Abstract: A method and apparatus for adaptively controlling a transmission signal for transmission to at least one receiver in a terrestrial region is disclosed. The method selects a transmission signal mode having a modulation scheme, code scheme, and code rate from a plurality of transmission signal modes according to received information, generates a transmission signal according to the selected mode, and transmits the generated transmission signal to the receiver.

Abstract: A satellite system 10 having a first satellite 14 at a first orbital slot B has a first transponder 32 and a second generating a first downlink signal 44B at a first frequency and a second downlink signal 44C at a second frequency. An outdoor unit is directed toward the first satellite 14 and includes a support structure, a reflector 64 coupled to the support structure and reflecting the first downlink signal and the second downlink signal. A first feed 66B is coupled to the support structure and receives the first downlink signal. A second feed 70A is coupled to the support structure and receives the second downlink signal. A secondary reflector 72 reflects the second downlink signal to the second feed 70.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting satellite signal lock in a satellite receiver system is disclosed. The system may include a first filter that isolates a noise frequency from the satellite signal, and/or a second filter that isolates a service frequency from the satellite signal. A comparator may then determine whether the output of the first and/or second filters is greater than a threshold level associated with an incipient loss of lock on the broadcast signal. The method includes the steps of filtering a received broadcast satellite signal to generate a service signal having a center frequency between a first transponder center frequency of a first transponder band and a second transponder center frequency of a second transponder band that overlaps the first transponder band, and comparing the output of the filter to a threshold value. In either the method or the apparatus, a command may be issued if the signal value is below the threshold value, thereby informing the user of the loss of signal lock.

Abstract: A system 10 that includes a first satellite 14 at a first orbital slot B includes a first transponder 32 generating a first downlink signal at a first frequency and a second downlink signal at a second frequency. An outdoor unit 50 is directed toward the first satellite 14. The outdoor unit includes a support structure 80 and a reflector 64 coupled to the support structure 80 and reflecting the first downlink signal from a first satellite. A first reflector reflects the second downlink signal from the first satellite. A first feed 66 is coupled to the support structure and receives the first downlink signal. A reflector 72 having frequency selective surface 74 coupled to the support structure 80 reflects the second downlink signal and passes the first downlink signal therethrough. The second feed 70B is coupled to the support structure 80 and receives the second downlink signal reflected from the frequency selective surface 74.

Abstract: A system and a methodology uses data provided from consumer terminals in a satellite system to reconfigure a satellite to thereby optimize the strength of signals transmitted by the satellite. The data from the consumer terminals may be used to provide diagnostic information about the reception of signals at various points in an area covered by a satellite broadcasting system and to compensate for attenuation of signals transmitted by the satellite due to weather storms, or other atmospheric conditions. Such use of consumer terminals eliminates the need to place expensive monitoring stations throughout an area covered by a satellite broadcasting system, resulting in substantial reduction in overall system cost. Additionally, given the widespread distribution of consumer terminals, greater monitoring coverage is achieved than with a limited number of monitoring stations.

Abstract: A satellite system 10 having a first satellite 14 at a first orbital slot B has a first transponder 32 and a second generating a first downlink signal 44B at a first frequency and a second downlink signal 44C at a second frequency. An outdoor unit is directed toward the first satellite 14 and includes a support structure, a reflector 64 coupled to the support structure and reflecting the first downlink signal and the second downlink signal. A first feed 66B is coupled to the support structure and receives the first downlink signal. A second feed 70C is concentric with the first feed 66B and is coupled to the support structure and receives the second downlink signal.

Abstract: A satellite system 10 having a first satellite 14 at a first orbital slot B has a first transponder 32 and a second generating a first downlink signal 44B at a first frequency and a second downlink signal 44C at a second frequency. An outdoor unit is directed toward the first satellite 14 and includes a support structure, a reflector 64 coupled to the support structure and reflecting the first downlink signal and the second downlink signal. A first feed 66B is coupled to the support structure and receives the first downlink signal. A second feed 70A is coupled to the support structure and receives the second downlink signal. A secondary reflector 72 reflects the second downlink signal to the second feed 70.

Abstract: A system 10 that includes a first satellite 14 at a first orbital slot B includes a first transponder 32 generating a first downlink signal at a first frequency and a second downlink signal at a second frequency. An outdoor unit 50 is directed toward the first satellite 14. The outdoor unit includes a support structure 80 and a reflector 64 coupled to the support structure 80 and reflecting the first downlink signal from a first satellite. A first reflector reflects the second downlink signal from the first satellite. A first feed 66 is coupled to the support structure and receives the first downlink signal. A reflector 72 having frequency selective surface 74 coupled to the support structure 80 reflects the second downlink signal and passes the first downlink signal therethrough. The second feed 70B is coupled to the support structure 80 and receives the second downlink signal reflected from the frequency selective surface 74.

Abstract: A satellite system 10 having a first satellite 14 at a first orbital slot B has a first transponder 32 and a second generating a first downlink signal 44B at a first frequency and a second downlink signal 44C at a second frequency. An outdoor unit is directed toward the first satellite 14 and includes a support structure, a reflector 64 coupled to the support structure and reflecting the first downlink signal and the second downlink signal. A first feed 66B is coupled to the support structure and receives the first downlink signal. A second feed 70C is concentric with the first feed 66B and is coupled to the support structure and receives the second downlink signal.

Abstract: A system for transmitting data to a plurality of satellites is provided. A first satellite in an orbital slot has an associated receive antenna, and is configured to receive signals in a first range of frequencies. A second satellite in the orbital slot has an associated receive antenna. The second satellite is separated from the first satellite by at least a first separation angle, and is configured to receive signals in the first range of frequencies. A first earth uplink antenna, located at a first earth location, is capable of transmitting a first uplink beam at the receive antenna of the first satellite. A second earth uplink antenna, collocated at the first earth location, is capable of transmitting a second uplink beam at the receive antenna of the second satellite. The first uplink beam includes first signals at the first range of frequencies, and the second uplink beam includes second signals at the first range of frequencies.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a computer memory structure adaptively controlling a transmission signal from a satellite to at least one terrestrial receiver in a terrestrial region is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of receiving information describing a deleterious time-varying propagation characteristic of the transmission signal to the terrestrial region; generating the transmission signal having a transmission characteristic which mitigates the undesirable aspects of the time-varying propagation characteristic; and transmitting the generated transmission signal from the satellite to the terrestrial receiver. The article of manufacture comprises a controller device tangibly embodying instructions to perform the method steps described above.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting satellite signal lock in a satellite receiver system is disclosed. The system includes a first filter that isolates a noise frequency from the satellite signal, a second filter that isolates a service frequency from the satellite signal, circuits that derive a value indicative of the difference between a noise component and a service frequency component and output a difference signal level, a first comparator that determines whether the difference signal level is greater than a first threshold level, and a second comparator that determines whether the difference signal level is greater than a second threshold level.

Abstract: A system for transmitting data to a plurality of satellites is provided. A first satellite in an orbital slot has an associated receive antenna, and is configured to receive signals in a first range of frequencies. A second satellite in the orbital slot has an associated receive antenna. The second satellite is separated from the first satellite by at least a first separation angle, and is configured to receive signals in the first range of frequencies. A first earth uplink antenna, located at a first earth location, is capable of transmitting a first uplink beam at the receive antenna of the first satellite. A second earth uplink antenna, collocated at the first earth location, is capable of transmitting a second uplink beam at the receive antenna of the second satellite. The first uplink beam includes first signals at the first range of frequencies, and the second uplink beam includes second signals at the first range of frequencies.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting satellite signal lock in a satellite receiver system is disclosed. The system includes a first filter that isolates a noise frequency from the satellite signal, a second filter that isolates a service frequency from the satellite signal, circuits that derive a value indicative of the difference between a noise component and a service frequency component and output a difference signal level, a first comparator that determines whether the difference signal level is greater than a first threshold level, and a second comparator that determines whether the difference signal level is greater than a second threshold level.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting satellite signal lock in a satellite receiver system is disclosed. The system includes a first filter that isolates a noise frequency from the satellite signal, a second filter that isolates a service frequency from the satellite signal, circuits that derive a value indicative of the difference between a noise component and a service frequency component and output a difference signal level, a first comparator that determines whether the difference signal level is greater than a first threshold level, and a second comparator that determines whether the difference signal level is greater than a second threshold level.

Abstract: A low profile, low cost receiver/transmitter system includes a planar waveguide-to-microstrip adapter, a dielectric loaded waveguide fed slot array antenna, and a downconverter all formed on a single dielectric substrate made of polytetrafluoroethylene. The waveguide antenna includes a set of slots disposed in a surface thereof to receive/transmit a microwave/millimeter wave signal. The waveguide-to-stripline adapter is connected to the waveguide antenna and includes a taper section attached to a microstrip line. The taper section, which may be linear or may follow some other more complex taper function such as a Chebyshev function, adapts a signal propagating within the waveguide antenna to the microstrip line or vise versa.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting satellite signal lock in a satellite receiver system is disclosed. The system includes a first filter that isolates a noise frequency from the satellite signal, a second filter that isolates a service frequency from the satellite signal, circuits that derive a value indicative of the difference between a noise component and a service frequency component and output a difference signal level, a first comparator that determines whether the difference signal level is greater than a first threshold level, and a second comparator that determines whether the difference signal level is greater than a second threshold level.