input AGC circuits, automatically adjusts the gain of each input signal of the plurality of input signals.

26. The MCSC of claim 25, wherein each input AGC circuit is an active circuit.

27. The MCSC of claim 25, wherein each input AGC circuit is a passive circuit.

28. The MCSC of claim 25, further including a controller in signal communication with the Multi-port Selector Switch, frequency translation block, combiner, AGC block, combiner AGC circuit, and AGC input block.

29. The MCSC of claim 28, wherein the controller communicates to the Multi-port Selector Switch, frequency translation block, and combiner utilizing the Digital Satellite Equipment Control System communication protocol.

30. The MCSC of claim 1, wherein

the input signals are received satellite signals that have been passed through a plurality of low-noise block downconverters (“

LNBs”

), wherein each received satellite signal includes a transponder carrier, and

the MCSC output signal is passed to the plurality of STBs and the MCSC output signal includes a plurality of transponder carriers, wherein each STB is configured to independently tune to each transponder carrier.

31. The MCSC of claim 30, wherein the combiner is in signal communication with the STBs through a divider.

32. The MCSC of claim 31, wherein the frequency translation block translates each switched output signal of the plurality of switched output signals to the plurality of translated signals, wherein each translated signal has a fixed carrier frequency between 925 to 2,175 MegaHertz (“

Mhz”

).

33. A Multi-carrier Switch Converter (“

MCSC”

) for multiplexing a plurality of input signals received at the MCSC into a single MCSC output signal, the MCSC comprising;

means for receiving the plurality of input signals and producing a Multi-port Selector Switch output, wherein the Multi-port Selector Switch output includes a plurality of switched output signals;

means for frequency translating each switched output signal of the plurality of switched output signals to a plurality of translated signals, wherein each translated signal has a fixed carrier frequency that is associated with and exclusive to a predetermined one of a plurality of set top boxes (STBs); and

means for receiving the plurality of frequency translated signals and combining them to produce the single MCSC signal.

34. The MCSC of claim 33, further including a means for filtering each frequency translated signal of the plurality of frequency translated signals to produce a plurality of filtered translated signals.

35. The MCSC of claim 34, wherein filtering means includes means for low-pass filtering.

36. The MCSC of claim 34, wherein filtering means includes means for high-pass filtering.

37. The MCSC of claim 34, wherein filtering means includes means for band-pass filtering.

38. The MCSC of claim 34, further including an automatic gain control block in signal communication with the filter block and the combiner, wherein the automatic gain control block includes a plurality of automatic gain control amplifiers and each automatic gain control amplifier, of the plurality of automatic gain control amplifiers, automatically adjusts the gain of each filtered signal of the plurality of filtered signals.

39. The MCSC of claim 38, wherein the means for frequency translating includes a plurality of direct conversion mixers.

40. The MCSC of claim 33, wherein

the input signals are received satellite signals that have been passed through a plurality of low-noise block downconverters (“

LNBs”

), wherein each received satellite signal includes a transponder carrier, and

the MCSC output signal is passed to a plurality of set-top boxes (“

STBs”

) and the MCSC output signal includes a plurality of transponder carriers, wherein each STB is configured to independently tune to each transponder carrier.

41. A method for multiplexing a plurality of input signals received at the Multi-carrier Switch Converter (“

MCSC”

) into a single MCSC output signal, the method comprising;

switching the plurality of input signals into a Multi-port Selector Switch output, wherein the Multi-port Selector Switch output includes a plurality of switched output signals;

frequency translating each switched output signal of the plurality of switched output signals to a plurality of translated signals, wherein each translated signal has a fixed carrier frequency that is associated with and exclusive to a predetermined one of a plurality of set top boxes (STBs); and

combining the plurality of frequency translated signals to produce the single MCSC output signal.

42. The method of claim 41, further including filtering each frequency translated signal of the plurality of frequency translated signals to produce a plurality of filtered signals, and wherein each STB has a single carrier frequency associated therewith.

43. The method of claim 42, further including equalizing each filtered signal of the plurality of filtered signals with an automatic gain control (“

AGC”

) circuit.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein equalizing includes automatically adjusting the gain of each filtered signal of the plurality of filtered signals with a passive AGC circuit.

45. The method of claim 43 wherein equalizing includes automatically adjusting the gain of each filtered signal of the plurality of filtered signals with an active AGC circuit.

46. The method of claim 43, further including equalizing the single MCSC output signal with a combiner automatic gain control (“

AGC”

) circuit.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the combiner AGC circuit is a passive AGC circuit.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein the combiner AGC circuit is an active AGC circuit.

49. The method of claim 46, further including equalizing the plurality of input signals with an automatic gain control (“

AGC”

) input block, wherein the AGC input block includes a plurality of input AGC circuits.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein each input AGC circuit is a passive AGC circuit.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein each input AGC circuit is an active AGC circuit.

52. The method of claim 49, wherein combining includes combining the plurality of frequency translated signals to produce the single output signal having a specific frequency plan.

53. The method of claim 41, wherein frequency translating includes frequency translating each switched output signal of the plurality of switched output signals to the plurality of translated signals through direct conversion mixing, wherein each translated signal has a fixed carrier frequency.

54. The method of claim 53, further including filtering each frequency translated signal of the plurality of frequency translated signals to produce a plurality of filtered signals, wherein each filter of the plurality of filters is a band-pass filter.

55. The method of claim 54, further including an automatic gain control equalizing each filtered signal of the plurality of filtered signals.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the frequency translating includes utilizing at least one voltage controlled oscillator and at least one phase-lock loop.

57. The method of claim 41, wherein the frequency translating includes:

downconverter mixing the plurality of switched output signals to produce a plurality of

downconverted switched signals;

filtering the downconverted switched signals; and

upconverter mixing the filtered downconverted switched signals.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein downconverter mixing includes utilizing a frequency source having at least one voltage controlled oscillator and at least one phase-lock loop.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein upconverter mixing a second frequency source.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein the second frequency source includes at least one voltage controlled oscillator and at least one phase-lock loop.