IP Library Granted Patent US 7,257,370
Granted Patent B2
US 7,257,370 · App. 10/872,810 · Granted Aug 14, 2007

Method and apparatus for mitigating interference from terrestrial broadcasts sharing the same channel with satellite broadcasts using an antenna with posterior sidelobes

Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,257,370
App. No.
10/872,810
Granted
Aug 14, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus for simultaneously receiving a first signal from a non-terrestrial source and a second signal from a terrestrial source on the same or overlapping channels using a receive antenna with posteriorly-directed sidelobes is disclosed. The apparatus comprises at least one terrestrial transmitter transmitting information on at least one frequency simultaneously usable by at least one satellite transmitting to a satellite receive antenna having a sensitivity characterizable by a primary sensitive axis directed substantially at satellite. The terrestrial transmitter includes a azimuthal gain characteristic directed substantially away from the Earth's Equator. In an alternative embodiment, the terrestrial transmitter is disposed at a location defining a vector angularly displaced from the primary sensitive axis by an angle of less than 90 degrees. A method of transmitting information is also disclosed. In this method the information is transmitted on at least one frequency simultaneously usable by at least one satellite transmitting to a satellite receive antenna having a sensitivity characterizable by a primary sensitive axis directed substantially at the satellite and a posterior secondary sensitive axis. The method is performed by transmitting the information from a terrestrially-based transmitter to a terrestrial receive antenna in a direction substantially away from the Equator.

Claims (20)

1. A terrestrially-based transmission system, comprising:

at least one terrestrial transmitter transmitting information on at least one frequency simultaneously usable by at least one geosynchronous satellite transmitting to a satellite receive antenna having a sensitivity characterizable by a primary sensitive axis directed substantially at the satellite; and

wherein the terrestrial transmitter has an azimuthal gain characteristic directed substantially away from the Equator.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the transmitter is characterizable by an azimuthal gain characteristic substantially limited to an angle φ defined by AZ TW and AZ TR ,the angle φ determined according to a latitude of the satellite receive antenna and a minimum elevation angle of the primary sensitive axis ε min .

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the terrestrial transmitter has an azimuthal gain characteristic substantially limited to between AZ TW and AZ TE , wherein AZ TW is about 295° Northwest and AZ TE is about 65° Northeast.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the terrestrial transmitter has an azimuthal gain characteristic substantially limited to between AZ TW and AZ TE , wherein AZ TW is about 245° Sourhwest and AZ TE is about 115° Southeast.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the satellite receive antenna is further characterizable by at least one posterior secondary sensitive axis.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the frequency is simultaneously useable by a plurality of geosynchronous satellites, each disposed at different azimuth and elevation angles from a plurality of satellite receive antennas.

7. A method of transmitting information on at least one frequency simultaneously usable by at least one geosynchronous satellite transmitting to a satellite receive antenna having a sensitivity characterizable by a primary sensitive axis directed substantially at the satellite and a posterior secondary sensitive axis, comprising the step of:

transmitting the information from a terrestrially-based transmitter to a terrestrial receive antenna in a direction substantially away from the Equator.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the transmitter is characterizable by an azimuthal gain characteristic substantially limited to an angle φ defined by AZ TW and AZ TE , the angle φ determined according to a latitude of the satellite receive antenna and a minimum elevation angle of the primary sensitive axis ε min .

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the information is transmitted in a direction between AZ TW and AZ TE , wherein AZ TW is about 295° Southwest and AZ TE is about 115° Southeast.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the information is transmitted in a direction between AZ TW and AZ TR wherein AZ TW is about 245° Southwest and AZ TE is about 115° Southeast.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the frequency is simultaneously usable by a plurality of geosynchronous satellites, each disposed at different azimuth and elevation angles from a plurality of satellite receive antennas.

12. A method of receiving information transmitted on at lease one frequency simultaneously usable by at least one geosynchronous satellite transmitting to a satellite receive antenna having a sensitivity characterizable by a primary sensitive axis directed substantially at the satellite and a posterior secondary sensitive axis, comprising the step of:

receiving the information with a terrestrial receive antenna from a terrestrially-based transmitter transmitting the information in a direction substantially any from the Equator.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the transmitter is characterizable by an azimuthal gain characteristic substantially limited to an angle φ defined by AZ TW and AZ TE , the angle φ determined according to a latitude of the satellite receive antenna and a minimum elevation angle of the primary sensitive axis ε min .

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the information is transmitted in a direction between AZ TW and AZ TE wherein AZ TW is about 295° Northwest and AZ TE is about 65° Northeast.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the information is transmitted in a direction between AZ TW and AZ TE wherein AZ TW is about 245° Southwest and AZ TR is about 115° Southeast.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the frequency is simultaneously usable by a plurality of geosynchronous satellites, each disposed at different azimuth and elevation angles from a plurality of satellite receive antennas.

Assignments (1)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 25, 2010
From: HUGHES ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
To: THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.
Reel/Frame 025178/0833 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 0948008900 · Jan 10, 2000
Provisional Application 6016900500 · Dec 3, 1999
Related Publication 20040235418A1 · Nov 25, 2004