Abstract: According to an aspect, a satellite antenna reflector includes a first surface area encompassing a first surface, where the first surface is formed to reflect a first radiated signal towards a first focal point. The reflector also includes a second surface area, encompassing a second surface, where the second surface area is formed to reflect a second radiated signal towards a second focal point. The first and second surfaces reflect the first and second radiated signals such that a first antenna gain and/or beamwidth of the reflected first radiated signal that would be received at the first focal point is the same as a second antenna gain and/or beamwidth of the reflected second radiated signal that would be received at the second focal point.

Abstract: According to an aspect, a satellite antenna reflector includes a first surface area encompassing a first surface, where the first surface is formed to reflect a first radiated signal towards a first focal point. The reflector also includes a second surface area, encompassing a second surface, where the second surface area is formed to reflect a second radiated signal towards a second focal point. The first and second surfaces reflect the first and second radiated signals such that a first antenna gain and/or beamwidth of the reflected first radiated signal that would be received at the first focal point is the same as a second antenna gain and/or beamwidth of the reflected second radiated signal that would be received at the second focal point.

Abstract: A distributed indoor antenna system for over-the-air television reception includes technological improvements that increase signal quality on a display device. The system includes a plurality of active distributed antenna nodes and a reception gateway. The distributed antenna nodes are placed and oriented at various spaced-apart locations around a user's residence or other location of interest. Each of the plurality of active distributed antenna nodes includes an antenna, a demodulator, and a Wi-Fi converter. The plurality of active distributed antenna nodes receives the broadcast signals, decodes the broadcast signals, and transcodes the decoded broadcast signals into a Wi-Fi signal format. The reception gateway receives the transcoded broadcast signals and determines which signal or which signal combination to retransmit to the display device.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed towards a television system that utilizes a host device and television receiver to receive content via over-the-air television channels where the television receiver cannot directly receive over-the-air transmissions. The television receiver selects an over-the-air channel and provides the selection to the host device. The host device selects a television-white-space channel and provides the selection to the television receiver. The host device then receives content via the selected over-the-air channel, transcodes the content into wireless local area network data packets, and provides the transcoded content to the television receiver using the selected television-white-space channel. The television receiver receives the content via the selected television-white-space channel over the wireless local area network and provides it to a display device for display to a user.

Abstract: A distributed indoor antenna system for over-the-air television reception includes technological improvements that increase signal quality on a display device. The system includes a plurality of active distributed antenna nodes and a reception gateway. The distributed antenna nodes are placed and oriented at various spaced-apart locations around a user's residence or other location of interest. Each of the plurality of active distributed antenna nodes includes an antenna, a demodulator, and a Wi-Fi converter. The plurality of active distributed antenna nodes receives the broadcast signals, decodes the broadcast signals, and transcodes the decoded broadcast signals into a Wi-Fi signal format. The reception gateway receives the transcoded broadcast signals and determines which signal or which signal combination to retransmit to the display device.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed towards a television system that utilizes a host device and television receiver to receive content via over-the-air television channels where the television receiver cannot directly receive over-the-air transmissions. The television receiver selects an over-the-air channel and provides the selection to the host device. The host device selects a television-white-space channel and provides the selection to the television receiver. The host device then receives content via the selected over-the-air channel, transcodes the content into wireless local area network data packets, and provides the transcoded content to the television receiver using the selected television-white-space channel. The television receiver receives the content via the selected television-white-space channel over the wireless local area network and provides it to a display device for display to a user.

Abstract: A circuit, electrical device or other apparatus for band stacking and/or band translating multiple transmissions. Such transmissions may be satellite transmissions, terrestrial transmissions, signals carried across a wired network such as a cable network, and so forth. Two sets of left-hand polarized and right-hand polarized signals may be accepted by an embodiment. One left-hand polarized signal and one right-hand polarized signal may be band stacked such that the left-hand polarized signal occupies a first frequency and the right-hand polarized signal occupies a second frequency, thereby permitting the two signals to be transmitted simultaneously across a single transmission line as a first unique signal. The second left-hand polarized signal and second right-hand polarized signal may likewise be combined into a second unique signal for transmission. The first and second unique signals may be stacked as a first stacked output and a second stacked output by a band translating circuit.

Abstract: The invention relates to apparatus and method which can be used to receive broadcast digital data. The apparatus and method are provided at one or more receiving locations and is connected to one or more broadcast data receivers at each location. The apparatus is capable of receiving and processing data in linear and/or circular polarity formats and the operating condition of the same can be altered in response to a command signal broadcast to the receiving locations prior to the transmission of data in a new format such as to the change in the operating condition of the apparatus to receive and process linear as well as the previously broadcast circular polarity format data.

Abstract: A band translation method and device for selecting two or more desired frequency bands of data and bandstacking the two or more desired frequency bands of data into a single output.

Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods and apparatus for identifying signal degradation in a receiver. A process for identifying signal degradation includes determining a first signal strength of a signal received by the receiving device at a first time and determining a second signal strength of the received signal at a second time. The process further includes calculating a signal strength difference between the first signal strength and the second signal strength and determining whether the signal strength difference is greater than a first decision value. The process further includes outputting for presentation a message responsive to determining that the signal strength difference is greater than the first decision value, the message indicating to a user the degradation of the signal.

Abstract: Television converter devices in accordance with present invention determine whether the programming is to be blocked or not, then inserts an appropriate V-code into the vertical blanking interval (VBI) of the programming before delivering the programming to one or more V-chip enabled TV where the V-chip blocks the programming as appropriate. Various methods of determining whether the programming is to be blocked are disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus coupled to, or integrated with, a tuner. This apparatus, which may be referred to herein as a “compensator,” may operate to adjust a frequency of the tuner to counteract drift or error that may cause the tuner to erroneously tune to an inaccurate or undesired frequency. The compensator may be implemented as hardware or software, and may be stand-alone or integrated into the tuner and/or LNBF.

Abstract: A band translation method and device for selecting two or more desired frequency bands of data and bandstacking the two or more desired frequency bands of data into a single output.

Abstract: A circuit, electrical device or other apparatus for band stacking and/or band translating multiple transmissions. Such transmissions may be satellite transmissions, terrestrial transmissions, signals carried across a wired network such as a cable network, and so forth. Two sets of left-hand polarized and right-hand polarized signals may be accepted by an embodiment. One left-hand polarized signal and one right-hand polarized signal may be band stacked such that the left-hand polarized signal occupies a first frequency and the right-hand polarized signal occupies a second frequency, thereby permitting the two signals to be transmitted simultaneously across a single transmission line as a first unique signal. The second left-hand polarized signal and second right-hand polarized signal may likewise be combined into a second unique signal for transmission. The first and second unique signals may be stacked as a first stacked output and a second stacked output by a band translating circuit.

Abstract: An apparatus coupled to, or integrated with, a tuner. This apparatus, which may be referred to herein as a “compensator,” may operate to adjust a frequency of the tuner to counteract drift or error that may cause the tuner to erroneously tune to an inaccurate or undesired frequency. The compensator may be implemented as hardware or software, and may be stand-alone or integrated into the tuner and/or LNBF.

Abstract: A circuit, electrical device or other apparatus for band stacking and/or band translating multiple transmissions. Such transmissions may be satellite transmissions, terrestrial transmissions, signals carried across a wired network such as a cable network, and so forth. Two sets of left-hand polarized and right-hand polarized signals may be accepted by an embodiment. One left-hand polarized signal and one right-hand polarized signal may be band stacked such that the left-hand polarized signal occupies a first frequency and the right-hand polarized signal occupies a second frequency, thereby permitting the two signals to be transmitted simultaneously across a single transmission line as a first unique signal. The second left-hand polarized signal and second right-hand polarized signal may likewise be combined into a second unique signal for transmission. The first and second unique signals may be stacked as a first stacked output and a second stacked output by a band translating circuit.

Abstract: An apparatus coupled to, or integrated with, a tuner. This apparatus, which may be referred to herein as a “compensator,” may operate to adjust a frequency of the tuner to counteract drift or error that may cause the tuner to erroneously tune to an inaccurate or undesired frequency. The compensator may be implemented as hardware or software, and may be stand-alone or integrated into the tuner and/or LNBF.

Abstract: Television converter devices in accordance with present invention determine whether the programming is to be blocked or not, then inserts an appropriate V-code into the vertical blanking interval (VBI) of the programming before delivering the programming to one or more V-chip enabled TV where the V-chip blocks the programming as appropriate. Various methods of determining whether the programming is to be blocked are disclosed.

Abstract: Television converter devices in accordance with present invention determine whether the programming is to be blocked or not, then inserts an appropriate V-code into the vertical blanking interval (VBI) of the programming before delivering the programming to one or more V-chip enabled TV where the V-chip blocks the programming as appropriate. Various methods of determining whether the programming is to be blocked are disclosed.

Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods and apparatus for identifying signal degradation in a receiver. A process for identifying signal degradation includes determining a first signal strength of a signal received by the receiving device at a first time and determining a second signal strength of the received signal at a second time. The process further includes calculating a signal strength difference between the first signal strength and the second signal strength and determining whether the signal strength difference is greater than a first decision value. The process further includes outputting for presentation a message responsive to determining that the signal strength difference is greater than the first decision value, the message indicating to a user the degradation of the signal.