Abstract: A communication system and method are provided, wherein the system includes a first satellite orbiting in a first orbital path that communicates a first signal having a first content at a transmitting frequency while at a first elevation angle, and a second satellite orbiting in a second orbital path that communicates a second signal having a second content at the transmitting frequency while at a second elevation angle, wherein the first elevation angle is greater than the second elevation angle. The system further includes at least one terrestrial repeater that communicates a hierarchical modulated signal, wherein a hierarchical primary of the hierarchical modulated signal corresponds to the second signal communicated from the second satellite, and a hierarchical secondary of the hierarchical modulated signal corresponds to the first signal communicated from the first satellite, such that the first and second signals are communicated at the same transmitting frequency.

Abstract: The present invention involves a method for transmitting data within a specified band of allocated spectrum in a satellite digital transmission system. First a data stream is encoded according to a first encoding scheme, then a second data stream is generated according to a second encoding scheme. The second encoding scheme is incompatible with the first encoding scheme. The first and second data streams are transmitted at predetermined locations within the specified band, such as time slices within a time division multiplexing transmission system. The second data stream is generated by using a more efficient FEC algorithm, including turbo-convolutional, turbo-product, low density parity check, or repeat-accumulate encoders. The inventive receiver has an antenna for receiving RF signals and a demodulator coupled to the antenna for downconverting received RF signals into a data stream. A splitter then separates the data stream into first and second component data streams.

Abstract: A receiver device and method of receiving a plurality of signals are provided, wherein the receiver device includes at least one antenna element and circuitry in communication with the at least one antenna element. The at least one antenna element is configured to receive at least a first signal having a first polarization and a second signal having a second polarization, wherein the first polarization is different than the second polarization. The circuitry is configured to process and emit an output based upon at least one of the received first and second signals, wherein the first signal is received at a first reception elevation angle with respect to the at least one antenna element that is greater than a second reception elevation angle of the second signal with respect to the at least one antenna element, and the first and second signals are transmitted at substantially the same frequency.

Abstract: A communications system and method thereof are provided, wherein the system includes a first receiver. The first receiver includes at least one antenna element configured to receive the first signal having a first polarization, and a combiner in communication with the at least one antenna element, wherein the combiner enhances the first signal and minimizes a second signal having a second polarization that is different than the first polarization of the first signal, such that an output is emitted by the first receiver based upon the received first signal. The first receiver further includes a beam steerer in communication with the combiner, wherein the beam steerer is configured to steer an antenna beam of the at least one antenna element in order to minimize reflection of the second signal, such that the second polarization of the second signal remains different than the first polarization of the first signal.

Abstract: This invention provides a receiver for use in a SDAR system which includes a receiving unit having satellite signal detection means for detecting a first transmit signal transmitted from a first communication satellite and a second transmit signal transmitted from a second communication satellite, the first transmit signal produced when the transmitter modulates a primary data stream with a secondary data stream on a first carrier wave associated with the first communication satellite and the second transmit signal produced when the transmitter modulates the primary and secondary data streams on a second carrier wave associated with the second communication satellite, and an encoder re-encodes the primary and the secondary data on a third carrier wave, forming a third transmit signal which is re-transmitted to a receiver using a terrestrial repeater. This invention also provides a method of receiving transmitted data.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of hierarchically modulating first and second digital data streams in a broadcast system such as an SDAR system that is compatible with legacy receivers. The second digital data stream, but not the first, is provided with a non-binary pseudo-random encoding. A carrier is first modulated, e.g. QPSK, by the first digital data stream; and a second modulation is performed with the encoded second digital data stream. The encoding includes a multiplication of a matrix formed of 2, 3 or 4 consecutive bits of the secondary data stream by a matrix, e.g. a Hadamard matrix to form a product matrix having non-binary values that are used to modify consecutive symbols of the first modulation. The second modulation appears as Gaussian noise to legacy receivers over time.

Abstract: A receiver is disclosed. The receiver includes a first antenna, a second antenna, a system controller, a national broadcast demodulator, a local broadcast demodulator, and an information output select device. The first antenna for receives a signal from a satellite that contains information of national interest. The second antenna receives a signal from a land-based transmitter that contains information of local interest. The national broadcast demodulator is coupled to the first antenna and the system controller. The national broadcast demodulator provides a first interrupt indicator to the system controller. The local broadcast demodulator is coupled to the second antenna and the system controller. The local broadcast demodulator provides a second interrupt indicator to the system controller.

Abstract: A technique for providing secondary data in a single frequency network (SFN) provides a first forward error correcting (FEC) decoder for decoding a received coded orthogonal frequency division multiplex (COFDM) signal. A second FEC decoder is also provided for decoding a received COFDM signal. When the received COFDM signal includes valid primary data, the first FEC decoder is utilized to decode the received COFDM signal to provide general information, i.e., music, sports, etc. When a received COFDM signal includes valid secondary data, the second FEC decoder is utilized to decode the received COFDM signal to provide regional information, e.g., emergency broadcasting information. The received COFDM signal includes one or more defined COFDM symbols inserted by a transmitter of the COFDM signal to indicate the valid secondary data and the invalid primary data.

Abstract: A system and method of injecting audio content into a radio system is provided. The method includes the steps of receiving in a radio receiver a first RF signal from an antenna and processing the signal at a select frequency within a radio frequency band. The method also includes the step of providing audio content from an auxiliary device. The method also includes the step of modulating the audio content from the auxiliary device and replicating the modulated signal to generate a replicated RF signal at the multiple frequencies within the radio frequency band. The method further includes the step of injecting the replicated RF signal into the radio receiver.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to the transmission of digital data, and more particularly, to the transmission of digital data in a satellite digital audio radio (“SDAR”) system. In the SDAR system, there may be different types of required services. Some of these services may be considered high priority and others may be of a lower priority. Current SDAR systems have the same performance on all user data. Therefore, there is a need to vary the performance of different services. The present invention provides a method and apparatus for optimizing the throughput (i.e. information) in a digital transmission system by transmitting the different services with different performance levels. The present invention addresses the need in the art to vary the performance of different services (i.e., levels of data). Because the performance of the primary level of data will not be equal to the performance of the secondary level of data, the primary level will need to be further protected.

Abstract: A receiver system and method for switching among a plurality of antenna elements to receive a signal. At least a portion of plurality of antenna elements receive a transmitted signal, such that the transmitted signal includes a plurality of sub-channels that are transmitted in predetermined time intervals. A switching device is in communication with the plurality of antenna elements, and switches among single antenna elements to receive the transmitted signal. A controller is in communication with the switching device, and commands the switching device to select each of the antenna elements separately in predetermined periods of time based upon the predetermined time intervals of each of the sub-channels. A power level of the transmitted signal is determined during the predetermined period of time that corresponds to the predetermined time intervals, and the controller commands the switching device to switch to an antenna element based upon the determined power level.

Abstract: A communication system and method of communicating signals to a plurality of different types of receivers is provided. The communication system includes at least one transmitter that transmits high priority and low priority signals as a single frequency network. At least one satellite receives and re-transmits at least one of the high priority and low priority signals. At least one terrestrial repeater is in communication with the at least one transmitter, and receives from the at least one transmitter and re-transmits at least one of the high priority and low priority signals. A plurality of receivers includes at least a first receiver configured to process the high priority signal to emit an output signal based upon the high priority signal, and a second receiver configured to process the high priority and low priority signals to emit an output signal based upon the high priority and low priority signals.

Abstract: A communication system and method of communicating signals to a plurality of different types of receivers is provided. The communication system includes at least one transmitter that transmits a high priority signal and a low priority signal that are hierarchically modulated and transmitted as a single frequency network. At least one satellite receives and re-transmits at least one of the high priority and low priority signals. At least one of the plurality of receivers include a processor that performs the steps of storing the hierarchically modulated signal, demodulating the high priority signal from the hierarchically modulated signal, decoding the demodulated high priority signal, re-encoding the high priority signal, and processing the stored hierarchically modulated signal based upon the re-encoded high priority signal.

Abstract: A communication system and method of communicating signals to a plurality of different types of receivers is provided. At least one transmitter transmits hierarchically modulated high priority and low priority signals as a single frequency network. At least one satellite re-transmits the high priority signal in a first circularly polarized direction and the low priority signal in a second circularly polarized direction. At least one of a first receiver having a single antenna is configured to receive the high priority signal in the first circularly polarized direction and switched to receive the low priority signal in the second circularly polarized direction, and a second receiver having a first antenna is configured to receive the high priority signal in the first circularly polarized direction, and a second antenna is configured to receive the low priority signal in the second circularly polarized direction substantially simultaneously.

Abstract: The present invention involves a method for transmitting data having primary and secondary data. A first transmit signal is transmitted from a first communication satellite wherein the first transmit signal is produced when the transmitter modulates the primary and secondary data on a first carrier wave associated with the first communication satellite, with secondary data having a first polarity. A second transmit signal is transmitted from a second communication satellite wherein said second transmit signal is produced when the transmitter modulates the primary and secondary data on a second carrier wave associated with the second communication satellite with secondary data having a second polarity opposite the first polarity.

Abstract: A technique for demodulating secondary data from a hierarchically modulated signal includes a number of steps. A gray coded eight phase shift key (8-PSK) hierarchically modulated signal is received that includes primary data and secondary data. An imaginary portion of the signal is determined and a real portion of the signal is determined. An absolute value of the real portion of the signal may then be subtracted from an absolute value of the imaginary portion of the signal to provide the secondary data. The gray coded 8-PSK hierarchically modulated signal may be a uniform gray coded 8-PSK hierarchically modulated signal or a non-uniform gray coded 8-PSK hierarchically modulated signal.

Abstract: An illumination system enhances a manual human process associated with a multiwell plate having an array of wells thereon. The illumination system includes a compact self-contained apparatus including an illuminator coupled to a human interface. The human interface is configured to receive an operating parameter input and a start input. The illuminator has a protective surface for receiving the well plate and a plurality of underlying light sources configured to initiate a sequence of different well subarray indications in response to the start input and pursuant to the operating parameter input.

Abstract: A system and method for communicating and re-using frequencies is provided, which includes a source provider, at least one transmitter, and a plurality of antennas. The transmitter transmits source data along a plurality of signal paths including a first signal at a first frequency transmitted along a first satellite signal path, a second signal at a second frequency transmitted along a second satellite signal path, and a terrestrial signal transmitted along a terrestrial signal path. The terrestrial signal frequency is substantially the same as one of the first and second signal frequencies. The antennas receive signals, and include a first antenna for receiving at least the terrestrial signal along the terrestrial signal path and a second antenna for receiving at least the first signal along the first satellite signal path, the second signal along the second satellite signal path, and the terrestrial signal along the terrestrial signal path.

Abstract: A system and method for transmitting and receiving data which includes at least one satellite, at least one transmitter in communication with the at least one satellite, and at least one receiver in communication with the at least one satellite. The transmitter modulates source data into a first modulated signal using a first modulation and a second modulated signal using a second modulation, and transmits the first and second modulated signals over an odd number of frequency slots to the satellite. The receiver receives the first and second modulated signals and demodulates at least one of the first and second modulated signals.

Abstract: A system and method of multi-source communications, including a source provider, a transmitter, a receiver, a summing device, a plurality of delay devices, and a switch. The source provider provides a signal including a first and second signal. The transmitter is in communication with the source provider and the receiver. The receiver is in communication with the transmitter. The summing device combines the first and second signals received by the receiver. The delay device delays at least one of the first and second signals. The switch forms a bypass, such that at least one of the first and second signals bypasses one of the plurality of delay devices.