Low noise block converter feedhorn
View Patent ↗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.
1. A low noise block converter feedhorn, comprising:
a signal receiver operative to receive at least a first input signal and a second input signal, the first and second input signals including at least portions of programs, respectively;
a first mixer operative to receive the first input signal from the signal receiver, further operative to mix the first input signal with a first reference signal to create a first translated signal, the first reference signal derived from a first local source;
a second mixer operative to receive the second input signal from the signal receiver, further operative to mix the second input signal with the first reference signal to create a second translated signal;
a third mixer operative to mix the first translated signal with a second reference signal to create a third translated signal, the second reference signal derived from a second local source, the second local source different from the first local source; and
a first combiner operative to stack the third translated signal and second translated signal into a first single stacked signal, wherein said at least portions of programs in the first single stacked signal are arranged for delivery through a band translating circuit to a television converter device.
2. The low noise block converter feedhorn of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second signal receiver operative to receive at least a third input signal and a fourth input signal;
a fourth mixer operative to receive the third input signal from the second signal receiver, further operative to mix the third input signal with the first reference signal to create a fourth translated signal;
a fifth mixer operative to receive the fourth input signal from the second signal receiver, further operative to mix the fourth input signal with the first reference signal to create a fifth translated signal;
a sixth mixer operative to mix the fourth translated signal with the second reference signal to create a sixth translated signal; and
a second combiner operative to stack the fifth translated signal and sixth translated signal into a second single stacked signal.
3. The low noise block converter feedhorn of claim 2 , further comprising:
a band translating circuit operative to receive the first and second single stacked signals from the first and second combiners, further operative to create a first and second stacked output.
4. The low noise block converter feedhorn of claim 3 , wherein, the first reference signal is generated by an oscillator.
5. The low noise block converter feedhorn of claim 3 , wherein, the second reference signal is generated by the band translating circuit.
6. A method for converting at least a first incoming transmission and a second incoming transmission to an outgoing transmission, comprising:
receiving a first incoming transmission having a portion of a first program;
receiving a second incoming transmission having a portion of a second program;
multiplexing the first incoming transmission with a first reference signal to create a first multiplexed signal, the first reference signal derived from a first local source;
multiplexing the second incoming transmission with a second reference signal to create a second multiplexed signal, the second reference signal derived from the first local source;
multiplexing the second multiplexed signal with a third reference signal to create a third multiplexed signal, the third reference signal derived from a second local source, the second local source different from the first local source; and
diplexing the second and third multiplexed signals to create a first band-stacked signal, wherein the portions of the first and second programs in the first band-stacked signal are arranged for delivery through a band translating circuit to a television converter device.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first and second reference signals are identical.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
generating a base signal; and
splitting the base signal to create the first and second reference signals.
9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
receiving a third incoming transmission;
receiving a fourth incoming transmission;
multiplexing the third incoming transmission with a fourth reference signal to create a fourth multiplexed signal;
multiplexing the fourth incoming transmission with a fifth reference signal to create a fifth multiplexed signal;
multiplexing the fourth multiplexed signal with a sixth reference signal to create a sixth multiplexed signal;
diplexing the fifth and sixth multiplexed signals to create a second band-stacked signal; and
translating the first and second band-stacked signals.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first, second, fourth and fifth reference signals are identical.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the third and sixth reference signals are identical.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the third and sixth reference signals are generated by a band translation circuit.
13. An apparatus for converting at least one right-hand polarized signal and at least one left-hand polarized signal into a stacked output, comprising:
a first signal receiver for receiving a first right-hand polarized signal and a first left-hand polarized signal, the first right-hand polarized signal and the first left-hand polarized signal including at least portions of programs, respectively;
a first signal generator;
a first mixer electrically connected to the first signal generator and the first signal receiver;
a second mixer electrically connected to the first signal generator and the first signal receiver; and
a band translating circuit to receive signals from the first and second mixers, the band translating circuit to output at least a first stacked output derived from the received signals, wherein said at least portions of programs in the first stacked output are arranged for delivery to a television converter device.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising:
a splitter, the splitter electrically connected to the signal generator and operative to split a reference signal generated by the first signal generator into first and second reference signals.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein:
the first multiplexer is electrically connected to the first signal generator via the splitter; and
the first multiplexer is operative to accept the first reference signal from the splitter and multiplex the first reference signal with the left-hand polarized signal.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein:
the second multiplexer is electrically connected to the first signal generator via the splitter; and
the second multiplexer is operative to accept the second reference signal from the splitter and multiplex the first reference signal with the right-hand polarized signal.
17. The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising:
a second signal receiver for receiving a second left-hand polarized signal and a second right-hand polarized signal;
a second signal generator operative to generate a second reference signal and a third reference signal;
a third multiplexer electrically connected to the second signal generator and the second signal receiver, the third multiplexer operative to multiplex the second reference signal with the second left-hand polarized signal; and
a fourth multiplexer electrically connected to the second signal generator and the second signal receiver, the fourth multiplexer operative to multiplex the third reference signal with the second right-hand polarized signal; wherein
a band translating circuit is further electrically connected to the third and fourth multiplexers, the band translating circuit outputting at least a second stacked output.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the second signal generator comprises:
an oscillator operative to generate a base signal;
a doubler electrically connected to the oscillator and operative to double the base signal, thereby producing a doubled base signal; and
a splitter operatively connected to the doubler and operative to split the doubled base signal into the second reference signal and the third reference signal.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the base signal comprises an 8.175 GHz signal.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the second reference signal comprises a 16.35 GHz signal, and the third reference signal comprises a 16.35 GHz signal.
21. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first signal generator is electrically connected to the first multiplexer through a mixer, the signal generator receiving a first input from the signal generator, the mixer receiving a second input from the band translating circuit, the mixer supplying a reference signal formed by adding signals present at the first input and signals present at the second input.