Abstract: Systems and methods for receiving non-coherent layered modulation signals are presented. An exemplary apparatus comprises a tuner for receiving a layered signal and producing a layered in-phase signal and a layered quadrature signal therefrom, an analog-to-digital converter for digitizing the layered in-phase signal and the layered quadrature signal, a processor for decoding the layered in-phase signal and the layered quadrature signal to produce a single layer in-phase signal and a single layer quadrature signal, a digital-to-analog encoder for converting the single layer in-phase signal and the single layer quadrature signal to a single layer in-phase analog signal and a single layer quadrature analog signal and a modulator for modulating the single layer in-phase analog signal and the single layer quadrature analog signal to produce a single layer signal.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure provide the ability to determine an input operating point and an output operating point on a non-linear traveling wave tube amplifier (TWTA). The non-linearity of the TWTA is measured. An input roots mean-square (RMS) value of an input signal used to measure the non-linearity of the TWTA is computed. The RMS value identifies an input operating point of the measured non-linearity of the TWTA. Lastly, an output operating point is obtained.

Abstract: Signals, systems and methods for transmitting and receiving layered modulation for digital signals are presented. A layered signal for transmitting data, comprises a first signal layer including a first carrier and first signal symbols for a first digital signal transmission and a second signal layer including a second carrier and second signal symbols for a second signal, transmission disposed on the first signal layer, wherein the layered signal has the first carrier demodulated and first layer decoded to produce the first signal symbols for a first layer transport, the first signal symbols are remodulated and subtracted from the layered signal to produce the second signal layer, and the second signal layer has the second carrier demodulated and decoded to produce the second signal symbols for a second layer transport.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for receiving signals transmitted from a plurality of communications satellites. An apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises a reflecting surface having a focal point, and a plurality of low noise block down converters with feedhorns (LNBFs), each LNBF having a boresight, wherein at least a first LNBF receives signals in a first frequency band transmitted from a first communication satellite location that are focused at a first focal point and at least a second LNBF receives signals in a second frequency band transmitted from a second satellite location that are focused at a second focal point, wherein the boresight of the first LNBF is closer to the first focal point than the boresight of the second LNBF is to the second focal point.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optimizing a system for transmitting a layered modulated signal is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of defining the system in terms of a set of system parameters, including an optimal power separation S between a power of a first modulation layer and a power of a second modulation layer and a required system carrier-to-noise ratio (CNRS), determining an optimal power separation S to minimize the error rate of a lower layer modulated signal BERL, and selecting the remaining system parameters in the set of system parameters using the determined optimal power separation S.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for equalizing digital data signals is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of demodulating and decoding an input signal having input data to produce a data output, remodulating the data output to produce a training sequence including an idealized input signal, wherein the training sequence is comprised of adjacent symbols in the input data, and generating equalizer parameters from the training sequence. The apparatus comprises a demodulator (for demodulating an input signal to produce a data output), a modulator communicatively coupled to the demodulator (for remodulating the data output to produce a training sequence including an idealized input signal wherein the training sequence is comprised of adjacent symbols in the input data), and a parameter generation module communicatively coupled to the modulator (for generating equalizer parameters from the training sequence).

Abstract: Systems and methods for receiving layered modulation for digital signals are presented. An exemplary apparatus comprises a tuner for receiving a layered signal and producing a layered in-phase signal and a layered quadrature signal therefrom, an analog-to-digital converter for digitizing the layered in-phase signal and the layered quadrature signal and a processor for decoding the layered in-phase signal and the layered quadrature signal to produce one or more discrete layer signals.

Abstract: A method and apparatus transmitting a layered modulation signal having a first signal layer having first signal symbols and a second signal layer having second signal symbols is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of determining a first signal layer modulation carrier power CL at least in part according to a first signal layer clear sky margin ML and a first signal layer availability, determining an second signal layer modulation carrier power CU at least in part according to an second signal layer clear sky margin MU and an second signal layer availability, modulating the first signal symbols according to a first carrier at the determined first signal layer modulation carrier power; modulating the second signal symbols according to a second carrier at the determined second signal layer modulation carrier power, and transmitting the two layers independently.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the symbol timing and carrier frequency of a digitized input signal is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of computing a temporally varying magnitude of the input signal, determining a frequency domain representation of the computed magnitude of the input signal, identifying a spectral component at a symbol frequency ƒs away from a DC component of the frequency domain representation of the computed magnitude of the input signal, the spectral component having a magnitude and a phase, and determining the symbol timing phase of the input signal from the phase of the spectral component.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for equalizing digital data signals is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of demodulating and decoding an input signal having input data to produce a data output, remodulating the data output to produce a training sequence including an idealized input signal, wherein the training sequence is comprised of adjacent symbols in the input data, and generating equalizer parameters from the training sequence. The apparatus comprises a demodulator (for demodulating an input signal to produce a data output), a modulator communicatively coupled to the demodulator (for remodulating the data output to produce a training sequence including an idealized input signal wherein the training sequence is comprised of adjacent symbols in the input data), and a parameter generation module communicatively coupled to the modulator (for generating equalizer parameters from the training sequence).

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system provide the ability to conduct an on-line measurement of an output multiplixer (OMUX) transfer function. A broadcast downlink signal is received from a satellite. The broadcast downlink signal is demodulated and then remodulated. The received broadcast downlink signal is then compared to the remodulated signal to estimate the OMUX transfer function of the satellite.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the symbol timing and carrier frequency of a digitized input signal is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of computing a temporally varying magnitude of the input signal, determining a frequency domain representation of the computed magnitude of the input signal, identifying a spectral component at a symbol frequency ƒs away from a DC component of the frequency domain representation of the computed magnitude of the input signal, the spectral component having a magnitude and a phase, and determining the symbol timing phase of the input signal from the phase of the spectral component.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optimizing a system for transmitting a layered modulated signal is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of defining the system in terms of a set of system parameters, including an optimal power separation S between a power of a first modulation layer and a power of a second modulation layer and a required system carrier-to-noise ratio (CNRS), determining an optimal power separation S to minimize the error rate of a lower layer modulated signal BERL, and selecting the remaining system parameters in the set of system parameters using the determined optimal power separation S.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for applying layered modulation to an 8-VSB signal as used in the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) digital television signal. A system for transmitting the layered signal includes a first antenna for transmitting an upper layer signal comprising an 8-VSB signal and a second antenna for transmitting a lower layer signal. A layered modulation signal comprises the upper layer signal and the lower layer signal both interfering in a common frequency band. At least one receiver demodulates the upper layer signal directly from the layered modulation signal and demodulates the lower layer signal after subtracting the upper layer signal from the layered modulation signal. The second antenna can have a selectively limited range so that the lower layer signal does not interfere with the upper layer signal in a range where the lower layer signal could not be demodulated.

Abstract: Systems and methods are presented for measuring power levels of primary and interfering signals as well as noise, particularly for satellite transmitted signals. A typical method comprises the steps of receiving a signal comprising a primary signal, an interference signal and noise, demodulating the primary signal to remove a carrier frequency, decoding the primary signal to obtain symbols, estimating a power level of the primary signal based upon the demodulated and decoded primary signal. Additionally, an ideal primary signal can be generated from the carrier power and frequency and the symbols and subtracted from the received signal to produce the noise and interference signal. The noise and interference power is then estimated from the noise and interference signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for reducing earth station interference in a receiver antenna from non-GSO and terrestrial sources is disclosed. The apparatus comprises an absorber coupled to a receiver antenna feed assembly disposed between the non-GSO or terrestrial source and the feed assembly. Embodiments are disclosed in which the absorber is strategically placed where it minimally affects the receiver antenna mainlobe performance, while reducing interference from non-GSO and terrestrial sources.

Abstract: Signals, systems and methods for transmitting and receiving layered modulation for digital signals are presented. A layered signal for transmitting data, comprises a first signal layer including a first carrier and first signal symbols for a first digital signal transmission and a second signal layer including a second carrier and second signal symbols for a second signal, transmission disposed on the first signal layer, wherein the layered signal has the first carrier demodulated and first layer decoded to produce the first signal symbols for a first layer transport, the first signal symbols are remodulated and subtracted from the layered signal to produce the second signal layer, and the second signal layer has the second carrier demodulated and decoded to produce the second signal symbols for a second layer transport.

Abstract: The present invention discloses methods and systems of measuring transmission performance characteristics, such as from an amplifier. The method comprises the steps of receiving a signal, demodulating the signal, generating an ideal signal from the demodulated signal and estimating the performance characteristic from a difference between the ideal signal and the received signal. A system for measuring a transmission performance characteristic, comprises a demodulator for demodulating a received signal, a signal generator for producing an ideal signal from the demodulated signal and a processor for estimating the performance characteristic from a difference between the ideal signal and the received signal.

Abstract: A method of tracking an object in the Doppler dimension that provides for improved imaging. The method tracks the centroid of the object's Doppler and smooths out noisy estimates of its phase history. The tracking and smoothing combine to improve tracking performance and image quality. Doppler signals are generated by a coarse Doppler tracker that removes translational motion of the object. Pulse pair processing produces an estimate the Doppler centroid of the object. For each pair of adjacent pulses, pulse pair processing is applied to individual range bins, and the outputs are combined to estimate the Doppler centroid of the object at that particular time. A low pass filter is used after pulse pair processing to smooth out phase increments. Phase increment smoothing then filters the output signals from the filter with a smooth curve, such as a second-degree polynomial. Phase recursion then produces a phase history. The recursive phase history is differenced with updated, appropriately delayed phases.