Satellite signal distribution
AssigneeEchoStar Technologies L.L.C.
InventorsStephen Strong, Frederick R. Tuck, Daniel Alexander Landreth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a system and method for receiving satellite television signals. A centralized system component may be provided in association with the satellite antenna. The centralized system component includes at least one or more tuners and one or more demodulators. The centralized component may provide output through a network adaptor that provides output through a single output, which is a coaxial cable in one embodiment. The centralized component may send output in the form of packetized data directed to one or more set-top boxes by way of a network transaction. The set-top box or boxes may be operable to receive the network transaction and to process the data, as appropriate, for display on a TV/monitor.
Claims12
In a satellite receiving system, a client device comprising:
- a network adapter operable to:
- receive a number of packets, the packets comprising a packetized stream of multiplexed data received from a satellite antenna, the packets having been formed and transmitted by a tuner and demodulator section located proximate to the satellite antenna, wherein the tuner and demodulator section has multiple tuners,
- transmit a packetized request that includes a channel change command to the tuner and demodulation section, wherein the packetized request is used to select the tuner from the multiple tuners;
- receive a request for a stored audiovisual program from a network node, the request for the stored audiovisual program being received through the network adapter;
- and
- in response to receiving the request, transmit the stored audiovisual program to the network node through the network adapter;
- a demultiplexer connected to the network adapter, the demultiplexer operable to separate out individual transport streams from the packets received by the network adapter;
- a storage medium operable to store the stored audiovisual program based on an individual transport stream of the individual transport streams from the packets received by the network adapter;
- a decoder connected to the demultiplexer, the decoder operable to receive the individual transport streams form the demultiplexer and to decode audio, a video and/or data associated with the individual transport streams into digital data in a first format;
- and
- an audio visual processing unit connected to the decoder, the audio visual processing unit operable to convert digital data in the first format to one or more signals having a second format and to output the signals having a second format.
A method of receiving satellite television signals, comprising:
- receiving a block of intermediate frequency signals, the intermediate frequency signals having been down converted from a satellite downlink signal;
- receiving a packetized request from a client device that indicates a channel change command for an appropriate tuner of a plurality of tuners;
- filtering the block of intermediate frequency signals by the appropriate tuner to remove a transponder signal having multiplexed data, the transponder signal corresponding to the channel change command received from the client device;
- demodulating the transponder signal by a demodulator to produce a baseband signal having multiplexed data;
- packetizing the multiplexed data from the baseband signal at a network adapter to produce packetized multiplexed data;
- transmitting the packetized multiplexed data set from the network adapter across a network to be received by the client device;
- receiving the packetized multiplexed data at the client device through a second network adapter of the client device;
- in response to receiving the packetized multiplexed data, demultiplexing the packetized multiplexed data to produce an individual transport stream;
- using the individual transport stream, storing digital data as a stored audiovisual program by the client device;
- receiving a request for the stored audiovisual program from a network node, the request for the stored audiovisual program being received through the second network adapter of the client device;
- and
- in response to receiving the request, transmitting the stored audiovisual program to the network node through the second network adapter of the client device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.