# US 2014/0197986 A1 · Satellite reception assembly with phased horn array > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0197986 A1 - Document ID: US20140197986A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/157,028 - Filed: 2014-01-16 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-16 - Assignees: MaxLinear, Inc. - Applicants: MaxLinear, Inc. - Inventors: Curtis Ling - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197986A1 ## CPC - H01Q 3/26: varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture ({H01Q3/12,} H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence) - H01Q 19/17: the primary radiating source comprising two or more radiating elements (H01Q19/15, H01Q25/00 take precedence) - H01Q 21/064: {using horn or slot aerials (slotted waveguides arrays H01Q21/005)} - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) ## Abstract A direct-to-home satellite outdoor unit may comprise a reflector, a support structure, circuitry, and an array of antenna elements mounted to the support structure such that energy of a plurality of satellite beams is reflected by the reflector onto the array where the energy is converted to a plurality of first signals. The circuitry may be operable to process the first signals to concurrently generate a plurality of second signals, each of the second signals corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of satellite beams. The circuitry may be operable to process one or more of the second signals for outputting content carried in the one or more of the second signals onto a link to an indoor unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: a direct-to-home (DTH) satellite outdoor unit (ODU), the ODU comprising: a reflector; a support structure; an array of antenna elements mounted to said support structure such that energy of a plurality of satellite beams is reflected by said reflector onto said array where said energy is converted to a plurality of first signals; and circuitry operable to: receive said plurality of first signals; process said plurality of first signals to concurrently generate a plurality of second signals, each of said second signals corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of satellite beams; process one or more of said second signals for output of satellite content carried in a corresponding one or more of said satellite beams onto a link to an indoor unit (IDU). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said circuitry is operable to digitize each of said first signals prior to said processing of said first signals to concurrently generate said second signals. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein: said circuitry is operable to perform said processing of said first signals to concurrently generate said second signals in the analog domain; and said circuitry is operable to digitize said second signals as part of said processing of said one or more of said second signals. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein each of said antenna elements is a horn having a substantially non-circular aperture. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein, as part of said processing of said first signals to concurrently generate said second signals, said circuitry of said ODU is operable to: apply a plurality of phase coefficients and a plurality of amplitude coefficients to said first signals; dynamically control said plurality of phase coefficients and said plurality of amplitude coefficients to change a directionality of a radiation pattern of said array while said ODU concurrently receives and outputs said satellite content onto said link to said IDU. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein: said ODU comprises one or more sensors operable to detect movement of said ODU; and said dynamic control of said plurality of phase coefficients and said plurality of amplitude coefficients is based on movement of said ODU detected by said sensors. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein said circuitry of said ODU is operable to measure received signal strength; and said dynamic control of said plurality of phase coefficients and said plurality of amplitude coefficients is based on said received signal strength. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein: a first portion of said antenna elements are used only for reception; and a second portion of said antenna elements are used for both reception and transmission. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein: said antenna elements are arranged in an array such that a first one of said antenna elements is at or near a center of said array and other ones of said antenna elements are arranged around a perimeter of said first one of said antenna elements; said first one of said antenna elements is used for transmission and reception; said other ones of said antenna elements are used only for reception. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein: each of said antenna elements is a horn having an aperture that is larger along a first axis than along a second axis perpendicular to said first axis; as part of said processing of said first signals to concurrently generate said second signals, said circuitry is operable to: dynamically control a plurality of phase coefficients and a plurality of amplitude coefficients such that a directionality of a radiation pattern of said array scans over a range of angles along said second axis while said directionality of said radiation pattern of said array remains fixed along said first axis. ### Claim 11 A method comprising: in a direct-to-home (DTH) satellite outdoor unit (ODU) comprising a reflector, a support structure, an array of antenna elements mounted to said support structure such that energy of a plurality of satellite beams is reflected by said reflector onto said array: converting, by said reflector and said array, said energy to a plurality of first signals; processing, by said circuitry, said plurality of first signals to concurrently generate a plurality of second signals, each of said second signals corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of satellite beams; and processing, by said circuitry, one or more of said second signals for outputting satellite content carried in a corresponding one or more of said satellite beams onto a link to an indoor unit (IDU). ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, comprising performing by said circuitry: digitizing each of said first signals prior to said processing said first signals to concurrently generate said second signals. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein said processing of said first signals to concurrently generate said second signals is performed in the analog domain; and said processing of said one or more of said second signals includes digitizing said second signals. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein each of said antenna elements is a horn having a substantially non-circular aperture. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein said processing of said first signals to concurrently generate said second signals comprises: applying a plurality of phase coefficients and a plurality of amplitude coefficients to said first signals; dynamically controlling said plurality of phase coefficients and said plurality of amplitude coefficients to change a directionality of a radiation pattern of said array while said ODU concurrently receives and outputs said satellite content onto said link to said IDU. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein: said ODU comprises one or more sensors operable to detect movement of said ODU; and said dynamic controlling of said plurality of phase coefficients and said plurality of amplitude coefficients is based on movement of said ODU detected by said sensors. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, comprising: measuring, by said circuitry, received signal strength; and dynamically controlling said plurality of phase coefficients and said plurality of amplitude coefficients based on said received signal strength. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, comprising: receiving, but not transmitting, via a first portion of said antenna elements; and receiving and transmitting via a second portion of said antenna elements. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein said antenna elements are arranged in an array such that a first one of said antenna elements is at or near a center of said array and other ones of said antenna elements are arranged around a perimeter of said first one of said antenna elements, and the method comprises: transmitting and receiving via said first one of said antenna elements; and receiving, but not transmitting, via said other ones of said antenna elements. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein each of said antenna elements is a horn having an aperture that is larger along a first axis than along a second axis perpendicular to said first axis, and said processing of said first signals to concurrently generate said second signals comprises: dynamically controlling a plurality of phase coefficients and a plurality of amplitude coefficients such that a directionality of a radiation pattern of said array scans over a range of angles along said second axis while said directionality of said radiation pattern of said array remains fixed along said first axis.