System architecture for control and signal distribution on coaxial cable

• US 7,987,486 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2005
• Issued: 07/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.), Erbsloh AG (Wagner Group GmbH)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: James, Thomas H., Shah, Dipak M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar; Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tilahun; Alazar
• Application Number:
  US11/097,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20060225100A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,307 Days
• Field of Search: 725 63- 78, 725117-120, 455 301- 306, 375/271, 375/316
• US Class Current: 725/63
• 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 signal distribution and control system where signals are distributed and control signals transmitted via a single coaxial cable. Integrated Receiver/Decoder (IRD) units communicate with a Frequency Translation Module (FTM) for construction of a custom data signal for delivery to all IRDs coupled to a given FTM. The commands sent by the IRDs to control the FTM inform the FTM which signals are of interest and should be placed on the custom data signal, also called the combined IRD channels. Previously installed IRDs that cannot generate the new commands are still supported in the system via legacy ports in the multiswitch.

Claims

1. A system for distributing signals, comprising:

a multiswitch, each input of the multiswitch receiving a satellite signal;

a plurality of tuners, each tuner coupled to a frequency translation module output of the multiswitch, wherein each tuner accepts the satellite signal and tunes to a specific frequency band of the satellite signal to deliver a selected transponder signal, each tuner receiving commands based on tuner commands from at least one bidirectional Integrated Receiver Decoder (IRD);

a plurality of demodulators, coupled to the plurality of tuners in a respective fashion, for demodulating the selected transponder signal into a plurality of demodulated signals, each demodulated signal comprising a plurality of packets;

an interface for delivering the demodulated signals to the at least one bidirectional IRD, wherein at least the demodulated signals and the tuner commands are carried on a single connection output between the at least one bidirectional IRD and the interface; and

a legacy output, coupled to the multiswitch separately from the interface and receiving a satellite signal directly from an output of the multiswitch, wherein the at least one legacy output is dedicated to a legacy IRD signal format and is incompatible with the single connection output.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of mappers, coupled to the plurality of demodulators in a respective fashion, each for mapping the packets into a remapped signal, and wherein the interface is a combiner for combining the remapped signals into a combined signal for delivery to the at least one IRD.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface is a network interface.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a smart splitter, coupled between the at least one bidirectional IRD and the interface.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the smart splitter comprises a microprocessor for controlling the flow of commands from the at least one bidirectional IRD and the interface.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the smart splitter is a four-way smart splitter.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a dedicated tuner that is controlled by a service provider.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the combined signal comprises at least one private channel, each private channel being dedicated between a corresponding bidirectional IRD and the interface, such that each bidirectional IRD sends commands to the interface to control content of the private channel corresponding to that bidirectional IRD.

9. A system for distributing signals, comprising:

a multiswitch, wherein a plurality of inputs of the multiswitch each receive a satellite signal, the multiswitch further comprising at least one legacy output which receives a satellite signal directly from an output of the multiswitch and a plurality of other outputs;

a plurality of tuners, each tuner respectively coupled to an other output of the multiswitch, wherein each tuner tunes to a specific frequency band of the satellite signal based on commands received by the tuner from at least one bidirectional Integrated Receiver Decoder (IRD);

a plurality of demodulators, coupled to the plurality of tuners in a respective fashion, for demodulating the specific frequency band into a plurality of demodulated signals;

a plurality of demultiplexers, coupled to the plurality of demodulators in a respective fashion, for demultiplexing the plurality of demodulated signals into a plurality of packets; and

an interface for delivering at least some of the packets to the at least one bidirectional IRD, wherein at least the packets and the commands are carried on a single connection between the at least one bidirectional IRD and the interface, and wherein the at least one legacy output is dedicated to a legacy IRD signal format and the at least one legacy output is incompatible with the plurality of other outputs.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the interface is a network interface.

11. The system of claim 10, each legacy output is respectively selectively controlled by a legacy IRD.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a network tuner, coupled to the multiswitch, wherein the network tuner receives commands from a service provider to tune the network tuner.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a controller, coupled to the network interface, for controlling signal flow between the network interface and the at least one bidirectional IRD.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the network interface provides each bidirectional IRD with a private channel, each private channel being dedicated between a corresponding bidirectional IRD and the interface, such that each bidirectional IRD sends commands to the interface to control content of the private channel corresponding to that bidirectional IRD.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller monitors at least an identification (ID) of each of the at least one bidirectional IRDs coupled to the network interface.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the controller further monitors at least a signal strength between the network interface and the at least one bidirectional IRD.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller refuses commands sent from the at least one bidirectional IRD that does not have an ID recognized by the controller.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the refuses commands sent from the at least one bidirectional IRD that does not have a signal strength within a predetermined limit.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller determines whether or not the at least one bidirectional IRD is a legacy IRD, and accepts commands from the at least one bidirectional IRD based on the determination.