Band upconverter approach to KA/KU signal distribution

• US 8,019,275 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2006
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ho, Kesse, Norin, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Dean; Raymond S
• Application Number:
  US11/546,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20070083898A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,798 Days
• Field of Search: 455 301- 306, 455427-430, 455 121- 133, 455/168.1, 455/176.1, 455/190.1, 455/313, 455/334, 370/316
• US Class Current: 455/3.02
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0008 using a central processing unit, e.g. a microprocessor digital tuning in general H03J5/0245
• 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

Method, apparatuses, and system for selectively stacking systems are disclosed. A system in accordance with the present invention comprises satellite signals broadcast in a first frequency band, that are downconverted to a first intermediate frequency (IF) band of signals, and different satellite signals broadcast in a second frequency band that are downconverted to a second IF band of signals and a third IF band of signals. The first, second, and third IF bands of signals are all present in a combined IF signal on a cable.

Claims

1. A system for delivering satellite signals, comprising:

a first set of satellite signals broadcast in a first frequency band, wherein the first set of satellite signals is downconverted to a first intermediate frequency (IF) band of signals;

a second set of satellite signals broadcast in a second frequency band, wherein the second set of satellite signals is downconverted to a second IF band of signals and a third IF band of signals, wherein the first IF band of signals, the second IF band of signals, and the third IF band of signals are present in a combined IF signal on a cable; and

an upconverter, comprising;

a splitter, coupled to the cable, for dividing the combined IF signal;

a first path, coupled to a first output of the splitter, for selectively passing the combined IF signal to an output of the upconverter;

a second path, coupled to a second output of the splitter, for removing the first IF band of signals from the combined IF signal and for upconverting the first IF band of signals to the third IF band of signals; and

a third path, coupled to the first output of the splitter, for selectively removing the third IF band of signals from the combined IF signal and subsequently diplexing the upconverted first IF band of signals with a remainder of the combined IF signal into a diplexed signal, the diplexed signal selectively delivered to the output of the upconverter.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a receiver coupled to the upconverter cannot process at least the second IF band of signals.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a second receiver, coupled to the upconverter, wherein the second receiver processes the entire combined IF signal.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first frequency band is a Ku-band of frequencies.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the second frequency band is a Ka-band of frequencies.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the receiver can further process off-air television signals.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the combined IF signal and the off-air television signals have overlapping frequencies.

8. A system for delivering satellite signals to a receiver, comprising:

a plurality of satellites, wherein at least a first satellite in the plurality of satellites broadcasts a first set of satellite signals broadcast in a first frequency band, and at least a second satellite in the plurality of satellites broadcasts a second set of satellite signals in a second frequency band;

an antenna, the antenna receiving the first set of satellite signals and the second set of satellite signals;

a downconverter, coupled to the antenna, wherein the downconverter downconverts the first set of satellite signals to a first intermediate frequency (IF) band of signals and downconverts the second set of satellite signals to a second IF band of signals and a third IF band of signals, wherein the first IF band of signals, the second IF band of signals, and the third IF band of signals are present in a combined IF signal on a cable; and

an upconverter, comprising;

a splitter, coupled to the cable, for dividing the combined IF signal;

a first path, coupled to a first output of the splitter, for selectively passing the combined IF signal to an output of the upconverter;

a second path, coupled to a second output of the splitter, for removing the first IF band of signals from the combined IF signal and for upconverting the first IF band of signals to the third IF band of signals; and

a third path, coupled to the first output of the splitter, for selectively removing the third IF band of signals from the combined IF signal and subsequently diplexing the upconverted first IF band of signals with a remainder of the combined IF signal into a diplexed signal, the diplexed signal selectively delivered to the output of the upconverter.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein a receiver coupled to an output of the upconverter cannot process at least the second IF band of signals.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a second receiver, coupled to the upconverter, wherein the second receiver processes the entire combined IF signal.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the first frequency band is a Ku-band of frequencies.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the second frequency band is a Ka-band of frequencies.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the receiver can further process off-air television signals.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the combined IF signal and the off-air television signals have overlapping frequencies.

15. A system for delivering satellite signals to a receiver, comprising:

a plurality of satellites, wherein at least a first satellite in the plurality of satellites broadcasts a first set of satellite signals broadcast in a first frequency band, and at least a second satellite in the plurality of satellites broadcasts a second set of satellite signals in a second frequency band;

an antenna, the antenna receiving the first set of satellite signals and the second set of satellite signals;

a downconverter, coupled to the antenna, wherein the downconverter downconverts the first set of satellite signals to a first intermediate frequency (IF) band of signals and downconverts the second set of satellite signals to a second IF band of signals and a third IF band of signals, wherein the first IF band of signals, the second IF band of signals, and the third IF band of signals are present in a combined IF signal on a cable; and

an upconverter, comprising;

a splitter, coupled to the cable, for dividing the combined IF signal;

a first path, coupled to a first output of the splitter, for selectively passing the combined IF signal to an output of the upconverter;

a second path, coupled to a second output of the splitter, for removing the first IF band of signals from the combined IF signal and for upconverting the first IF band of signals to the third IF band of signals; and

a third path, coupled to the first output of the splitter, for selectively removing the third IF band of signals from the combined IF signal and subsequently diplexing the upconverted first IF band of signals with a remainder of the combined IF signal into a diplexed signal, the diplexed signal selectively delivered to the output of the upconverter.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising at least a first receiver and a second receiver, the first receiver coupled to a first output of the plurality of outputs and the second receiver coupled to a second output of the plurality of outputs, wherein the second receiver processes the entire combined IF signal and the first receiver processes at least the first intermediate band and the second intermediate band of the combined IF signal.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the first frequency band is a Ku-band of frequencies.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the second frequency band is a Ka-band of frequencies.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least first receiver can further process off-air television signals.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the combined IF signal and the off-air television signals have overlapping frequencies.