Command, control and communications with intelligent antennas
View Patent ↗A system and method to provide a means of communication, command and control between a mobile antenna and a satellite receiver that allows the receiver to send tuning information to the antenna and the antenna to provide feedback to the receiver when a signal has been acquired. The antenna and the receiver can share the appropriate states and stats such as diagnostics, test, GPS coordinates, etc.
1. A method of communicating between a receiving device and an antenna control module associated therewith comprising:
generating a first communication signal at the receiving device;
receiving the first communication signal at the antenna control module;
generating a response communication signal at the antenna control module in response to the first communication signal; and
receiving the response communication signal at the receiving device from the antenna control module.
2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein generating a first communication signal at the receiving device comprises generating the first communication signal through a wired communication line.
3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of generating a first communication signal comprises generating an antenna information request and wherein generating a response communication signal comprises generating an antenna information signal.
4. A method as recited in claim 3 wherein generating an antenna information request signal comprises generating the antenna information request signal during boot-up.
5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of generating a first communication signal comprises generating a desired tuning information signal and wherein generating a response communication signal comprises generating an antenna status tuning information signal.
6. A method as recited in claim 5 wherein generating a desired tuning information signal comprises generating the desired tuning information signal during a program guide acquisition stage.
7. A method as recited in claim 5 wherein generating a desired tuning information signal comprises generating the desired tuning information signal during a channel tuning stage.
8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of generating a first communication signal comprises generating a desired tuning information signal and wherein generating a response communication signal comprises generating an actual tuning information signal.
9. A method as recited in claim 5 wherein generating a desired tuning information signal comprises generating the desired tuning information signal during a program guide boot stage.
10. A method as recited in claim 5 wherein generating a desired tuning information signal comprises generating the desired tuning information signal at a satellite television receiving device.
11. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising exchanging status information signals between the receiving device and the antenna control module.
12. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising exchanging status information between the receiving device and the antenna control module until a channel change.
13. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the steps of generating a first communication at the receiving device, receiving the first communication at the antenna control module, generating a response communication signal at the antenna control module, and receiving the response communication signal at the receiving device are performed during a boot process.
14. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the steps of generating a first communication at the receiving device, receiving the first communication at the antenna control module, generating a response communication signal at the antenna control module, and receiving the response communication signal at the receiving device are performed during a tuning process.
15. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the receiving device comprises a mobile satellite receiver.
16. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the antenna controller comprises a satellite antenna control module.
17. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:
generating a receiver status request at the antenna control module; and
communicating a receiver status from the receiver to the antenna control module in response to the receiver status request.