Frequency translation module discovery and configuration

• US 8,789,115 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2005
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: James, Thomas H., Shah, Dipak M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chokshi, Pinkal R
• Application Number:
  US11/219,407
• Publication Number:
  US 20070220559A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,245 Days
• Field of Search: 725 63- 72, 725/78, 725/127, 455/427, 455/12.1
• US Class Current: 725/68
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving

Abstract

Intelligent switching networks for selectively delivering satellite video signals. A network in accordance with the present invention comprises an antenna for receiving the satellite video signals, a plurality of amplifiers, coupled to the antenna, each amplifier receiving and amplifying specific satellite video signals based on an originating satellite for each of the satellite video signals, a multiswitch, having a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs, wherein at least some of the inputs are coupled to the plurality of amplifiers in a respective fashion, an interface, coupled to the multiswitch, and at least one Integrated Receiver Decoder (IRD), coupled to the interface, wherein the IRD sends signals to the interface to determine a type of the interface.

Claims

1. In a system for receiving media programs transmitted on a plurality of wireless signals, a method of automatically configuring a receiver to control an antenna interface to select among a plurality of wireless signals, wherein the receiver is configurable to control the antenna interface according to one of a first command protocol and a second command protocol, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a first command comprising an 88 kHz signal from the receiver to the antenna interface according to the first command protocol;

determining if the antenna interface responds to the first command;

if the antenna interface responds to the first command, configuring the receiver to control the antenna interface according to the first command protocol and transmitting a subsequent command according to the first command protocol;

if the antenna interface does not respond to the first command, configuring the receiver to control the antenna interface according to the second command protocol, and transmitting the subsequent command according to the second command protocol, wherein the subsequent command comprises a 22 kHz signal; and

if the antenna interface responds to the first command, transmitting a receiver identifier (ID) to the antenna interface and receiving an antenna interface ID from the antenna interface, and wherein the antenna interface refuses to accept commands from the receiver until the receiver transmits the receiver ID to the antenna interface and the receiver refuses to accept commands from the antenna interface until the receiver receives the antenna interface ID.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second command protocol is a legacy command protocol.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the antenna interface comprises a multiswitch having an input coupled to the receiver, and wherein if the antenna interface does not respond to the first command, the subsequent command transmitted according to the second command protocol is received by the multiswitch input.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the multiswitch is further coupled to the receiver to receive the first command according to the first command protocol and to provide the media programs to the receiver.

5. In a system for receiving media programs transmitted on a plurality of wireless signals, an apparatus, comprising:

a receiver for controlling an antenna interface to select among a plurality of wireless signals, wherein the receiver is automatically configurable to control the antenna interface according to one of a first command protocol and a second command protocol, by;

transmitting a first command comprising an 88 kHz signal from the receiver to the antenna interface according to the first command protocol;

determining if the antenna interface responds to the first command;

if the antenna interface responds to the first command, controlling the antenna interface according to the first command protocol and transmitting a subsequent command according to the first command protocol;

if the antenna interface does not respond to the first command, controlling the antenna interface according to the second command protocol, and transmitting the subsequent command according to the second command protocol wherein the subsequent command comprises a 22 kHz signal; and

if the antenna interface responds to the first command, transmitting a receiver identifier (ID) to the antenna interface and receiving an antenna interface ID from the antenna interface, and wherein the antenna interface refuses to accept commands from the receiver until the receiver transmits the receiver ID to the antenna interface and the receiver refuses to accept commands from the antenna interface until the receiver receives the antenna interface ID.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the second command protocol is a legacy command protocol.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the antenna interface comprises a multiswitch having an input coupled to the receiver, and wherein if the antenna interface does not respond to the first command, the subsequent command transmitted according to the second command protocol is received by the multiswitch input.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the multiswitch is further coupled to the receiver to receive the first command according to the first command protocol and to provide the media programs to the receiver.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the antenna interface further comprises a controller, coupled to the multiswitch, for controlling signal flow between the antenna interface and the receiver.