479 results about "Satellite television" patented technology

A satellite TV security system including a TV satellite operated by a satellite TV provider directed to a television set of a satellite TV subscriber that defends the satellite TV provider from illegal reception of TV signals from a TV satellite. An addressable integrated receiver/decoder (IRD) positioned in the TV set top box has an assigned identification number and a smart card positioned in the IRD has an assigned identification number. A security module is provided that is integrated with the IRD. Upon command of the satellite TV provider or automatically, the security module makes a periodic verification of a match of the two identification numbers. Lack of verification of a match triggers a signal from the security module to the IRD to stop transmitting TV signals to the subscriber television. As an alternative verification, the security module initiates periodic verifications of the operability of the telephone line connection between the satellite TV provider and the IRD of the subscriber. Lack of verification of the operability of the telephone line triggers a signal from the security module to the IRD to stop transmitting TV signals to the subscriber TV. The two systems of verification can be operated independently or simultaneously. The subscriber telephone number can be added as an assigned identification number, so that a three-way verification of identification numbers by the security module is required for continued transmission of TV signals to the subscriber television.

A service management system for devices with embedded processor systems manages use of memory by programs implementing the services by assigning services to classes and limiting the number of services per class that can be loaded into memory. Classes enable achieving predictable and stable system behavior, defining the services and service classes in a manifest that is downloaded to embedded devices operating on a network, such as a cable or satellite television network, telephone or computer network, and permit a system operator, administrator, or manager to manage the operation of the embedded devices while deploying new services implemented with applications downloaded from the network when the service is requested by a user.

A system and method for interacting with internet applications by way of a broadband network that includes one, or a combination, of cable television, satellite television, internet protocol television, cellular network, or digital subscriber line network. The system and method allow a user to execute at an end user device, e.g., a television or cellular phone, an interactive application associated with an internet-based service, such as an online auction, online commercial transaction, online gaming, or an information service, e.g., yellow pages on TV, and initiate a user interface by which the user formulates and transmits action requests and receives action replies or unsolicited messages via the broadband network allowing the user to locally interact with one or more of the internet-based services.

A home video network, and a home video and data network, utilizing wireless protocol communications over coaxial cable (CX) are disclosed. In the home video network, a main network station (10) includes video processing functionality, such as one or more of a DVD player, personal video recorder (PVR), and a set-top box (STB) for cable or satellite television reception. The main network station (10) also includes a matched splitter (27) that receives coaxial cable (CX) inputs, and provides low-pass filtered and high-pass filtered output. The low-pass filtered output (LF) corresponding to video signals is provided to the video processing functionality (20) and the high-pass filtered output (HF) corresponding to wireless protocol communications is provided to a wireless access point function (22). Other network stations and combinations of functions are also disclosed, including those that utilize a function switch (25) to switch between network communications over coaxial cable (CX) and communications over an antenna (A), in either a single BSS mode or a double BSS mode.

A receiver for a digital beamforming radar system includes a plurality of antenna elements, low-noise block converters, one or more analog-to-digital converters, and a processor. The antenna elements receive a radar signal and output a received signal. The low-noise block converters are modified commercially available components used in satellite television systems, respond to the received signal from a corresponding antenna element, and output an intermediate frequency signal. The low-noise block converters include at least one amplifier, a mixer, and a local oscillator input. The local oscillator input enables an external local oscillator signal to be inputted to the mixer. The analog-to-digital converters are responsive to the intermediate frequency signal of a corresponding low-noise block converter. The processor is responsive to the digital signals output by the analog-to-digital converters.

Systems and methods for combining a satellite broadcast system with a wireless system are described. The system comprises a satellite receive antenna and a wireless system device coupled thereto, the wireless system device comprising a wireless network antenna, a wireless radio system coupled to the antenna, a networking bridge coupled to the radio system, and a coaxial networking bridge for coupling a satellite signal on the satellite broadcast system with a wireless signal on the wireless network, wherein the coaxial network bridge enables a device to receive the satellite signal and the wireless signal.

A web-based application is used to assist customer service representatives or others answer questions about various items such as electronic equipment. The application provides the user with an interface with links to additional pages of information. In one embodiment, the application can be configured to allow the user to answer questions about DSS satellite television systems, including installation, operation and programming information. The web-based application provides information to the user as well as interactive displays that simulate the actual operation of the unit under investigation. The displays can be rotated to assist the user in visualizing the unit under investigation and dialog boxes can be nested to appear when specific portions of a display are selected. For example, the display of a decoder box could be rotated and functional keys selected to obtain additional information about their function.

A telephone interface and voice recognition driven Internet browser system and method for accessing/browsing the Internet on a cable or satellite television includes a phone for receiving a voice signal from a user. The voice signal controls a telephone interface which displays Internet contents on the television via a cable or satellite television channel. The system also includes a voice recognizer, preferably operated on a supercomputer, for recognizing/interpreting/analyzing the voice signal and generating command signals to access/browse the Internet. The voice recognizer is capable of recognizing/interpreting/analyzing voice signals transmitted from a plurality of users in real time. The system further includes a stack of computers and an Internet browser. Each of the stack of computers is capable of accessing/browsing the Internet and retrieving/organizing requested Internet contents via the Internet browser. The requested Internet contents are sent to the user via a cable or satellite television channel.

Near real time downloading and verifying of a subscriber's remote record request is provided to control a DVR using the existing satellite network. The insertion of the programming request into the continuous broadcast stream enables near real time processing of the request by a subscriber IRD to accommodate same day and even last minute remote programming requests. The use of a back channel to verify the request provides the subscriber with assurance that the request has been processed successfully and flexibility to change services on the fly.

Techniques for measuring the carrier to noise ratio (CNR) in a received digital signal are disclosed. The methods can operate on a received digital signal, such as a layered modulation signal used in a satellite television system. The CNR measurement can be made at the output of a carrier recovery loop or a timing recovery loop in a demodulator. Alternately, the CNR measurement can be made when the received signal is digitized in an analog to digital (A/D) converter at base-band by the demodulator.

A first device uses a secondary communication channel to send its public IP address to a second device to setup point-to-point communication over a primary communication channel, such as a public computer network. The secondary channel may be a public switched telephone network, a circuit-switched voice channel in cellular network, a packet-switched voice channel in cellular network, a conventional VoIP service, a text or multimedia channel in a cellular network, a data channel in a cable television or a satellite television network, or a radio frequency channel. Once the connection over the pubic computer network has been established, the first and the second devices exchange data packets carrying text, voice, video, or other data.

The present invention is a method and apparatus for authorizing an additional set-top device in a location with an existing authorized set-top device without the need to connect the two devices via a dedicated wired connection. After the additional set-top device is connected to the satellite television network, for example through a coaxial cable used to deliver satellite television signals, the existing set-top device is designated as a master set-top device. The additional set-top device is then authenticated as a slave set-top device via the connection to the satellite television network. In one embodiment, an intelligent bridge, which is preferably a QUAD LNB, authorizes the slave set-top device after receiving the master set-top device indication and the slave set-top device presence indication. Alternatively, in a repeater embodiment, a repeater may be used for signal routing only and slave authentication is accomplished in the master set-top device.

Systems and methods for enabling computing device or system resource sharing between two or more satellite television customers are disclosed. This may be achieved by partitioning resources of a television receiver system such that a first party and at least a second party have access to the various features or functionality in a manner similar to that as if each respective party has a standalone instance of the same. A server system may facilitate the resource sharing between satellite television customers by receiving a request from a first party and identifying a second party within suitable distance from the first party. The server system may send configuration instructions to the television receiver of the hosting party that include instructions as to how the resources of the computing system are to be allocated.

Systems for delivering satellite signals to multiple dwelling units (MDUs). A system in accordance with the present invention comprises an antenna for receiving the satellite signals, a conversion unit, coupled to the antenna, for stacking the satellite signals onto a single cable, a distribution unit, coupled to the conversion unit, wherein the distribution unit distributes the stacked satellite signal to a plurality of outputs, and at least one customer device, coupled to an output of the plurality of outputs, wherein each unit in the MDU uses the customer device to destack the stacked satellite signals for delivery to a receiver.

A media viewing method and system monitors user interaction with an electronic program guide. An awareness engine collects data generated by the user interaction and forms awareness indicators and information. The awareness information is output to end users and is indicative of which users in a social circle are accessing (e.g. viewing, playing, or recording) or have accessed which media works. Some output enables user-to-user interaction. The media works may be supplied by cable television, satellite television, online or global computer network sources.

More reliable satellite television reception in moisture conditions is provided by recognizing the critical relationship between satellite signal transmissivity and the effects of superhydrophobocity. Instead of trying to use a hydrophobic or superhydrophobic coating or material to shed water from a satellite antenna, superhydrophobic materials and coatings are strategically utilized to minimize the impact of water on the transmissivity of the satellite signal through transmissive surfaces in the antenna system. In a preferred embodiment, an exterior surface of a feed horn cover is coated with a superhydrophobic material to maintain a more consistent satellite signal reception. In an alternate embodiment, an exterior surface of a dome covering a small dish DBS satellite television antenna system is coated with a superhydrophobic material to minimize the overall satellite signal loss during moisture conditions so as to permit a dome to be effectively used over a small dish DBS satellite television antenna system.