Satellite television system ground station having wideband multi-channel LNB converter/transmitter architecture with controlled uplink transmission

• US 8,418,210 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2002
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Knutson, Paul Gothard, Ramaswamy, Kumar, Muterspaugh, Max Ward
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEPARD, JUSTIN E
• Application Number:
  US10/084,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20030163821A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,060 Days
• Field of Search: 725/68
• US Class Current: 725/65
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18517 Transmission equipment in earth stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite

Abstract

A satellite television ground system, particularly for a make or break satellite television signal system, includes an outdoor unit and an indoor unit that are in communication with each other via a single coaxial cable and an optional separate single conductor for power. The satellite television ground system is operative to measure and reverse frequency conversion errors utilizing DSP techniques, allowing for more precise generation and transmission of uplink signals from the satellite television ground system. Control data for the system is sent via a low data rate connection on a power cable thereof, or by a narrowband signaling channel via a coax cable. The system also utilizes a single reference oscillator to drive the various frequency synthesizers and the like. The satellite television ground system utilizes related oscillators for the uplink and downlink sections. Carrier frequency offset in the downlink is measured in a carrier tracking loop part of a television signal demodulator. The carrier frequency offset of the downlink is utilized to synthesize various frequency signals for the uplink and downlink sections to correct frequency errors. For the uplink section, the carrier frequency offset of the downlink is reversed in the uplink. If the uplink is on a different frequency, the measured offset of the system master oscillator can be scaled by different synthesizer ratios.

Claims

1. An outdoor unit for a satellite television ground system comprising:

downlink circuitry operative to receive a satellite television signal from a satellite, frequency lock to the satellite television signal, process the satellite television signal, and provide the processed satellite television signal to an indoor unit of the satellite television ground system; and

uplink circuitry operative to receive an uplink signal from the indoor unit, process the received uplink signal, and transmit the processed uplink signal to the satellite only when said downlink circuitry is simultaneously receiving said satellite television signal from said satellite and is frequency locked to said satellite television signal from said satellite.

2. The outdoor unit of claim 1, wherein the uplink circuitry is further operative to receive an uplink control signal from the indoor unit indicating said downlink circuitry being frequency locked to the satellite television signal.

3. The outdoor unit of claim 2, wherein the uplink control signal comprises an uplink data signal and an uplink oscillator signal.

4. The outdoor unit of claim 3, wherein the uplink oscillator signal is derived from the satellite television signal.

5. The outdoor unit of claim 4, wherein the uplink oscillator signal is derived from a frequency conversion error data from the satellite television signal.

6. An outdoor unit for a satellite television ground system comprising:

means for receiving a satellite television signal from a satellite;

means for processing the satellite television signal;

means for providing the processed satellite television signal to an indoor unit of the satellite television ground system;

means for receiving an uplink signal from the indoor unit;

means for processing the received uplink signal; and

means for providing the processed uplink signal to said satellite only when said means for receiving is receiving the satellite television signal from said satellite and is frequency locked to said satellite television signal from said satellite.

7. The outdoor unit of claim 6, further comprising:

means for receiving an uplink control signal indicating a frequency locked condition to signals from the satellite from the indoor unit.

8. The outdoor unit of claim 7, wherein the uplink control signal comprises an uplink data signal and an uplink oscillator signal.

9. The outdoor unit of claim 8, wherein the uplink oscillator signal is derived from the satellite television signal.

10. The outdoor unit of claim 9, wherein the uplink oscillator signal is derived from a frequency conversion error data from the satellite television signal.

11. In an outdoor unit of a satellite television ground system, a method of providing an uplink communication with a television broadcasting satellite comprising the steps of:

receiving a satellite television signals from a satellite;

processing the satellite television signal;

providing the processed satellite television signal to an indoor unit of the satellite television ground system;

receiving an uplink signal from the indoor unit;

processing the received uplink signal; and

providing the processed uplink signal to the satellite while simultaneously receiving the satellite television signal from said satellite and receiving an uplink control signal indicating a frequency locked condition to said satellite television signal from said satellite.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the uplink control signal comprises an uplink data signal and an uplink oscillator signal.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the uplink oscillator signal is derived from the satellite television signal.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the uplink oscillator signal is derived from frequency conversion error data from the satellite television signal.