Satellite television antenna system

A satellite television system comprising a motorized enclosed antenna apparatus, the antenna apparatus configured to receive satellite television signals broadcast from a satellite 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 disposed inside of the enclosure and 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 operation of the first motor, receive a set of desired satellite IDs from the STB via the communications conduit, 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 an ID corresponding to the first satellite candidate;
• determine whether the ID corresponding to the first satellite candidate is listed in the set of desired satellite IDs;
• and determine whether all members of the set of desired satellite IDs have been located, wherein each satellite ID of the set of desired satellite IDs corresponds to a satellite location.

A method of obtaining location information for television broadcast satellites by a portable motorized satellite antenna device, the method comprising:

• receiving by the portable motorized satellite antenna device a set of desired satellite IDs from a STB, each satellite ID of the set of desired satellite IDs corresponding to a satellite location, and 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 one of an azimuth orientation and an elevation orientation until the portable motorized satellite antenna device is locked onto a first satellite candidate;
• receiving by the portable motorized satellite antenna device from the STB at least one of an ID corresponding to the first satellite candidate or an indication that an ID corresponding to the first satellite candidate cannot be determined;
• determining by the portable motorized satellite antenna device whether the ID corresponding to the first satellite candidate is a member of the set of desired satellite IDs;
• moving the parabolic reflector dish by the portable motorized satellite antenna device via the motor in at least one of the azimuth and elevation orientations until the portable motorized satellite antenna device is locked onto a second satellite candidate if either the ID corresponding to the first satellite candidate as supplied by the STB is determined by the portable motorized satellite antenna device to not be a member of the set of desired satellite IDs or the ID corresponding to the first satellite candidate is not determined by the STB;
• and
• determining by the portable motorized satellite antenna device whether there are any further members of the set of desired satellite IDs to be located if the ID corresponding to the first satellite candidate is determined to be a member of the set of desired satellite IDs.