Satellite multi-choice switch system

• US 20050193419A1
• Filed: 12/31/2004
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Lindstrom, Mats, Moazzam, Reza, Moniz, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,848,303 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite

Abstract

A Multi-carrier Switch Converter (“MCSC”) for multiplexing a plurality of input signals received at the MCSC into a single MCSC output signal is disclosed. The MCSC may include a Multi-port Selector Switch, wherein the Multi-port Selector Switch receives the plurality of input signals and produces a Multi-port Selector Switch output, wherein the Multi-port Selector Switch output includes a plurality of switched output signals and a frequency translation block in signal communication with the Multi-port Selector Switch, wherein the frequency translation block receives the Multi-port Selector Switch output and frequency translates each switched output signal of the plurality of switched output signals to plurality of translated signals, wherein each translated signal has a fixed carrier frequency. Additionally, the MCSC may include a combiner in signal communication with frequency translation block, wherein the combiner receives the plurality of frequency translated signals and combines them to produce the single MCSC signal.

Claims

25-1. The MCSC of claim 25, wherein each input AGC circuit is a passive circuit.

32. A Multi-carrier Switch Converter (“

MCSC”

) for multiplexing a plurality of input signals received at the MCSC into a single MCSC output signal, the MCSC comprising;

means for receiving the plurality of input signals and producing a Multi-port Selector Switch output, wherein the Multi-port Selector Switch output includes a plurality of switched output signals;

means for frequency translating each switched output signal of the plurality of switched output signals to plurality of translated signals, wherein each translated signal has a fixed carrier frequency; and

means for receiving the plurality of frequency translated signals and combining them to produce the single MCSC signal.

33. The MCSC of claim 32, further including a means for filtering each frequency translated signal of the plurality of frequency translated signals to produce a plurality of filtered translated signals.

34. The MSCS of claim 33, wherein filtering means includes means for low-pass filtering.

35. The MSCS of claim 33, wherein filtering means includes means for high-pass filtering.

36. The MSCS of claim 33, wherein filtering means includes means for band-pass filtering.

37. The MCSC of claim 33, further including an automatic gain control block in signal communication with the filter block and the combiner, wherein the automatic gain control block includes a plurality of automatic gain control amplifiers and each automatic gain control amplifier, of the plurality of automatic gain control amplifiers, automatic adjusts the gain of each filtered signal of the plurality of filtered signals.

38. The MCSC of claim 37, wherein the means for frequency translating includes a plurality of direct conversion mixers.

39. The MCSC of claim 33, wherein

the input signals are received satellite signals that have been passed through a plurality of low-noise block downconverters (“

LNBs”

), wherein each received satellite signal includes a transponder carrier, and

the MCSC output signal is passed to a plurality of set-top boxes (“

STBs”

) and the MCSC output signal includes a plurality of transponder carriers, wherein each STB is configured to independently tune to each transponder carrier.

40. A method for multiplexing a plurality of input signals received at the Multi-carrier Switch Converter (“

MCSC”

) into a single MCSC output signal, the method comprising;

switching the plurality of input signals into a Multi-port Selector Switch output, wherein the Multi-port Selector Switch output includes a plurality of switched output signals;

frequency translating each switched output signal of the plurality of switched output signals to plurality of translated signals, wherein each translated signal has a fixed carrier frequency; and

combining the plurality of frequency translated signals to produce the single MCSC output signal.

2. The MCSC of claim 1, further including a filter block in signal communication with the frequency translation block and the combiner, wherein the filter block includes a plurality of filters and each filter, of the plurality of filters, filters each frequency translated signal of the plurality of frequency translated signals to produce a plurality of filtered translated signals.

3. The MSCS of claim 2, wherein each filter of the plurality of filters is a low-pass filter.

4. The MSCS of claim 2, wherein each filter of the plurality of filters is a high-pass filter.

5. The MSCS of claim 2, wherein each filter of the plurality of filters is a band-pass filter.

6. The MCSC of claim 2, further including a controller in signal communication with the Multi-port Selector Switch, frequency translation block, and combiner.

7. The MCSC of claim 6, wherein the controller communicates to the Multi-port Selector Switch, frequency translation block, and combiner utilizing the Digital Satellite Equipment Control System communication protocol.

8. The MCSC of claim 2, further including an automatic gain control block in signal communication with the filter block and the combiner, wherein the automatic gain control block includes a plurality of automatic gain control amplifiers and each automatic gain control amplifier, of the plurality of automatic gain control amplifiers, automatic adjusts the gain of each filtered signal of the plurality of filtered signals.

41. The method of claim 40, further including filtering each frequency translated signal of the plurality of frequency translated signals to produce a plurality of filtered signals.

42. The method of claim 41, further including equalizing each filtered signal of the plurality of filtered signals with an automatic gain control (“

AGC”

) circuit.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein equalizing includes automatically adjusting the gain of each filtered signal of the plurality of filtered signals with a passive AGC circuit.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein equalizing includes automatically adjusting the gain of each filtered signal of the plurality of filtered signals with an active AGC circuit.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the combiner AGC circuit is a passive AGC circuit.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein the combiner AGC circuit is an active. AGC circuit.

47. The method of claim 44, further including equalizing plurality of input signals with an automatic gain control (“

AGC”

) input block, wherein the AGC input block includes a plurality of input AGC circuits.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein each input AGC circuit is a passive AGC circuit.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein each input AGC circuit is an active AGC circuit.

50. The method of claim 47, wherein combining includes combining the plurality of frequency translated signals to produce the single output signal having a specific frequency plan.

51. The method of claim 40, wherein frequency translating includes frequency translating each switched output signal of the plurality of switched output signals to plurality of translated signals through direct conversion mixing, wherein each translated signal has a fixed carrier frequency;

52. The method of claim 51, further including filtering each frequency translated signal of the plurality of frequency translated signals to produce a plurality of filtered signals, wherein each filter of the plurality of filters is a band-pass filter.

53. The method of claim 52, further including an automatic gain control equalizing each filtered signal of the plurality of filtered signals.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the frequency translating includes utilizing at least one voltage controlled oscillator and at least one phase-lock loop.

55. The method of claim 40, wherein the frequency translating includes:

downconverter mixing the plurality of switched output signals to produce a plurality of downconverted switched signals;

filtering the downconverted switched signals; and

upconverter mixing the filtered downconverted switched signals.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein downconverter mixing includes utilizing a frequency source having at least one voltage controlled oscillator and at least one phase-lock loop.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein upconverter mixing a second frequency source.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the second frequency source includes at least one voltage controlled oscillator and at least one phase-lock loop.

44-2. The method of claim 42, further including equalizing the single MCSC output signal with a combiner automatic gain control (“

AGC”

) circuit.