Method and apparatus for simultaneous live television and data services using single beam antennas

1. A system for simultaneously receiving on a mobile platform first RF signals having a circular polarization from a first satellite at an orbital location and second RF signals having a linear polarization from a second satellite that is substantially co-located in a same geostationary orbit slot with the first satellite; the system comprising:

a single beam receive antenna aperture arranged to receive first RF signals having a circular polarization and providing a first service from a first satellite at an orbital location and second RF signals having a linear polarization and providing a second service different than the first service from a second satellite that is substantially co-located in a same geostationary orbit slot with the first satellite, the single beam receive antenna aperture outputting output signals having the circular polarization;

a first RF converter arranged to down-convert the output signals to first down-converted signals having the circular polarization; and

a second RF converter arranged to down-convert the output signals to second down-converted signals having the linear polarization.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first receiver arranged to demodulate and decode the first down-converted signals to first baseband signals; and

a second receiver arranged to demodulate and decode the second down-converted signals to second baseband signals.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first baseband signals include video signals.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the second baseband signals include data signals.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

an up-converter arranged to up-convert third signals to third up-converted signals; and

a single beam transmit antenna aperture arranged to receive the third up-converted signals, the single beam transmit antenna aperture transmitting third RF signals having the linear polarization.

6. The system of claim 5 , further comprising a transmitter arranged to encode and modulate data transmission signals to the third signals.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first RF signals include DBS signals.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second RF signals include data services signals.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mobile platform includes an aircraft.

10. A system for simultaneously receiving on a mobile platform first RF signals having a circular polarization from a first satellite at an orbital location and second RF signals having a linear polarization from a second satellite that is substantially co- located in a same geostationary orbit slot with the first satellite and for transmitting third RF signals having the linear polarization to the second satellite, the system comprising:

a single beam receive antenna aperture arranged to receive first RF signals having a circular polarization and providing television service from a first satellite at an orbital location and second RF signals having a linear polarization and providing data service from a second satellite that is substantially co-located in a same geostationary orbit slot with the first satellite, the single beam receive antenna aperture outputting output signals having the circular polarization;

a first RF converter arranged to down-convert the output signals to first down-converted signals having the circular polarization;

a first receiver arranged to demodulate and decode the first down-converted signals to first baseband signals;

a second RF converter arranged to down-convert the output signals to second down-converted signals having the linear polarization;

a second receiver arranged to demodulate and decode the second down-converted signals to second baseband signals;

a transmitter arranged to encode and modulate data transmission signals to third signals;

an up-converter arranged to up-convert the third signals to third up-converted signals; and

a single beam transmit antenna aperture arranged to receive the third up-converted signals, the single beam transmit antenna transmitting third RF signals having the linear polarization.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the mobile platform includes an aircraft.

12. A method for simultaneously receiving on a mobile platform first RF signals having a circular polarization from a first satellite at an orbital location and second RF signals having a linear polarization from a second satellite that is substantially co- located in a same geostationary orbit slot with the first satellite, the method comprising:

receiving with a single beam receive antenna aperture first RF signals having a circular polarization from a first satellite at an orbital location and second RF signals having a linear polarization from a second satellite that is substantially co-located in a same geostationary orbit slot with the first satellite;

outputting from the single beam receive antenna aperture output signals having the circular polarization;

down-converting the output signals to first down-converted signals having the circular polarization; and

down-converting the output signals to second down-converted signals having the linear polarization.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

demodulating and decoding the first down-converted signals to first baseband signals; and

demodulating and decoding the second down-converted signals to second baseband signals.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first baseband signals include video signals.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the second baseband signals include data signals.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

up-converting third signals to third up-converted signals;

providing the third up-converted signals to a single beam transmit antenna aperture; and

transmitting from the single beam transmit antenna aperture third RF signals having the linear polarization.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising encoding and modulating data transmission signals to the third signals.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first RF signals include DBS signals.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the second RF signals include data services signals.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the mobile platform includes an aircraft.

21. An aircraft comprising:

a fuselage; and

a system for simultaneously receiving on a mobile platform first RF signals having a circular polarization and providing a first service from a first satellite at an orbital location and second RF signals having a linear polarization and providing a second service different than the first service from a second satellite that is substantially co-located in a same geostationary orbit slot with the first satellite, the system including:

a single beam receive antenna aperture mounted on the fuselage and arranged to receive first RF signals having a circular polarization from the first satellite at the orbital location and second RF signals having a linear polarization from the second satellite that is substantially co-located in a same geostationary orbit slot with the first satellite, the single beam receive antenna aperture outputting output signals having the circular polarization;

a first RF converter arranged to down-convert the output signals to first down-converted signals having the circular polarization; and

a second RF converter arranged to down-convert the output signals to second down-converted signals having the linear polarization.

22. The aircraft of claim 21 , wherein the first RF signals include DBS signals.

23. The aircraft of claim 21 , wherein the second RF signals include data services signals.

24. The aircraft of claim 21 , further comprising a first receiver arranged to demodulate and decode the first down-converted signals to first baseband signals, wherein the first baseband signals include video signals.

25. The system of claim 24 , further comprising a second receiver arranged to demodulate and decode the second down-converted signals to second baseband signals, wherein the second baseband signals include data signals.