Translational switching system and signal distribution system employing same

• US 8,300,681 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2011
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Entropic Communications, LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: RF Magic, Inc. (Maxlinear Incorporated)
• Inventors: Petrovic, Branislav, Bargroff, Keith, Goldblatt, Jeremy
• Primary Examiner(s): Timory, Kabir A
• Application Number:
  US13/220,530
• Publication Number:
  US 20120046008A1
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• Field of Search: 375/220, 375/316, 375/222, 375/328, 375/350, 350/350
• US Class Current: 375/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving

Abstract

A frequency translation system includes first and second translational switches, and a signal bus coupled therebetween. The first translational switch includes one or more inputs configured to receive a respective one or more first input signals, a first plurality of outputs, and a second plurality of outputs. The second translational switch includes one or more inputs configured to receive a respective one or more second input signals, a first output, and a second output. The signal bus, coupled between the first and second translational switches, includes (i) a first bus line coupled to a first one of the first plurality of outputs of the first translational switch, and to the first output of the second translational switch, and (ii) a second bus line coupled to a first one of the second plurality of outputs of the first translational switch, and to the second output of the second translational switch.

Claims

1. A frequency translation system, comprising:

a) first translational switch (FTS) having;

i) two FTS inputs to receive a respective two FTS input signals;

ii) a first plurality of FTS outputs; and

iii) a second plurality of FTS outputs;

b) a second translational switch (STS) having;

i) two STS inputs that receive a respective two STS input signals;

ii) a first plurality of STS outputs; and

iii) a second plurality of STS outputs; and

c) a signal bus coupled between the FTS and STS, the signal bus comprising;

i) a first bus line coupled to a first one of the first plurality of FTS outputs, and to the first one of the first plurality of STS outputs; and

ii) a second bus line coupled to a first one of the second plurality of FTS outputs to a first one of the second plurality of STS outputs;

wherein the FTS provides at least two frequency translations of each of the FTS input signals and selectively outputs a first frequency translation of the first FTS input signal to any of the first plurality of FTS outputs and selectively outputs a second frequency translation of the first FTS input signal to any of the second plurality of FTS outputs; and

wherein the STS provides at least two frequency translations of each the STS input signals and selectively outputs the first frequency translation of the first STS input signal to any of the first plurality of STS outputs, and selectively outputs the second frequency translation of any of the second STS input signal to the second plurality of STS outputs; and

wherein only the output of only one translational switch is selected to be output on each bus line.

2. The frequency translation system of claim 1, further including:

a) a receive module having;

i) a high pass filter having an output; and

ii) a low pass filter having an output;

b) at least one partial translation switch (PTS), the PTS having;

i) a first PTS input coupled to the output of the high pass filter;

ii) a second PTS input coupled to the output of the low pass filter;

iii) a first plurality of PTS outputs; and

iv) a second plurality of PTS outputs;

wherein PTS provides at least one frequency translation of a signal output from the high pass filter and received by the first PTS input;

wherein the PTS provides at least one frequency translation of a signal output from the low pass filter and received by the second PTS input;

wherein the PTS selectively outputs on any of the first plurality of PTS outputs either the output of the low pass filter or the frequency translation of the signal output from the low pass filter;

wherein the PTS selectively outputs on any of the second plurality of PTS outputs either the output of the high pass filter or the frequency translation of the signal output from the low pass filter; and

wherein a first output of the first plurality of PTS outputs is coupled to the first bus line and a first output of the second plurality of PTS outputs is coupled to the second bus line.

3. The translational switch system of claim 1, further including a signal combiner for combining the signals on the first bus line with the signals on the second bus line.

4. A translational switch system comprising:

a) means for translating a first input signal to a first translated signal having a first lower frequency and a second translated signal having a second lower frequency;

b) means for translating a second input signal to a third translated signal having the first lower frequency and a fourth translated signal having the second lower frequency;

c) a first switching means for routing the first translated signal to any one of a first plurality of outputs;

d) a second switching means for routing the Second translated signal to any one of a second plurality of outputs;

e) a third switching means for routing the third translated signal to any of the first plurality of outputs to which the first translated signal is not routed; and

f) a fourth switching means for routing the fourth translated signal to any of the second plurality of outputs to which the second translated signal is not routed.

5. The translation switch system of claim 4, wherein each of the first and second outputs provides the possibility of different combinations of impedance states versus signal states.

6. A frequency translation system comprising:

a) an input matrix switch having a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs;

a first translational switch (FTS) having;

i) a first frequency translation device having a signal input, a local oscillator input and a signal output, the signal input being, coupled to a first one of the outputs of a switch matrix;

ii) a second frequency translation device having an input, a local oscillator input and a signal output, the signal input being coupled to a second one of the outputs of the switch matrix;

iii) a first low pass filter having an input and an output, the input coupled to the output of the first frequency translation device;

iv) first high pass filter having an input and an output, the input coupled to the output of the second frequency translation device; and

v) a signal combiner having a first and second input, the first input being coupled to the output of the first low pass filter and the second input being coupled to the output of the first high pass filter;

wherein the inputs of the input matrix switch receive radio frequency signals from at least one satellite; and

wherein the first frequency translation device frequency translates a signal applied to the input of the first frequency translation device to a relatively low frequency band and the second frequency translation device frequency translates a signal applied to the input of the second frequency translation device to a relatively high frequency band and the signal combiner sums the output of the first low pass filter and the output of the first high pass filter.

7. The system of claim 6, further including:

a) a first switch having an input coupled to the output of the first frequency translation device and having an output coupled to the input of the first low pass filter; and

b) a second switch having an input coupled to the output of the second frequency translation device and having an output coupled to the input of the first high pass filter.

8. The system of claim 7, further including:

a) a receive module having;

i) a second high pass filter having an output; and

ii) a second low pass filter having an output;

b) at least one partial translation switch (PTS), the PTS having;

i) a first PTS input coupled to the output of the second low pass filter;

ii) a second PTS input coupled to the output of the second high pass filter;

iii) a first plurality of outputs; and

iv) a second plurality of outputs;

c) a signal bus coupled between the PTS and first translational switch, the signal bus comprising;

i) a first bus line coupled to one of the first plurality of PTS outputs, and to the output of the first switch; and

ii) a second bus line coupled to one of the second plurality of PTS outputs to the output of the second switch;

wherein PTS provides at least one frequency translation of a signal output from the second high pass filter and received by the first PTS input;

wherein the PTS provides at least one frequency translation of a signal output from the second low pass filter and received by the second PTS input;

wherein the PTS selectively outputs on any of the first plurality of outputs either the output of the second low pass filter or the frequency translation of the signal output from the second high pass filter; and

wherein the PTS selectively outputs on any of the second plurality of outputs either the output of the second high pass filter or the frequency translation of the signal output from the second low pass filter.

9. A translational switching system comprising:

a) a first plurality of receive modules, each receive module having a plurality of radio frequency (RF) outputs, each such RF output outputting a radio frequency input signal having a first frequency;

b) a second plurality of receive modules, each receive module having a plurality of RF outputs, each such RF output outputting a RF input signal having a second frequency, the first frequency being different from the second frequency;

c) a first translator, the first translator having a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs each input being coupled to one of a first plurality of RF outputs;

d) a second translator, the second translator having a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs, each input being coupled to one of a second plurality of RF outputs;

e) a signal combiner having a plurality of pairs of inputs each pair of inputs associated with a signal combiner output;

wherein the first translator outputs either a, high frequency translation of the RF input coupled to the first translator or a low frequency translation of the RF input on one or more of the plurality of outputs;

wherein the second translator outputs either a high frequency translation of the RF input coupled to the second translator or a low frequency translation of the RF input on one or more of the plurality of outputs; and

wherein one low frequency output of the first translator is coupled to an input of one of the pairs of inputs of the signal combiner and one low frequency output of the second translator is coupled to the other of the pairs of inputs of the signal combiner, each output of signal combiner being either a sum of one of the low frequency translations of the RF input from the first translator with one of the low frequency translations of the RF input from the second translator or a sum of one of the high frequency translations of the RF input from the first translator with one of the high frequency translations of the RF input from the second translator.