The satellite television antenna device scans the sky and locks onto a first satellite candidate by measuring microwave radiation. The antenna acquires identification (ID) of a first satellite candidate from a set top box (STB), if possible. Then, the antenna moves to a second satellite candidate an
The satellite television antenna device scans the sky and locks onto a first satellite candidate by measuring microwave radiation. The antenna acquires identification (ID) of a first satellite candidate from a set top box (STB), if possible. Then, the antenna moves to a second satellite candidate and acquires the corresponding ID from the STB, if possible. Antenna dish orientation information is stored in memory for at least all satellites that were identified as corresponding to a user's television programming package. The antenna can switch directly between two or more stored dish positions in response to the user changing channels on the STB. The antenna can be powered solely by the STB. A two-way communication conduit can be established between the STB and the antenna via a single cable. The communications conduit can also be used to transmit power to the antenna.
대표청구항▼
1. A satellite television antenna apparatus connectable to a remotely located set top box (STB), the satellite television antenna apparatus comprising: an enclosure;a reflector dish disposed in the enclosure and movable in at least one of an azimuth orientation and an elevation orientation;a first m
1. A satellite television antenna apparatus connectable to a remotely located set top box (STB), the satellite television antenna apparatus comprising: an enclosure;a reflector dish disposed in the enclosure and movable in at least one of an azimuth orientation and an elevation orientation;a first motor operably coupled to the dish to move the dish in at least one of the azimuth and elevation orientations;an antenna control system disposed fully inside of the enclosure, the antenna control system including a physical memory and a microprocessor, the microprocessor coupled to the first motor,wherein the antenna control system is configured to locate a set of at least two Earth orbiting satellite television broadcast locations corresponding to a subscriber's television programming package; lock onto a first satellite location candidate; store a first azimuth position and a first elevation position of the reflector dish corresponding to the first satellite location candidate if the STB indicates to the antenna control system that the first satellite location candidate is a member of the set of at least two Earth orbiting satellite television broadcast locations corresponding to a subscriber's television programming package; lock onto a second satellite location candidate; and store a second azimuth position and a second elevation position of the reflector dish corresponding to the second satellite location candidate if the STB indicates to the antenna control system that the second satellite location candidate is a member of the set of at least two Earth orbiting satellite television broadcast locations corresponding to a subscriber's television programming package. 2. The satellite television antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein a single coaxial cable connected to both the STB and the satellite television antenna apparatus provides two-way communication, wherein the single coaxial cable carries both command signals from the STB to the antenna apparatus and carries satellite television broadcast signals received by the satellite television antenna apparatus to the STB. 3. The satellite television antenna apparatus of claim 2, wherein the sole source of power for the satellite television antenna apparatus is provided via the single coaxial cable connected to the STB. 4. The satellite television antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein a sole source of power for the antenna apparatus is provided by the STB, which is transmitted from the STB to the Antenna apparatus via a single cable connection. 5. The satellite television antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein the antenna control system is further configured to initiate a background microwave radiation scan and set a signal-to-noise ratio prior to locking onto the first satellite location candidate. 6. The satellite television antenna apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second motor disposed inside of the enclosure, the second motor operably coupled to the dish to move the dish in at least one of the azimuth and elevation orientations. 7. The satellite television antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein the antenna control system is further configured to directly switch from the first azimuth position to the second azimuth position of the dish without scanning in response to a user changing channels on the STB. 8. The satellite television antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein the antenna control system is further configured to store an azimuth position and an elevation position of the reflector dish corresponding to a satellite location candidate when the STB indicates to the antenna control system that the satellite location candidate is not a member of the set of at least two Earth-orbiting satellite television broadcast locations corresponding to a subscriber's television programming package. 9. The satellite television antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein the antenna apparatus is further configured to transmit a coded satellite location identification information to the STB, and wherein the antenna control system is configured to store in memory a corresponding unencoded satellite location identifier provided by the STB. 10. The satellite television antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein the antenna apparatus is configured as a portable device. 11. A satellite television system comprising a motorized enclosed antenna apparatus, the antenna apparatus configured to receive satellite television signals broadcast from a plurality of satellites located in geosynchronous orbit above the Earth and relay those signals to a remotely-located STB via a communications conduit, the STB configured to decode the audio and video signals received from the antenna apparatus and to send signals back through the same communications conduit to the antenna apparatus, the antenna apparatus comprising: an enclosure, wherein at least a portion of the enclosure comprises an electromagnetic wave permeable material;a reflector dish disposed inside of the enclosure, the dish configured to be movable in at least one of an azimuth orientation and an elevation orientation;a first motor operably engaged with the dish to move the dish in at least one of the azimuth and elevation orientations;an antenna control system disposed inside of the enclosure, the antenna control system configured to control the first motor to move the dish during a scan of the sky and lock onto a first satellite candidate, receive from the STB a satellite position identification corresponding to the first satellite candidate; store a first azimuth position corresponding to the first satellite candidate whose identification was provided by the STB, lock onto a second satellite candidate, receive from the STB a satellite position identification corresponding to the second satellite candidate; store a second azimuth position corresponding to the second satellite candidate whose identification was provided by the STB, and stop searching for an additional satellite candidate when all satellite positions corresponding to a user's television programming package have been located. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the antenna apparatus further includes a global positioning system (GPS) receiver coupled to the antenna control system. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the antenna control system is further configured to determine a particular elevation range of the sky to scan based upon a location of the antenna apparatus determined by the GPS receiver. 14. The system of claim 11, wherein the antenna control system is further configured to initiate a background microwave radiation scan and set a signal-to-noise ratio prior to initiating a scan for the first satellite candidate. 15. The system of claim 11, wherein the antenna apparatus is powered solely by the STB via the communications conduit. 16. The system of claim 11, wherein the antenna control system is further configured to store an azimuth position and an elevation position of the dish corresponding to each satellite candidate whose position identification could not be determined by the STB. 17. The system of claim 11, wherein the antenna control system is further configured to store an azimuth position and an elevation position of the dish corresponding to each satellite candidate whose position identification is determined by the STB, but does not correspond to the user's television programming package. 18. The system of claim 11, wherein the antenna control system is further configured to switch between the first azimuth position and the second azimuth position stored in memory without scanning in response to a user changing channels on the STB. 19. A method of obtaining identification information for television broadcast satellites by a portable motorized satellite antenna device, the method comprising: connecting the portable motorized satellite antenna device to a STB, the STB being located remote from the portable motorized satellite antenna device;moving a parabolic reflector dish of the portable motorized satellite antenna device via a motor in at least an azimuth orientation until the portable motorized satellite antenna device is locked onto a first satellite location candidate;receiving by the portable motorized satellite antenna device from the STB at least one of an identification corresponding to the first satellite location candidate or an indication that the identification cannot be determined;moving the parabolic reflector dish of the portable motorized satellite antenna device via the motor in at least the azimuth orientation until the portable motorized satellite antenna device is locked onto a second satellite location candidate;receiving by the portable motorized satellite antenna device from the STB at least one of an identification corresponding to the second satellite location candidate or an indication that the identification cannot be determined;moving the parabolic reflector dish of the portable motorized satellite antenna device via the motor in at least the azimuth orientation until the portable motorized satellite antenna device is locked onto a further satellite location candidate when not all satellite positions have been located that correspond to the user's television programming package; andceasing moving the parabolic reflector dish of the portable motorized satellite antenna device via the motor in at least the azimuth orientation until the portable motorized satellite antenna device is locked onto a further satellite location candidate when all satellite positions have been located that correspond to the user's television programming package. 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising: storing in memory contained in the portable motorized satellite antenna device at least one an azimuth orientation of the dish corresponding to each satellite location candidate that corresponds to the user's television programming package; andmoving the parabolic reflector dish of the portable motorized satellite antenna device via the motor in at least the azimuth orientation between two azimuth orientations stored in memory without scanning in response to the user changing channels on the STB.
연구과제 타임라인
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
이 특허에 인용된 특허 (99)
Carson, Ronald Steven, Aircraft phased array antenna structure including adjacently supported equipment.
Terk Neil D. ; Heiligenstein Luc ; Melamed Stephen ; Tongish Sabrina L., Apparatus and method of mounting VHF/UHF antenna assembly on satellite dish antenna.
Amarillas Sal G. (6404 Salizar Ct. San Diego CA 92111) Bowen Edwin D. (17523 Rancho De Oro Dr. Ramona CA 92065) Verd Frederick J. (2160 Alpine Glen Pl. Alpine CA 91401), Integrated antenna for satellite and terrestrial broadcast reception.
Rodeffer Charles E. (Burlington IA) Byers John D. (Arvada CO) Rodeffer Michael E. (Burlington IA), Method for automatically positioning a satellite dish antenna to satellites in a geosynchronous belt.
Rodeffer Charles E. (Burlington IA) Byers John D. (Arvada CO) Rodeffer Michael E. (Burlington IA), Method for automatically positioning a satellite dish antenna to satellites in a geosynchronous belt.
Gomez Francisco X. ; Mockus Joseph F. ; Gong Peng, Multi-band, multiple purpose antenna particularly useful for operation in cellular and global positioning system modes.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.