Signal selector and combiner for broadband content distribution
DCFirst Claim
1. A signal distribution system for distributing a plurality of low noise amplifier and block converter (LNB) signals from a satellite outdoor unit (ODU) over a coaxial cable to an integrated receiver decoder (IRD) comprising:
- a signal selector that receives a plurality of broadband LNB signals comprising a plurality of transponder signals, the signal selector is responsive to transponder select information transmitted by an IRD and selects a plurality of transponder signals from at least one broadband LNB signal based on the transponder select information;
a frequency translator coupled to the signal selector that is capable of shifting the selected transponder signals to new carrier frequencies to produce RF signals; and
a signal combiner coupled to at least one frequency translator capable of combining at least two RF signals to produce a composite signal;
wherein the modulation of the composite signal is the same as the modulation of the broadband LNB signals and wherein the composite signal is transmitted on the coaxial cable;
whereby the composite signal is transmitted to the IRD.
9 Assignments
Litigations
1 Petition
Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
In a satellite receiving system, program channels are selected from one or more broadband signals and combined with other selected channels and transmitted from a first unit, for example an outdoor unit, to a second unit, for example a gateway, server, or set-top box, using a single cable. Channels can be selected by digitizing the broadband signal then digitally filtering to isolate the desired channels. The outputs of several LNBs can be selected and combined into one signal. Multiple set-top boxes can receive independent signals over a single cable from the outdoor unit.
158 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A signal distribution system for distributing a plurality of low noise amplifier and block converter (LNB) signals from a satellite outdoor unit (ODU) over a coaxial cable to an integrated receiver decoder (IRD) comprising:
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a signal selector that receives a plurality of broadband LNB signals comprising a plurality of transponder signals, the signal selector is responsive to transponder select information transmitted by an IRD and selects a plurality of transponder signals from at least one broadband LNB signal based on the transponder select information; a frequency translator coupled to the signal selector that is capable of shifting the selected transponder signals to new carrier frequencies to produce RF signals; and a signal combiner coupled to at least one frequency translator capable of combining at least two RF signals to produce a composite signal; wherein the modulation of the composite signal is the same as the modulation of the broadband LNB signals and wherein the composite signal is transmitted on the coaxial cable; whereby the composite signal is transmitted to the IRD. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A signal distribution system for distributing signals comprising a plurality of channels from a plurality of sources between a first unit and a second unit over a communication medium comprising:
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means in the first unit responsive to information transmitted by the second unit for extracting selected channels from each of the plurality of sources and combining the selected channels into a composite signal without demodulating channels and without changing the modulation of the channels and transmitting the composite signal over the medium; and means in the second unit for receiving the composite signal and demodulating and decoding at least one channel; and means in the first unit and second units for bi-directionally communicating control information between the second unit and the first unit. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of communicating a plurality of transponder signals from a satellite outdoor unit (ODU) that receives a plurality of satellite broadband signals to an integrated receiver decoder (IRD) over a single cable connected to the ODU, the method comprising the steps of:
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communicating a transponder request signal to the ODU from the IRD; in the ODU, selecting a plurality of transponder signals extracted from the received satellite broadband signals, wherein the selecting is responsive to the transponder request signals; combining selected transponder signals into a composite signal; transmitting the composite signal over the single cable from the ODU to the IRDs, wherein the modulation of the transponder signal is not altered by the steps of selecting, combining, and transmitting. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification