KR100311392B1 - Remote satellite dish alignment aid - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A remote antenna alignment method and apparatus is provided to allow a user to easily and rapidly align a satellite dish antenna in such a manner that television signals transmitted from the satellite are received in an optimum manner. CONSTITUTION: A method comprises a first step of receiving digital television signals from a satellite through an antenna; a second step of providing the received digital television signal from the antenna to the television receiver, through a transmission link; a third step of forming antenna alignment signals from the received digital television signal; and a fourth step of re-providing the antenna alignment signals through the transmission link, in such a manner that the position of the antenna installed at a remote site from the television is adjusted.

Description

Remote antenna alignment method and device {REMOTE SATELLITE DISH ALIGNMENT AID}

The present invention relates to satellite dish reception systems, and more particularly, to an improved alignment device and alignment method for aligning a dish antenna of a satellite receiver.

In general, television signals transmitted from satellites, along with other relevant or unrelated television data, are digitally encoded and contain a plurality of multi-bit symbols. The general form of satellite transmission includes audio signals and video. A modulation scheme in the form of quadrature phase shift keyed (QPSK) is used, along with the signal modulated through signal compression and forward error correction.

The direct broadcasting satellite (DBS) frequency band ranges from 10.7 GHz to 12.7 GHz. The DBS signal is 11.7 GHz or 12.3 GHz, and is linearly or circularly polarized. Because of the very high transmission frequencies and polarization options, so many conventional television signals can be propagated to each subscriber television receiver. Since most television receivers are designed to handle signals in the NTSC analog format, a set top box (STB) is capable of receiving digital signals received from satellites (and downconverted). Convert to NTSC format for the viewer's television receiver.

Here, the dish antenna is used to receive a signal from a satellite. Thus, the dish antenna must be properly oriented or aimed in order to optimally receive the signal. This will allow you to receive the best signal. The switching device STB comprises a circuit section for decoding the received signal, correcting an error to form a carrier and symbol lock signals and a symbol, and evaluating the signal level and the carrier and noise ratio.

Currently, antenna alignment signals (i.e. symbol lock, signal quality and signal level) are generated at the switching device and based on the displayed graphic representing the parameters, the consumer is optimally determining the antenna position. It is used to form a video display for use by a customer or installer.

However, the satellite receivers are line-of-sight systems, and when the signal transmitted from the satellite passes through something like glass, the strength or quality of the signal becomes very bad. In this case, the switching device STB demodulates the received signal as described above, applies error correction to form a carrier signal and a symbol lock signal, and measures the received signal level and the received signal quality. It consists of.

Therefore, since the dish antenna is installed outside the house such as a roof or a wall, it is difficult to adjust according to the video graphics that are formed and displayed in the consumer's television receiver.

In other words, to install the dish antenna outside the house as described above, one person needs two people, while watching a television screen, and having to make adjustment instructions to the person who adjusts the position of the dish antenna at the place where the dish antenna is located. . In general, since the satellite is in a stable orbit, it does not require too much time to readjust the position of the antenna, unless the environment changes and the viewing direction is disturbed.

The present invention seeks to provide a method and apparatus for simplifying the tedious, time consuming antenna alignment operation as described above.

The main object of the present invention is to provide an improved alignment method and alignment device for aligning a dish antenna in a short time.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for aligning a satellite receiving antenna that can be operated by one person.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an alignment method and apparatus that can conveniently and accurately align a satellite receiving antenna.

1 is a configuration diagram briefly showing an antenna alignment apparatus according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

10: dish antenna

12: Low Noise Block (LNB) Converter

14, 18, 26, 28: coaxial connector

16: alignment adapter

20: RG-6 type coaxial cable

22: grounding block

24: wall

30: Inverter (Set Top Box)

32: Joiner

34: coaxial cable

36: television receiver

38: signal encoder

Referring to the drawings the configuration of the present invention will be described.

The satellite dish antenna 10 is physically tuned toward the satellite (not drawn) to receive transmitted Quadrature Phase Shifting Keying (QPSK) signals in the frequency band 10.7 GHz to 12.7 GHz sent by the satellite. do.

Generally, the satellite dish antenna includes a low noise block converter (LNB) 12 which downconverts the received signal into a frequency band in the range of 950 MHz to 2150 MHz. According to an embodiment of the invention, the alignment adapter 16 is temporary, but with an RG-6 type coaxial cable 20 that connects the downconverted signal from the low noise block converter 12 to the satellite receiver or switching device 30. , Is connected in series. The cable connection is connected via conventional coaxial cable couplers 14, 18. The coaxial cable 20 is connected to a suitable ground block 22 which is installed on the wall 24 outside the house or building (not drawn). The coaxial cable 20 is connected to the input terminal of the switching device 30 through the wall 24. The connection as above is the same as the connection through conventional coaxial cable couplers 26 and 28. The switching device demodulates the received signals and, through error correction to the signals, generates a carrier lock and a symbol lock signal, forms a signal level and a carrier for noise signals, It is a well-known circuit part that decompresses audio and video signals. The switching device also generates antenna alignment data, which is fed with demodulated NTSC format signals back to the television receiver 36 via another coaxial cable 34.

Looking at conventional devices, the antenna alignment signals, accessed through the appropriate menu of a television receiver, generate graphical indications on a television screen indicating the alignment of a remotely installed dish antenna. In practice, for a particular area of the country in which the antenna is located, the television signal is tuned if the antenna is physically adjusted to the near altitude and azimuth coordinates of the area. In other words, the antenna alignment signals generate graphics by the installer adjusting the orientation of the antenna so that the best picture is seen in the area.

As described above, since the antennas are installed far apart, two people are usually required to align the antennas, and there must be a communication means capable of communicating between the two people. On the other hand, one person can align the antennas through trial and error, but does not align the antennas in this manner.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the switching device 30 supplies a DC power source to operate the low noise block 12 where the antenna is installed. In addition, since the signal can be polarized to the left or to the right, and can be horizontally or vertically polarized, the low noise block 12 needs such polarization information to recover the desired television signal, and the information. Since a must be used, a polarization control signal is also supplied. There are two levels of DC voltage supplied to indicate which frequency band signals are desired. The low noise block 12 receives constant power from a DC power supply, which is supplied regardless of any of the two voltages. All these signals are transmitted via a coaxial cable from the switching device to the remote antenna site. The polarized signal is modulated at 22 kHz and added to the DC power signal.

In addition, antenna alignment signals according to the present invention are also transmitted via a coaxial cable from the switching device to a remote antenna site. The antenna alignment signals are encoded in a signal encoder 38, preferably encoded by pulse code modulation (PCM) of a 22 kHz modulated signal to which the DC power signal is added. Pulse code modulation (PCM) of the 22 kHz signal is optional, but antenna alignment signals coded using other well known techniques can be supplied via a coaxial cable connected to the remote antenna installation.

Alignment adapter 16 according to the present invention recovers the encoded antenna alignment signals, decodes the encoded alignment signals, and graphically displays the antenna orientation at the remote antenna installation. The alignment adapter 16 also includes a power regulator that is supplied via a coaxial cable and that supplies a constant DC power. The microprocessor in the alignment adapter 16 controls the operation of the alignment data decoder to generate the antenna alignment signals.

The driver included in the alignment adapter 16 converts the signals into graphical display signals for display on a display screen such as an LCD. After the antenna alignment is finished, the alignment adapter 16 is disconnected from the device and the low noise block 12 is connected directly to the ground block 22.

The method and apparatus for aligning a remote antenna according to the present invention, which has been described so far, enables a person to easily align a satellite dish antenna so that a person can install a satellite broadcasting receiver immediately so as to optimally receive television signals transmitted from the satellite. . Those skilled in the art can make many modifications and changes from the embodiments of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The invention is limited as defined in the claims.

Claims (14)

A method of physically adjusting the position of an antenna installed at a remote site to optimally receive a digital television signal from a satellite, Receiving, via the antenna, a digital television signal from the satellite; Supplying the received digital television signal from the antenna to a television receiver over a transmission link; Forming antenna alignment signals from the received digital television signal; And, Re-supplying the antenna alignment signals via the transmission link to physically adjust the position of the antenna installed at a remote site from the digital television; Remote antenna alignment method comprising a. The method of claim 1, The forming step includes generating signals indicating a signal strength signal, a symbol quality signal, and a symbol lock signal; Encoding the generated signals to be suitable for transmission over the transmission link; And, Decoding the encoded signals at a remote site from the digital television equipped with the antenna; Remote antenna alignment method comprising a. The method of claim 2, Displaying the decoded information in graphical form at a remote site from the digital television on which the antenna is installed; Remote antenna alignment method characterized in that it further comprises. The method of claim 3, wherein The transmission link includes a coaxial cable, wherein the transmission link for supplying DC power to an integrated receiver decoder of the antenna, And each of the encoded signal strength signal, the query signal of the encoded signal, and the encoded symbol lock signal are supplied to the DC power supply as a modulation signal. In order to optimally receive a digital television signal from a satellite, a method of physically aligning the position of an antenna installed in a remote site with a digital television, Receiving, via the antenna, a digital television signal from the satellite; Supplying said received digital television signal from said antenna to said digital television receiver via a transmission link; Generating signals indicative of the strength, signal quality, and symbol lock of the digital television signal; Encoding each of the signal strength signal, the query signal of the signal, and the symbol lock signal, so as to be suitable for transmission over the transmission link; Via the transmission link, resupplying the encoded signals to a remote site remote from the digital television; Decoding the encoded signals at a remote site away from the digital television to generate decoded information; And, Displaying the decoded information in graphical form at a remote site away from the digital television to physically adjust the position of the antenna; Remote antenna alignment method comprising a. The method of claim 5, The transmission link includes a coaxial cable that also supplies DC power to an integrated receiver decoder of the antenna, And said encoded signal strength signal and said encoded symbol lock signal are supplied as modulated signals added to said DC power supply. A television receiver for processing digital television signals received from satellites; Receiving means for receiving the digital television signal, the antenna being disposed away from the television receiver, the antenna being physically adjustable; Link means for supplying the received digital television signal from the antenna to the television receiver; Means for forming antenna alignment signals from the digital television signals; Means for supplying said alignment signals back to said receiving means via said link means so as to align said antenna mounted at a remote site with said digital television; Remote antenna alignment device comprising a. The method of claim 7, wherein The digital television signal comprises a plurality of multi-bit symbols, The alignment signal forming means comprises means for generating signals indicating strength of the received digital television signal, quality of the signal, and symbol lock; Remote antenna aligning device further comprises. The method of claim 8, The alignment signal forming means Means for encoding the signal strength signal, the signal query signal and the symbol lock signal to be suitable for transmission over the link means; More, Means for decoding the signal strength signal, the signal query signal and the symbol lock signal at a remote site from the digital television; Remote antenna alignment device comprising a. The method of claim 9, Said decoding means comprises means for displaying said decoded information; Remote antenna aligning device further comprises. The method of claim 9, The link means comprises a coaxial cable, Means for supplying DC power via the coaxial cable to the antenna installed at a remote site from the digital television; Means for conveying a signal of the encoded signal strength, the encoded signal query signal, and the encoded symbol lock signal as a modulation signal added to the DC power supply; Remote antenna aligning device further comprises. The method of claim 11, Means for displaying the signal strength signal, the signal query signal and the symbol lock signal at a remote site away from the digital television; Remote antenna aligning device further comprises. A television receiver for processing a digital television signal comprising a plurality of multibit symbols received from a satellite; A physically adjustable antenna means disposed away from the television receiver to receive the digital television signal; A coaxial cable for supplying the received digital television signal from the antenna means to the television receiver; Forming alignment signals indicative of the strength, signal quality and symbol lock of the received digital television signal and encoding each of the signal strength signal, the signal query signal and the symbol lock signal to be suitable for transmission over the coaxial cable. Alignment means forming means, further comprising means for decoding said signal strength signal and said symbol lock signal away from said digital television receiver; Means for resupplying the alignment signals away from the digital television receiver via the coaxial cable to adjust the physically adjustable antenna; And, Means for displaying the decoded information away from the digital television receiver; Remote antenna alignment device comprising a. The method of claim 13, Means for supplying DC power via the coaxial cable to the physically adjustable antenna located away from the digital television receiver; Means for transmitting the encoded signal strength signal, the encoded signal query signal, and the encoded symbol lock signal, respectively, as a modulated signal added to the DC power supply; Remote antenna aligning device further comprises.