Systems and methods for cable loss measurement between indoor and outdoor units
View Patent ↗A very small aperture terminal (VSAT) installation tool is provided having the ability to measure cable loss along an interfacility link (IFL) between an outdoor unit and an indoor unit of the VSAT. Radio frequency (RF) signals can be transmitted from the indoor unit to the outdoor unit, where the RF signals are intercepted along the IFL prior to reaching the outdoor unit, and the output power is determined. The determined output power is compared to an expected output power at the indoor unit. The delta between the determined output power and the expected output power can be used to adjust the power of the indoor unit such that the outdoor unit can operate without reaching its compression point.
1. A power detector for detecting the output power of a satellite indoor unit connected to a satellite outdoor unit by a cable, comprising:
a filter for substantially isolating radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted from the satellite indoor unit to the satellite outdoor unit at a termination point of the cable that connects the cable to the satellite outdoor unit;
an RF detector configured to detect the RF signals; and
a microcontroller, the microcontroller including an analog to digital converter (ADC) module for converting the detected RF signals into voltage data, the microcontroller further storing the voltage data and transmitting the voltage data to the satellite indoor unit for adjustment of the satellite indoor unit output power to avoid compression at the satellite outdoor unit.
2. The power detector of claim 1 , wherein the filter comprises a high pass filter.
3. The power detector of claim 2 , wherein the microcontroller transmits the voltage data via a digital satellite equipment control (DISEqC) interface.
4. The power detector of claim 1 , wherein the RF signals comprise low power continuous wave tones transmitted at different frequencies covering a L band frequency range.
5. The power detector of claim 1 , wherein the satellite indoor unit comprises at least one of a set-top box receiver and a satellite Internet modem.
6. The power detector of claim 1 , wherein the satellite outdoor unit comprises a block upconverter.
7. A device, comprising:
a first interface comprising an input connected to at least one cable, wherein the at least one cable comprises a first end connected to a satellite indoor unit and a second end connected to an input of a second interface;
the second interface, comprising:
an input connected to an output of the first interface; and
an output connected to a satellite outdoor unit;
a power detector for measuring transmit power loss of signals transmitted by the satellite indoor unit along the first end of the at least one cable to the second end of the at least one cable;
a microcontroller for storing data regarding the measured power loss; and
a third interface through which the data regarding the measured power loss is transmitted to a modem of the indoor unit.
8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the first interface comprises a receive interfacility (IFL) module and wherein the second interface comprises a low noise block (LNB) IFL module.
9. The device of claim 7 , wherein power detector detects power associated with radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted from the first interface to the second interface.
10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the RF signals comprise low power continuous wave tones transmitted across a range of frequencies.
11. The device of claim 7 , wherein the third interface comprises a digital satellite equipment control (DISEqC) interface.
12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the device is a digital satellite equipment control (DiSEqC) antenna pointing tool.
13. A system, comprising:
a satellite indoor unit comprising an output;
a satellite outdoor unit comprising an input, a block upconverter (BUC), and an antenna dish;
a cable connecting the output of the satellite indoor unit to the input of the satellite outdoor unit; and
a power detector for detecting the output power of the satellite indoor unit at the input of the satellite outdoor unit, the power detector comprising:
a filter for substantially isolating radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted from the satellite indoor unit to the satellite outdoor unit at the input of the satellite outdoor unit;
an RF detector configured to detect the RF signals; and
a microcontroller, the microcontroller including an analog to digital converter (ADC) module for converting the detected RF signals into voltage data, the microcontroller further storing the voltage data and transmitting the voltage data to the satellite indoor unit for adjustment of the satellite indoor unit output power to avoid saturation at the BUC of the satellite outdoor unit.
14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising an antenna pointing tool, wherein the antenna pointing tool comprises:
the power detector;
a receive interfacility (IFL) module; and
a low noise block (LNB) IFL module.