Satellite reception assembly installation and maintenance

• US 9,912,402 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2014
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Radioxio, LLC
• Original Assignee: Maxlinear Incorporated
• Inventors: Chang, Glenn, Ling, Curtis, Ramesh, Sridhar
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E
• Application Number:
  US14/245,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20140313074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,432 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/175 arrayed along the focal line of a cylindrical focusing surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/20 wherein the primary active element is fixed and the reflecting device is movable
• 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

Abstract

A direct broadcast satellite (DBS) reception assembly may receive a desired satellite signal and process the desired satellite signal for output to a gateway. The DBS assembly may also receive one or more undesired satellite signals and determine a performance metric of the one or more undesired satellite signals. The elevation angle of the assembly and/or the azimuth angle of the assembly may be adjusted based on the performance metric(s) of the undesired satellite signal(s). The adjusting of the elevation angle and/or the azimuth angle may comprise electronically steering a directivity of a receive radiation pattern of the DBS reception assembly and/or mechanically steering one or more components of the assembly via motors, servos, actuators, MEMS, and/or the like. The performance metric may be received signal strength of the undesired signals, received signal strength of the desired signal, SNR of the desired signal, and/or SNR of the undesired signals.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

in a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) reception assembly;

receiving a desired satellite signal;

processing said desired satellite signal for output to a gateway;

receiving one or more undesired satellite signals;

determining a performance metric of said one or more undesired satellite signals; and

adjusting an elevation angle of said DBS reception assembly and/or azimuth angle of said DBS reception assembly based on said performance metric of said one or more undesired satellite signals.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said adjusting said elevation angle and/or said azimuth angle comprises electronically steering a directivity of a receive radiation pattern of said DBS reception assembly.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said DBS reception assembly comprises one or more electromechanical systems, and said adjusting performed mechanically via said one or more electromechanical systems.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said performance metric is received signal strength.

5. The method of claim 4, comprising, during said adjusting, seeking a value of said azimuth angle and/or a value of said elevation angle that corresponds to a minimum of said received signal strength.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said performance metric is signal-to-noise ratio.

7. The method of claim 6, comprising:

demodulating said one or more undesired signals via one or more demodulators of said DBS reception assembly, said demodulating resulting in one or more demodulated undesired signals; and

determining said signal-noise-ratio based on said one or more demodulated undesired signals.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising:

determining a performance metric of said desired satellite signal; and

adjusting said elevation angle and/or said azimuth angle based on said signal strength of said desired signal.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

said desired satellite signal is in a first frequency band;

each of said one or more undesired signals is in a respective one of one or more second frequency bands;

said performance metric of said desired signal is signal-to-noise ratio; and

said determining said signal-to-noise ratio comprises;

digitizing a block of frequencies encompassing said first frequency band and said one or more second frequency bands;

performing a fast Fourier transform on said digitized block of frequencies; and

measuring signal strength in one or more guard bands between said first frequency band and said one or more second frequency bands.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said desired signal emanates from a first satellite in a first orbital slot, and said one or more undesired signals emanate from one or more second satellites in a corresponding one or more second orbital slots adjacent to said first orbital slot.

11. A system, comprising:

circuitry for use in a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) reception assembly, wherein said circuitry is operable to;

receive a desired satellite signal;

process said desired satellite signal for output to a gateway;

receive one or more undesired satellite signals;

determine a performance metric of said one or more undesired satellite signals; and

adjust an elevation angle of said DBS reception assembly and/or azimuth angle of said DBS reception assembly based on said performance metric of said one or more undesired satellite signals.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said DBS reception assembly comprises circuitry and an array of antennas operable to adjust a directivity of a receive radiation pattern of said DBS reception assembly during reception of said desired signal and said one or more undesired signals.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said DBS reception assembly comprises one or more electromechanical systems, and said adjustment is performed mechanically via said one or more electromechanical systems.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein said performance metric is received signal strength.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said circuitry is operable to, during said adjustment, seek a value of said azimuth angle and/or a value of said elevation angle that corresponds to a minimum of said received signal strength.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein said performance metric is signal-to-noise ratio.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said circuitry is operable to:

demodulate said one or more undesired signals via one or more demodulators of said DBS reception assembly, said demodulation resulting in one or more demodulated undesired signals; and

determine said signal-noise-ratio based on said one or more demodulated undesired signals.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein said circuitry is operable to:

determine a performance metric of said desired satellite signal; and

adjust said elevation angle and/or said azimuth angle based on said signal strength of said desired signal.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein:

said desired satellite signal is in a first frequency band;

each of said one or more undesired signals is in a respective one of one or more second frequency bands;

said performance metric of said desired signal is signal-to-noise ratio; and

said determination of said signal-to-noise ratio comprises;

digitization a block of frequencies encompassing said first frequency band and said one or more second frequency bands;

performing a fast Fourier transform on said digitized block of frequencies; and

measuring signal strength in one or more guard bands between said first frequency band and said one or more second frequency bands.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein said desired signal emanates from a first satellite in a first orbital slot, and said one or more undesired signals emanate from one or more second satellites in a corresponding one or more second orbital slots adjacent to said first orbital slot.