Transceiver single cable protocol system and method

• US 8,160,507 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2010
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Inventors: Lorg, Shawn M., Buer, Kenneth V, Noji, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): WEST, LEWIS G
• Application Number:
  US12/729,463
• Publication Number:
  US 20110235572A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 455/73, 455/66.1, 375/219
• US Class Current: 455/73
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/13 the primary radiating source being a single radiating element, e.g. a dipole, a slot, a waveguide termination H01Q19/15 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/17 the primary radiating source comprising two or more radiating elements H01Q19/15, H01Q25/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801

Abstract

A single-cable protocol and associated methods and systems enable improved communication efficiency and/or reduced cost. Transmit information, receive information, telemetry information, and/or DC power may be multiplexed onto a single cable, eliminating the need for multiple cables between a satellite transceiver and a corresponding modem while reducing and/or eliminating spurious emissions. Additionally, telemetry features enable improved diagnostics and/or repair of communication systems, for example satellite communication systems.

Claims

1. A method for multiplexing data communications, the method comprising:

communicating to a modem, via an intermediate frequency cable coupled to a transceiver, data over a first frequency range; and

receiving at the transceiver, via the intermediate frequency cable, data communicated from the modem over a second frequency range,

wherein the first frequency range and the second frequency range are separated by at least one octave;

wherein the data communicated over the first frequency range is carried via a first intermediate frequency signal; and

wherein the data communicated over the second frequency range is carried via a second intermediate frequency signal; and

wherein communication of said first and second intermediate frequency signals, over the intermediate frequency cable, is full duplex.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving at the transceiver, via the intermediate frequency cable, a command from a modem communicated over a telemetry link.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising communicating to the modem, via the intermediate frequency cable, system parameter information over the telemetry link.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the telemetry link is operative over a telemetry frequency range separated from the first frequency range and the second frequency range by at least a decade.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first frequency range is from about 300 MHz to about 800 MHz, and wherein the second frequency range is from about 1800 MHz to about 2300 MHz.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the system parameter information is associated with at least one of:

transceiver temperature, antenna polarity, TX band, RX band, lock faults, parity faults, cable resistance faults, watchdog timer faults, cable resistance, hours of transceiver operation, transceiver serial number, transceiver firmware information, present polarization, transceiver software information, TX IF power, or RX IF power.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the command is a diagnostic command.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the command is configured to cause the transceiver to enter an installation mode.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermediate frequency cable carries DC power.

10. A method for multiplexing data communications, the method comprising:

receiving, via an intermediate frequency cable coupled to a modem, data communicated from a transceiver over a first frequency range; and

communicating to the transceiver, via the intermediate frequency cable, data over a second frequency range,

wherein the first frequency range and the second frequency range are separated by at least one octave;

wherein the data communicated over the first frequency range is carried via a first intermediate frequency signal; and

wherein the data communicated over the second frequency range is carried via a second intermediate frequency signal; and

wherein communication of said first and second intermediate frequency signals, over the intermediate frequency cable, is full duplex.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising communicating, via the intermediate frequency cable, a command to the transceiver over a telemetry link.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the telemetry link is operative over a telemetry frequency range separated from the first frequency range and the second frequency range by at least a decade.

13. A method for multiplexing data communications, the method comprising:

communicating to a modem, via an intermediate frequency cable coupled to a transceiver, data over a first frequency range;

receiving at the transceiver, via the intermediate frequency cable, data communicated from the modem over a second frequency range, wherein the first frequency range and the second frequency range are separated by at least one octave;

receiving at the transceiver, via the intermediate frequency cable, a command communicated over a telemetry link; and

communicating to the modem, via the intermediate frequency cable, system parameter information over the telemetry link,

wherein the intermediate frequency cable carries DC power;

wherein the data communicated over the first frequency range is carried via a first intermediate frequency signal; and

wherein the data communicated over the second frequency range is carried via a second intermediate frequency signal; and

wherein communication of said first and second intermediate frequency signals, over the intermediate frequency cable, is full duplex.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein all communication via the intermediate frequency cable is full duplex.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the communicating data over a first frequency range and the receiving data over a second frequency range occur simultaneously.

16. A communication system, comprising:

a transceiver; and

a modem coupled to the transceiver via a single intermediate frequency cable,

wherein the intermediate frequency cable carries data sent from the transceiver to the modem over a first frequency range,

wherein the intermediate frequency cable carries data sent from the modem to the transceiver over a second frequency range, and

wherein the first frequency range and the second frequency range are separated by at least one octave;

wherein the data communicated over the first frequency range is carried via a first intermediate frequency signal; and

wherein the data communicated over the second frequency range is carried via a second intermediate frequency-signal; and

wherein communication of said first and second intermediate frequency signals, over the intermediate frequency cable, is full duplex.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the intermediate frequency cable carries a telemetry link between the transceiver and the modem.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the telemetry link is operative over a telemetry frequency range separated from the first frequency range and the second frequency range by at least a decade.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the first frequency range is from about 300 MHz to about 800 MHz, and wherein the second frequency range is from about 1800 MHz to about 2300 MHz.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the intermediate frequency cable carries DC power.

21. An article of manufacture including a computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a transceiver, cause the transceiver to perform operations comprising:

communicating to a modem, via an intermediate frequency cable coupled to the transceiver, data over a first frequency range; and

receiving at the transceiver, via the intermediate frequency cable, data communicated from the modem over a second frequency range,

wherein the first frequency range and the second frequency range are separated by at least one octave;

wherein the data communicated over the first frequency range is carried via a first intermediate frequency signal; and

wherein the data communicated over the second frequency range is carried via a second intermediate frequency signal; and

wherein communication of said first and second intermediate frequency signals, over the intermediate frequency cable, is full duplex.