Abstract: A satellite ready building comprises a plurality of studs and satellite wires positioned adjacent to the studs having a first termination and a second termination. A connector is coupled to the second termination of the wires. The first termination is coupled through the roof or the siding of the building. Drywall is installed in the house after the wires are installed. The first termination may be installed in a radome positioned on the roof of the building.

Abstract: A system for distributing electronic content packages has a content provider that has electronic content and a broadcast center. The broadcast center is coupled to the content provider for receiving the electronic content and transmitting a plurality of the electronic to the system users. A user appliance has a filter therein. The appliance is coupled to the broadcast center for receiving the electronic content. The filter filters the plurality of electronic content with predetermined filter terms and accepts one of the plurality of electronic content to form a selected content subset as a function of the filter terms. This process is repeated for the plurality of electronic content.

Abstract: A communication system has a communication infrastructure and a gateway station communicating a communication signal to the communication infrastructure. An airplane having an antenna coupled to a processing circuit for establishing a plurality of multiple communication links corresponding to the communication infrastructure is used. The gateway station generates multiple datagrams from the television signal and transmits the multiple datagrams through the multiple dynamic links. The antenna receives the datagrams from the infrastructure and the processing circuit and reassembles the datagrams into the communication signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing recorded coded audiovisual data to facilitate reverse playback permits the user to play back recorded material in a temporally reversed manner at speeds of at least 1X or greater by storing the decoded frames in a graphics accelerator memory of a recording system. By storing decoded MPEG video frames representing the audiovisual data in the graphics accelerator's memory, it is possible to display all the frames of a group of pictures GOP in reverse order. Instead of using the memory of a graphics accelerator, the apparatus may also be configured to have sufficient space available in memory to store the decoded MPEG video frames. In either configuration, reverse playback may be effectuated with a much finer temporal granularity than what is currently achievable by conventional video recording apparatuses.

Abstract: An approach is provided for minimizing co-channel interference in a communication system is disclosed. A header of a first frame is scrambled based on a first unique word. A header of a second frame is scrambled based on a second unique word. The first frame including the corresponding scrambled header and the second frame including the corresponding scrambled header are transmitted, respectively, over adjacent co-channels of the communication system. Each of the frames further includes a payload and a pilot block. The payload and the pilot block of the first frame are scrambled based on a first scrambling sequence. The payload and the pilot block of the second frame are scrambled based on a second scrambling sequence. The above arrangement is particularly suited to a digital satellite broadcast and interactive system.

Abstract: A modem that includes a list of the multiple domain names is firstly provided. Each of the domain names is associated with a different Broadband Service Node (BSN). A PPPoE session is established, and an authentication request, containing the identifier and a generic password, is transmitted from a modem to multiple domain names over the PPPoE network. Subsequently, authorization is received from at least one of the domain names. The authorization preferably comprises at least one static Internet Protocol (IP) address. The modem then obtains full configuration details from an Internet Service Provider (ISP). The invention also provides a system and a computer program product for provisioning broadband service in a Point-to-Point Protocol Over Ethernet (PPPoE) network.

Abstract: An apparatus and method that allows for the automatic, real-time insertion of auxiliary data packets into a single or multi-channel bitstream in a satellite television broadcast system.

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 direct broadcast system receiving a plurality of broadcast signals within a direct broadcast receiver having an outdoor unit (ODU) is provided. The ODU includes a first low noise block (LNB) and a second LNB. The first LNB has a housing and amplifies a first broadcast signal. The second LNB amplifies a second broadcast signal. The ODU is electrically coupled to an integrated receiver and decoder (IRD). The IRD transmits a selection signal to the ODU. The first LNB and the second LNB are electrically coupled to a plurality of selection switches within the housing. The plurality of selection switches switch between the first LNB and the second LNB in response to the selection signal. A method of receiving a plurality of broadcast signals within a direct broadcast receiver is also provided.

Abstract: A packet containing a request for content is initially received at a content filtering router. The packet comprises a destination Internet Protocol (IP) address of a content server that stores the content and a bogus IP address. It is ascertained that the destination IP address is on a list of approved destination IP addresses and the packet is routed in accordance with the destination IP address. Alternatively, it is ascertained that the destination IP address is on a list of probably unapproved destination IP addresses and the packet is routed in accordance with an alternative IP address to a content filtering server. In this alternative, at the content filtering server the bogus IP address is used to determine a content filtering category and it is ascertained whether the destination IP address with the content filtering category should be filtered based upon a list of IP addresses and associated content filtering categories.

Abstract: The apparatus and method of the present invention provides a direct-to-home integrated receiver/decoder (IRD) and a program for storing and displaying digital objects associated with an electronic television program guide using fuzzy logic. The method and apparatus maintains and adapts a user profile in order to efficiently select digital objects associated with an electronic program guide. The fuzzy logic based user profile may be used to select digital program guide objects for deletion from memory and/or to efficiently select digital program guide objects for display in an electronic program guide. Selection is based on fuzzy variables associated with the objects. In this manner, memory requirements and the number of programs displayed are reduced to decrease cost and reduce the amount of time a user must spend viewing the program guide.

Abstract: Systems and methods for transmitting and receiving diverse signals across regions using a minimum of frequency capacity and maintaining compatibility with the heritage system. A system of the invention comprises at least one broadcast transmitter for transmitting a broadcast signal in a first frequency band to a receiver, at least one gapfiller transmitter for transmitting a gapfiller signal in a second frequency band to the receiver and at least one set of reuse transmitters for transmitting a plurality of spotbeam signals in the first frequency band to define coverage regions and at least one coverage gap where the spotbeam signals are not transmitted. A method of the invention comprises receiving a first signal, receiving a second signal, generating a first intermediate frequency (IF) signal from the first signal, generating a second IF signal from the second signal, filtering the second IF signal to produce a filtered second IF signal and combining the filtered second IF signal and the first IF signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for mitigating communications interference between satellite communications systems in different orbits is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of evaluating a geometrical relationship between a second ground station and the satellites in the second satellite constellation, and directing communications between the second ground station and the second satellite according to the evaluated geometrical relationship. In one embodiment communications are handed over from a first satellite to another satellite when the first satellite is no longer at the highest elevation angle of visible satellites. In another embodiment, handover occurs when the first satellite drops below a minimum elevation angle.

Abstract: a chassis assembly that reduces the amount of electromagnetic radiation entering or leaving the interior of the chassis assembly. The chassis assembly includes a chassis cover and chassis back. The chassis cover includes a plurality of dimpled spring contacts and hemmed edges and hemmed lips. The chassis back includes a chassis back top portion adapted to mate with the chassis cover, such that the chassis back top portion is in good contact with the one or more dimpled spring contacts, providing good electrical conductivity. Further, the chassis assembly is designed such that the mating between the chassis cover and chassis back provides a tortuous path to any electromagnetic radiation disposed to enter or leave the chassis assembly.

Abstract: A first transmitting device is used to transmit a first signal on a first carrier frequency to a relay device. The relay device receives the signal by demodulating the first carrier frequency. Subsequently, the relay device retransmits the signal by modulating a second and/or a third carrier frequency. The signal is then recovered at one or more receiving devices by demodulating the second and/or third carrier frequencies. Further, a second transmitting device transmits a second signal on a fourth carrier frequency and the relay device retransmits the signal by modulating a fifth and/or a sixth carrier frequency. The signal is then recovered at one or more receiving devices by demodulating the fifth and/or sixth carrier frequencies. The transmitting and/or receiving devices are preferably voice terminals, such as a wireless telephones or data terminals, such as portable computers.

Abstract: An adiabatic liquid volume sensor system is described, which employs a main chamber in a back-to-back configuration with a reference chamber of known volume. The system measures liquid volume in the main chamber by making low frequency acoustic measurements of the acoustic pressure differences in the two closed chambers when driven with a sinusoidal frequency from the same speaker. Pressure transducers in each chamber measure acoustic adiabatic pressures in each chamber. The ratio of these pressures multiplied by the known volume of the reference chamber yields the volume of gas in the main chamber. The volume of liquid is equal to the known volume of the main chamber minus the calculated gas volume.

Abstract: A communication system for transmitting encoded signals over a communication channel is disclosed. The system includes a transmitter, which has a source that is configured to output a message signal, and an encoder that is configured to generate a code word in response to the message signal. The code word is based upon a stacking construction that is generalized for the communication channel. The communication channel is characterized as a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) block fading channel. The transmitter also includes a modulator that is configured to modulate the code word for transmission over the communication channel. Further, the transmitter includes a plurality of transmit antennas that are configured to transmit the modulated code word over the communication channel. The system also includes a receiver, which has a plurality of receive antennas. The receiver is configured to receive the transmitted code word via the plurality of receive antennas.

Abstract: A satellite constellation has a plurality of satellites. Each of the satellites has an RF ground link for communicating with a ground station and an optical link for communication with at least one of the plurality of satellites. Each of the satellites has a reconfigurable optical transmitter for sending and receiving data streams. Each reconfigurable optical transmitter has a first optical carrier associated therewith and a reconfigurable optical receiver. The plurality of satellites is arranged to have a first subset of satellites. The first subset of satellites is configured to communicate. The plurality of satellites is reconfigured to have a second subset of satellites having at least one different satellites than that of said first subset. The second subset supercedes the first subset. The second subset of satellites is configured to communicate. Various subset around the globe may form local area networks. The local area networks are preferably optically coupled to form a wide area network.

Abstract: A communication system has a communication infrastructure and a gateway station communicating a communication signal to the communication infrastructure. An airplane having an antenna coupled to a processing circuit for establishing a plurality of multiple communication links corresponding to the communication infrastructure is used. The gateway station generates multiple datagrams from the television signal and transmits the multiple datagrams through the multiple dynamic links. The antenna receives the datagrams from the infrastructure and the processing circuit and reassembles the datagrams into the communication signal.

Abstract: A method of performing primary service backups for a direct broadcast system is provided. The method includes establishing play-out of a plurality of primary events via a plurality of primary devices and establishing play-out of a plurality of backup events via at least one backup device. A controller switches from a primary device of the plurality of primary devices to a backup device of the at least one backup device in response to a malfunction signal from one of the plurality of primary devices. A direct server-based broadcast system and a direct port-based broadcast system are also provided which implement the above-stated method.