Power balancing signal combiner

• US 8,549,565 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2005
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• 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:
  US11/097,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20060225104A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,105 Days
• Field of Search: 725 63- 72, 725/119, 725/120, 725/127, 455 301- 306, 375/271
• US Class Current: 725/63
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/125 Means for positioning
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/247 with frequency mixer, e.g. for direct satellite reception or Doppler radar
• 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: H01Q 5/45 using two or more feeds in association with a common reflecting, diffracting or refracting device
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18523 Satellite systems for providing broadcast service to terrestrial stations, i.e. broadcast satellite service arrangements specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving H04H40/90; picture transmission via satellite H04N1/00103; television transmission via satellite H04N7/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/63 to plural spots in a confined site, e.g. MATV [Master Antenna Television]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite

Abstract

Multiple systems for delivering satellite signals are described. An embodiment in accordance with the present invention comprises a receive antenna, including at least one low noise block amplifier (LNB), and a module, coupled to and proximate the receive antenna, the module comprising a multiswitch, coupled to the LNB, for directing the satellite signals received by the LNB to a plurality of outputs of the multiswitch, a plurality of tuners, respectively coupled to the outputs of the multiswitch, for tuning to a plurality of specific portions of the satellite signals in a respective fashion, the specific portions of the satellite signals selected based on commands received from a plurality of receivers, and an interface for delivering the specific portions of the satellite signals to the plurality of receivers, wherein the specific portions of the satellite signals are combined into a single combined signal and delivered to the plurality of receivers on a single output of the interface.

Claims

1. A system for delivering satellite signals, comprising:

a module, coupled to and proximate a receive antenna including at least one low noise block amplifier (LNB), the module comprising;

a multiswitch, coupled to the LNB, for directing the satellite signals received by the LNB to a plurality of outputs of the multiswitch;

a plurality of tuners, respectively coupled to the outputs of the multiswitch, for tuning to a plurality of selected portions of the satellite signals in a respective fashion, the selected portions of the satellite signals selected based on commands received from a plurality of receivers;

an interface for delivering the selected portions of the satellite signals to the plurality of receivers, wherein a signal strength of each individual selected portion of the satellite signals is monitored within the module and the selected portions of the satellite signals are combined into a single combined signal and delivered to the plurality of receivers on a single output of the interface; and

an automatic gain controller, coupled between the multiswitch and the interface, for individually controlling the signal strengths of the each of the selected portions of the satellite signals according to the commands from the plurality of receivers;

wherein the module refuses the commands from the plurality of receivers that require signal strengths of each of the selected portions of the satellite signals that are larger than a predetermined amount.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a controller, coupled to the interface, for controlling signal flow between the interface and the plurality of receivers.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a second output of the multiswitch, wherein the second output is a legacy output that commands the multiswitch via a cable other than the single output of the interface.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a network tuner, coupled between the multiswitch and the interface, wherein the network tuner is controlled by a service provider.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the module refuses commands from the plurality of receivers that has an identification (ID) number that is not recognized by the module.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the module further comprises an automatic level controller, coupled between the multiswitch and the LNB, for controlling a level of the satellite signals entering the multiswitch.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined amount is an amount selected to indicate fraudulent use of the receiver providing the refused command.

7. A system for selectively delivering satellite video signals received from a plurality of satellites to at least one receiver, comprising:

a multiswitch, for selectively directing the satellite video signals to an output of the multiswitch based on which satellite of the plurality of satellites broadcast the satellite video signals;

at least one tuner, coupled to the output of the multiswitch, for tuning to a specific portion of the satellite video signals, the specific portion of the satellite signals selected based on a command received from the at least one receiver;

at least one demodulator, coupled to the at least one tuner in a respective fashion, for demodulating the specific portion of the satellite video signals into a plurality of demodulated signals; and

an interface for delivering the plurality of demodulated signals to the at least one receiver, wherein signal strengths of the plurality of demodulated signals are monitored and the plurality of demodulated signals are combined into a single combined signal and delivered to the at least one receiver on a single output of the interface; and

an automatic gain controller, coupled between the multiswitch and the interface, for controlling the signal strengths of the plurality of demodulated signals according to the command from the at leaset one receiver;

wherein the system refuses the command from the at least one receiver that requires signal strengths of each of the plurality of demodulated signals that are larger than a predetermined amount.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a network tuner, coupled between the multiswitch and the interface, wherein the network tuner cannot be controlled by the at least one receiver.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a controller, coupled to the interface, for controlling signal flow between the interface and the at least one receiver.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a second output of the multiswitch, wherein the second output is an output that commands the multiswitch via a connection other than the interface.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein a specific demodulated signal is selected based on the command received from the at least one receiver.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the single combined signal further comprises an output of the network tuner.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one receiver receives the entire combined signal and tunes to an individual signal based on a new address associated with the individual signal.

18. The system of claim 7, wherein the predetermined amount is an amount selected to indicate fraudulent use of the at least one receiver.

14. A system for selectively delivering satellite video signals received from a plurality of satellites to one or more Integrated Receiver Decoders (IRDs), comprising:

a multiswitch, for selectively directing the satellite video signals to an output of the multiswitch based on which satellite of the plurality of satellites broadcast the satellite video signals;

at least one tuner, coupled to the output of the multiswitch, for tuning to a plurality of selected portions of the satellite video signals, the plurality of selected portions of the satellite video signals selected based on commands received from the one or more IRDs; and

an interface for delivering the plurality of selected portions of the satellite video signal to the one or more IRDs, wherein a signal strength of each of the plurality of selected portions of the satellite video signals is monitored and the plurality of selected portions are combined into a single combined signal and delivered to the one or more IRDs on a single output of the interface; and

an automatic gain controller, coupled between the multiswitch and the interface, for individually controlling the signal strengths of the each of the plurality of selected portions of the satellite video signals according to the commands from the one or more IRDs;

wherein the module refuses the commands from the one or more IRDs that require signal strengths of each of the plurality of selected portions of the satellite video signals that are larger than a predetermined amount.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the interface is a network interface.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein an output of the interface is a combined signal, and the one or more IRDs select a portion of the combined signal based on a private channel number.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the predetermined amount is an amount selected to indicate fraudulent use of the one or more IRDs.