Apparatus and method for satellite receiver computer adaptor card
AssigneeHughes Electronics Corporation
InventorDouglas M. Dillon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A printed circuit board intended to be placed within a card slot of a personal computer that allows the personal computer to receive information directly from a satellite communication network. The adaptor card operates in slave mode to a CPU of the personal computer. The CPU receives demodulated signals from a demodulator of the adaptor card via a bus interface on the adaptor card. The CPU also receives status information for the demodulator and a tuner and controls the operation of the demodulator and tuner via the bus interface. A DC-DC converter receives power from a power supply of the personal computer via the bus interface and provides power for the adaptor card circuitry. Moreover, the DC-DC converter powers a low noise block (LNB) of an antenna of the satellite communication network.
Claims31
An adaptor card for use in a personal computer, for enabling the personal computer to receive a signal from a satellite communication network, comprising:
- a connector for receiving a plurality of signals from the satellite communication network;
- a tuner, connected to the connector, that receives the plurality of signals from the connector and selects a single signal for reception;
- a demodulator, connected to the tuner, that converts the selected signal from the tuner into a digital data stream;
- a bus interface, connecting the adaptor card and the personal computer, that allows the digital data stream, a demodulator status and a tuner status to be transmitted from the adaptor card to the personal computer;
- and a DC-DC converter for receiving a voltage signal from a power supply of the personal computer and converting the voltage signal into a plurality of voltage signals for providing power to the tuner.
A method for controlling an adaptor card for use in a personal computer, for enabling the personal computer to receive a signal from a satellite communication network, comprising the steps of:
- receiving, by the adaptor card, a plurality of signals from the satellite communication network;
- selecting, by the adaptor card, a signal from among the plurality of signals for reception;
- converting, by the adaptor card, the signal into a digital data stream;
- transmitting, by the adaptor card, the digital data stream, status information from a tuner of the adaptor card, and status information from a demodulator of the adaptor card to the personal computer via a bus interface;
- and receiving a dc voltage signal from a power supply of the personal computer and converting the dc voltage signal into a plurality of dc voltage signals for providing power to the tuner.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.