Patent ID: 12200313

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Technology described herein improves satellite broadcasting services by enhancing set-top box signal reception during weather conditions that obstruct the transmission of RF signals from one or more satellites to a receiving antenna (e.g., a dish antenna). The receiving antenna may be paired with circuitry (e.g., a low-noise block down-converter) for amplifying a signal (e.g., a microwave signal) that was received from the one or more satellites, converting the signal to a lower frequency band, and transmitting the down-converted signal to a set-top box (STB) or satellite receiver (e.g., via a coaxial cable or network connection). In some cases, an STB may include a receiver front end for receiving the down-converted signal and demodulating the down-converted signal and an STB decoder for decoding the demodulated signal and transmitting a decoded signal to a display device (e.g., a television) so that content encoded within the demodulated signal may be displayed using the display device. An STB may comprise a computing device that allows a digital signal to be received, decoded, and displayed using a display device.

A technical issue with using a dish antenna to capture RF signals transmitted by one or more satellites is that the RF signals may be obstructed or attenuated due to absorption and scattering caused by the presence of rain, snow, or ice in the atmosphere. The RF signals received by a dish antenna acting as a receiving antenna may also be obstructed or attenuated due to the accumulation of snow or ice on a surface of the dish antenna or due to a physical misalignment of the dish antenna with one or more satellites transmitting a satellite broadcasting service. In these situations, the satellite broadcasting service (e.g., a satellite TV service or a satellite Internet service) received by the receiving antenna may be interrupted or experience a significant degradation in service. To prevent significant degradations in service from occurring to the satellite broadcasting service, an enhanced STB signal system may be arranged between the receiving antenna and the STB in order to provide an enhanced signal to the STB in the event that the RF signals received by the receiving antenna are not able to be decoded or are otherwise unable to provide the transmitted satellite broadcasting service. A technical benefit of utilizing the enhanced STB signal system is that interruptions to satellite broadcasting services may be prevented.

In some embodiments, the enhanced STB signal system may transmit an enhanced STB signal to the STB or replace the weak signal derived from the receiving antenna with the enhanced STB signal upon detection that a decoding failure has occurred for data encoded within the signal derived from the receiving antenna, that the signal strength of the signal derived from the receiving antenna is less than a threshold signal strength (e.g., is less than −60 dBm), or that the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the signal derived from the receiving antenna is less than an SNR threshold (e.g., is less than 8 dB). The ability for the STB to demodulate and decode a received signal may be highly dependent on the SNR of the received signal as amplification of the received signal will also amplify the embedded noise within the received signal.

In at least one embodiment, upon detection that an STB has experienced a decoding failure, an enhanced STB signal system may transmit an enhanced signal to the STB instead of a signal that was derived from a receiving antenna. The enhanced signal may comprise a combination of signals that derive from other receiving antennas different from the receiving antenna, as well as the signal derived from the receiving antenna. A technical benefit of combining signals from a plurality of antennas is that although each antenna of the plurality of antennas may be receiving weak RF signals, a combination of the weak RF signals may allow content encoded within the RF signals to be decoded and properly displayed using a display device. In one example, upon detection that the STB has experienced a decoding failure, the enhanced STB signal system may transmit an enhanced signal to the STB that derives from both the receiving antenna and nine other receiving antennas. In another example, upon detection that the STB has experienced a decoding failure, the enhanced STB signal system may transmit an enhanced signal to the STB that only derives from the nine other receiving antennas.

In some cases, each receiving antenna may be paired with an enhanced STB signal system that includes a 60 GHz transmitter antenna and a 60 GHz receiver antenna pair to allow for wireless communication with other enhanced STB signal systems associated with other receiving antennas using the 60 GHz spectrum (e.g., using 60 GHz WiFi via the IEEE 802.11ad standard or the IEEE 802.11ay standard). The auxiliary 60 GHz transmitter and 60 GHz receiver pair may allow for each enhanced STB signal system to communicate with other enhanced STB signal systems within a particular distance (e.g., within a one mile radius). Each enhanced STB signal system that is paired with a receiving antenna (e.g., a first dish antenna capturing RF signals from one or more satellites) may process signals deriving from the receiving antenna as well as signals deriving from one or more other receiving antennas (e.g., a second dish antenna capturing RF signals from the one or more satellites). In one example, a first enhanced STB signal system may combine a first signal received from its paired receiving antenna and a second signal received from a second receiving antenna. The second signal may be transmitted to the first enhanced STB signal system using the 60 GHz transmitting antenna of a second enhanced STB signal system paired with the second receiving antenna. The second signal may be received by the first enhanced STB signal system using its 60 GHz receiving antenna. Subsequently, the first enhanced STB signal system may transmit the combined signal to a third enhanced STB signal system using its 60 GHz transmitting antenna and the third enhanced STB signal system may combine the received combined signal with a third signal received from a third receiving antenna paired with the third enhanced STB signal system.

There are several techniques for combining signals from different enhanced STB signal systems including diversity combining techniques such as equal-gain combining (e.g., where the received signals are summed coherently), maximal-ratio combining (e.g., where the received signals are weighted with respect to their SNR and then summed), switched combining, and selection combining (e.g., where out of multiple received signals, the signal with the strongest signal or the highest SNR is selected). The diversity combining techniques allow two or more signals each carrying the same message or information to improve the SNR of each of the two or more signals.

A technical benefit of pairing enhanced STB signal systems with existing dish antennas and not updating or replacing existing STBs is that replacing STBs is expensive and connecting the enhanced STB signal systems to existing dish antennas provides greater flexibility with different implementations. For example, enhanced STB signal systems in a city environment may utilize auxiliary receivers and transmitters with a first maximum range (e.g., a range of at most 0.5 miles) due to the number of other enhanced STB signal systems within a close proximity, while enhanced STB signal systems in a rural environment may utilize auxiliary receivers and transmitters with a second maximum range greater than the first maximum range (e.g., a range of up to five miles).

A technical benefit of allowing an enhanced STB signal system to detect and communicate with a number of other enhanced STB signal systems within a range of its auxiliary receivers and transmitters is that the enhanced STB signal system may periodically acquire signal strength information and SNR information from each of the other enhanced STB signal systems within the range of its auxiliary receivers and transmitters. The enhanced STB signal system may then select a subset of the other enhanced STB signal systems to generate and transmit an enhanced signal to the enhanced STB signal system in order to prevent the loss of satellite broadcasting services during weather conditions that obstruct the transmission of RF signals from one or more satellites. In some cases, the subset of the other enhanced STB signal systems for generating the enhanced signal may comprise enhanced STB signal systems that are at least a threshold distance away (e.g., at least ten miles away); in this case, if a loss of service was caused by a localized weather event, then the likelihood of the other enhanced STB signal systems being impacted by the same localized weather event may be significantly reduced.

FIG.1Adepicts one embodiment of a networked computing environment100in which the disclosed technology may be practiced. Networked computing environment100includes a plurality of computing devices interconnected through one or more networks180. The plurality of computing devices may include mobile computing devices (e.g., a smartphone) and non-mobile computing devices (e.g., a desktop computer). The one or more networks180allow a particular computing device to connect to and communicate with another computing device. The depicted computing devices include mobile smartphone110, laptop computing device112, network-connected digital television114, hardware server116, set-top box (STB)104, and enhanced STB signal system142. The enhanced STB signal system142is in communication with the dish antenna124and transmits an enhanced signal ESTB140to the STB104. A satellite102may transmit an RF signal120to the dish antenna124. The RF signal120may transmit satellite broadcasting services to the dish antenna124, which may be displayed using the digital television114via decoded signals provided to the digital television114by the STB104. The STB104may connect to or communicate with the digital television114via the one or more networks180or via a dedicated coaxial cable connection.

In some embodiments, the plurality of computing devices may include other computing devices not shown. In some embodiments, the plurality of computing devices may include more than or less than the number of computing devices depicted inFIG.1A. The one or more networks180may include a cellular network, a mobile network, a wireless network, a wired network, a secure network such as an enterprise private network, an unsecure network such as a wireless open network, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), the Internet, or a combination of networks. Each network of the one or more networks180may include hubs, bridges, routers, switches, and wired transmission media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection.

In some embodiments, computing devices within the networked computing environment100may comprise real hardware computing devices or virtual computing devices, such as one or more virtual machines. Networked storage devices within the networked computing environment100may comprise real hardware storage devices or virtual storage devices, such as one or more virtual disks. The real hardware storage devices may include non-volatile and volatile storage devices.

Networked computing environment100may provide a cloud computing environment for one or more computing devices. Cloud computing may refer to Internet-based computing, wherein shared resources, software, and/or information are provided to the one or more computing devices on-demand via the Internet (or other network). The term “cloud” may be used as a metaphor for the Internet, based on the cloud drawings used in computer networking diagrams to depict the Internet as an abstraction of the underlying infrastructure it represents.

The enhanced STB signal system142may be arranged between the dish antenna124and the STB104in order to generate and transmit the enhanced signal ESTB140to the STB104in the event that the RF signal120received by the dish antenna124is not able to be decoded. The enhanced signal ESTB140transmitted to the STB104(e.g., via a wireless network interface, a wired network interface, or a coaxial cable) may comprise a combination of signals that derive from other dish antennas not depicted different from the dish antenna124. One embodiment of the enhanced STB signal system142includes antennas144, a network interface145, processor146, memory147, and disk148all in communication with each other. Network interface145allows the enhanced STB signal system142to connect to one or more networks180and/or to connect to the STB104. The enhanced STB signal system142may electrically connect to the STB104via a coaxial cable and/or transmit the enhanced signal ESTB140to the STB104using a coaxial cable. Network interface145may include a wireless network interface and/or a wired network interface. Processor146allows the enhanced STB signal system142to execute computer readable instructions stored in memory147in order to perform processes discussed herein. Processor146may include one or more processing units, such as one or more CPUs and/or one or more GPUs. Memory147may comprise one or more types of memory (e.g., RAM, SRAM, DRAM, ROM, EEPROM, or Flash). Memory147may comprise a hardware storage device or a semiconductor memory.

The antennas144may comprise an auxiliary transmitter antenna and an auxiliary receiver antenna for communicating with other enhanced STB signal systems within a range of the auxiliary transmitter antenna and the auxiliary receiver antenna. In at least one example, the antennas144may comprise a 60 GHz transmitter antenna and a 60 GHz receiver antenna pair to allow for wireless communication with other enhanced STB signal systems.

In some cases, the server116may comprise a server within a data center. The data center may include one or more servers, such as server116, in communication with one or more storage devices. The servers and data storage devices within a data center may be in communication with each other via a networking fabric connecting server data storage units within the data center to each other. In general, a “server” may refer to a hardware device that acts as the host in a client-server relationship or a software process that shares a resource with or performs work for one or more clients. Communication between computing devices in a client-server relationship may be initiated by a client sending a request to the server asking for access to a particular resource or for particular work to be performed. The server may subsequently perform the actions requested and send a response back to the client.

In some embodiments, the server116may acquire digital signals that derive from a plurality of dish antennas including dish antenna124, generate a combined signal using the digital signals, and then transmit the combined signal to an enhanced STB signal system, such as the enhanced STB signal system142so that the enhanced STB signal system142may selectively transmit the combined signal to the STB104.

FIG.1Bdepicts an embodiment of the set-top box (STB)104inFIG.1A. The enhanced signal ESTB140that is input to the STB104inFIG.1Amay be processed or decoded by the STB104and a decoded signal may be output from the STB104to a display device, such as an analog or digital television. The STB104may include one or more tuner devices152that receive commands from control unit160. Such commands may cause each of the one or more tuners152to tune to a particular frequency band corresponding with a television channel that an end user of a display device would like to view. Signals output from the one or more tuners152are provided to a demodulation and forward error correction device154. The demodulation and forward error correction device154may demodulate the enhanced signal ESTB140by extracting an information bearing signal associated with content (e.g., audiovisual content) from the enhanced signal ESTB140. The demodulation and forward error correction device154may comprise an electronic circuit for extracting or recovering content from a modulated carrier wave or signal. The demodulation and forward error correction device154may also apply error detection and correction techniques to fix data transmission errors. Data signals output from the demodulation and forward error correction device154are provided to the control unit160.

Various components of the control unit160may be included in one or more integrated circuits. The control unit160may operate under the control of a software program, firmware program, or some other program stored in memory or control logic. The control unit160may include fewer, more, or different components from those shown inFIG.1Band described below.

The control unit160includes a shared bus168that communicatively couples at least one central processing unit (CPU)161and a memory162. The memory162may comprise a volatile or non-volatile memory. The memory162may store control programs that are executed by the CPU161. The control unit160may include at least one video processor163that decodes and processes an encoded signal. The video processor163may include a graphics processor and/or an MPEG-2 decoder. The control unit160may also include a video encoder164that may work in combination with the video processor163to encode signals that are output to one or more peripheral devices, such as an analog or digital television, via the peripheral device interface171. The control unit160may also include at least one hard disk drive interface165and a hard disk drive156. The hard disk drive interface165may provide an IDE/EIDE interface for transferring information to and from the hard disk drive156. The hard disk drive156may store recorded programs, buffered data from a program being viewed, EPG data, an operating system, control programs, timers, or other data.

In addition, the control unit160may include an audio processor172, which may decode a digital stream for output to one or more peripheral audio devices, such as a stereo amplifier or a digital television, via the peripheral device interface171. The control unit160also includes a transceiver174that is configured to transmit and receive data. In one or more embodiments, the transceiver174includes at least one antenna that is configured to transmit and receive wireless signals in a particular RF band, such as a 2.4 gigahertz ultra high frequency (UHF) band. The transceiver174may be configured to transmit and/or receive RF signals via the at least one antenna. The control unit160may also include a user control interface173. The user control interface173may receive signals from buttons and/or a keypad connected to the STB104. In one example, an end user may operate the keypad to power the STB104on and off, and to change the channel of the programming content that is being output from the STB104via the peripheral device interface171.

FIG.2Adepicts an embodiment of three dish antennas124-126and a satellite102. The three dish antennas124-126may comprise receiving antennas for capturing RF signals broadcasted from the satellite102. As depicted, the satellite102has transmitted the RF signal120, which has been captured by the dish antenna124. The RF signal120may transmit satellite broadcasting services to the dish antenna124. The satellite102has also transmitted the RF signal122, which is been captured by the dish antenna126, and transmitted the RF signal121which has been obstructed by the cloud221and has prevented an unobstructed or unaltered RF signal from being captured by the dish antenna125. The RF signals120-122may be broadcasted by the satellite102to provide satellite broadcasting services, such as satellite television services or satellite Internet services. The cloud221may contain a significant amount of liquid water droplets, rain, snow, and/or ice that temporarily obstructs (e.g., for ten minutes) a line of sight between the satellite102and the dish antenna125.

FIG.2Bdepicts another embodiment of three dish antennas124-126and a satellite102that has transmitted RF signals120-122to provide satellite broadcasting services. The dish antenna124includes or is in communication with circuitry for receiving RF signals, an auxiliary transmitter242, and an auxiliary receiver252. The auxiliary transmitter242may comprise a 60 GHz transmitter and the auxiliary receiver252may comprise a 60 GHz receiver. In some cases, the circuitry for receiving RF signals, the auxiliary transmitter242, and the auxiliary receiver252may comprise components of an enhanced STB signal system, such as the enhanced STB signal system142inFIG.1A. The auxiliary transmitter242and the auxiliary receiver252may correspond with antennas144inFIG.1A. The auxiliary transmitter242may transmit a first signal262derived from RF signals received at the dish antenna124to an auxiliary receiver253associated with the dish antenna125.

The dish antenna125includes or is in communication with circuitry for receiving RF signals, an auxiliary transmitter243, and an auxiliary receiver253. The auxiliary transmitter243may transmit a second signal264derived from RF signals received at the dish antenna125and/or the first signal262to an auxiliary receiver254associated with the dish antenna126. The dish antenna126includes or is in communication with circuitry for receiving RF signals, an auxiliary transmitter244, and an auxiliary receiver254. The auxiliary transmitter244may transmit a third signal266derived from RF signals received at the dish antenna126and/or the second signal264to the auxiliary receiver252associated with the dish antenna124.

In some embodiments, the first signal262may comprise a signal that derives from RF signals captured by the dish antenna124. The first signal262may comprise a filtered, amplified, and down-converted signal that derives from the RF signals captured by the dish antenna124. The second signal264may comprise a combination of the first signal262and a signal that derives from RF signals captured by the dish antenna125. In at least one example, a diversity combining technique such as equal-gain combining or maximal-ratio combining may be applied to generate the second signal264. The second signal264may be generated using circuitry within an enhanced STB signal system, such as the enhanced STB signal system142inFIG.1A, to perform coherent addition of the first signal262to the signal that derives from RF signals captured by the dish antenna125. The circuitry within the enhanced STB signal system may also weigh inputted signals by their SNRs and combine the inputted signals according to their SNRs.

The third signal266may comprise a combination of the second signal264and a signal that derives from RF signals captured by the dish antenna126. In at least one example, a diversity combining technique such as equal-gain combining or maximal-ratio combining may be applied to generate the third signal266using the second signal264and the signal that derives from RF signals captured by the dish antenna126. The third signal266may be generated using circuitry within an enhanced STB signal system, such as the enhanced STB signal system142inFIG.1A, associated with the dish antenna126to perform summation or coherent addition of the second signal264to the signal that derives from RF signals captured by the dish antenna126. Therefore, the first signal262may include information extracted from the RF signals captured by the dish antenna124, the second signal264may include information extracted from the RF signals captured by both the dish antenna124and the dish antenna125, and the third signal266may include information extracted from the RF signals captured by the dish antenna124, the dish antenna125, and the dish antenna126. The third signal266may comprise a signal that includes information extracted from each dish antenna within a set of dish antennas that are connected together in a daisy chain configuration or in a series configuration.

FIG.2Cdepicts an embodiment of the three dish antennas124-126inFIG.2B, in which the cloud221has moved to obstruct a line of sight between the satellite102and the dish antenna126and a cloud220has moved to partially obstruct a line of sight between the satellite102and the dish antenna125. In this case, the dish antenna125may capture a significantly weakened version of the RF signal121that may include content that is still decodable or viewable. However, due to the cloud221, the dish antenna126and circuitry for receiving and decoding signals captured by the dish antenna126may be unable to decode or identify content encoded within the RF signal122. In response to detecting that the dish antenna126and/or circuitry for receiving signals captured by the dish antenna126is unable to decode or identify content encoded within the RF signal122, an enhanced STB signal system associated with the dish antenna125may generate the second signal264by combining RF signals received at the dish antenna125with the first signal262and transmit the second signal264to the auxiliary receiver254associated with the dish antenna126. In some cases, RF signals received from a set of dish antennas may be combined and transmitted to a dish antenna, such as the dish antenna126, that is unable to decode or identify content by itself or without additional information received from the set of dish antennas.

FIG.2Ddepicts an embodiment of the three dish antennas124-126in communication with enhanced STB signal systems272-274. Each of the enhanced STB signal systems272-274includes a signal combiner276, such as one of the signal combiners276a-276c, and an analog multiplexor278, such as one of the analog multiplexors278a-278c. In one example, the enhanced STB signal system272may correspond with the enhanced STB signal system142inFIG.1A. The enhanced STB signal system272includes a signal combiner276aand an analog multiplexor278a. The signal combiner276amay combine two or more signals received by the enhanced STB signal system272using one or more signal combining techniques, such as diversity combining techniques. The one or more signal combining techniques may include equal-gain combining (e.g., where inputted signals are summed coherently), maximal-ratio combining (e.g., where inputted signals are weighted with respect to their SNRs and then a weighted combination of the inputted signals is generated), and selection combining (e.g., where out of two or more inputted signals, the inputted signal with the strongest signal or the highest SNR is selected). The diversity combining techniques may allow two or more signals each carrying the same message or information to improve the overall SNR of the combined signal.

The enhanced STB signal system272may comprise the first enhanced STB signal system in a sequence of enhanced STB signal systems that includes the enhanced STB signal system273and the enhanced STB signal system274. The enhanced STB signal system272may take as input a signal286derived from the dish antenna124. The signal286derived from the dish antenna124may comprise a filtered, amplified, and/or down-converted signal that was captured by the dish antenna124(e.g., generated by a low-noise block down-converter mounted to the dish antenna124). As the first enhanced STB signal system in the sequence of enhanced STB signal systems, the signal combiner276amay be bypassed or pass through the signal286derived from the dish antenna124to the output signal281. The signal combiner276bof the enhanced STB signal system273may take as inputs both a signal287derived from the dish antenna125and the output signal281from the enhanced STB signal system272. The signal combiner276bmay combine the signal287derived from the dish antenna125and the output signal281using one or more signal combining techniques, such as equal-gain combining or maximal-ratio combining, and output the combined signal as the output signal282.

The signal combiner276cof the enhanced STB signal system274may take as inputs both a signal288derived from the dish antenna126and the output signal282from the enhanced STB signal system273. The signal combiner276cmay combine the signal288derived from the dish antenna126and the output signal282using one or more signal combining techniques, such as equal-gain combining or maximal-ratio combining, and output the combined signal as the output signal283. The enhanced STB signal systems272-274may transmit and receive the output signals281-283using auxiliary transmitter and receiver pairs, such as an auxiliary 60 GHz transmitter and 60 GHz receiver pair.

The output signal283generated by the enhanced STB signal system274may include signal information captured from all three dish antennas124-126. The enhanced STB signal system272may receive the output signal283and use analog multiplexor278awith output295to either pass the signal286derived from the dish antenna124to the STB104aor the output signal283to the STB104a. The enhanced STB signal system272may buffer and transit the output signal283as output signal291. The enhanced STB signal system273may receive the output signal291and use analog multiplexor278bwith output296to either pass the signal287derived from the dish antenna125to the STB104bor the output signal291to the STB104b. The enhanced STB signal system273may buffer and transit the output signal291as output signal292. Finally, the enhanced STB signal system274may receive the output signal292and use analog multiplexor278cwith output297to either pass the signal288derived from the dish antenna126to the STB104cor the output signal292to the STB104c. In some embodiments, the analog multiplexor278cmay pass the output signal292to the STB104cif it is detected that the SNR of the signal288derived from the dish antenna126is less than a threshold SNR (e.g., is less than 8 dB) or that the signal strength of the signal288derived from the dish antenna126is less than a threshold signal strength (e.g., is less than −60 dBm).

In at least one embodiment, if at least one of the enhanced STB signal systems272-274experiences a decoding failure, then each of the enhanced STB signal systems272-274may pass a received combined signal to their respective STBs; for example, the analog multiplexor278amay pass the output signal283to the STB104a, the analog multiplexor278bmay pass the output signal291to the STB104b, and the analog multiplexor278cmay pass the output signal292to the STB104c.

FIG.3depicts an embodiment of a first set of dish antennas302-305and a second set of dish antennas310and311. The first set of dish antennas302-305may correspond with a first set of enhanced STB signal systems342-345for combining signals derived from the first set of dish antennas302-305. The second set of dish antennas310and311may comprise dish antennas that have obstructed line of sights due to weather or atmospheric conditions, such as clouds221. The clouds221may prevent the second set of dish antennas310,311from capturing RF signals transmitted from one or more satellites associated with a satellite broadcasting service.

In response to detecting that RF signals captured using the second set of dish antennas310,311are unable to be decoded or are below a threshold SNR, the first set of enhanced STB signal systems342-345associated with the first set of dish antennas302-305may combine RF signals captured by the first set of dish antennas302-305using one or more combining techniques and transmit a combined signal to a second set of enhanced STB signal systems346,347corresponding with the second set of dish antennas310,311. The first set of dish antennas302-305may comprise dish antennas that are positioned outside of a localized weather event, such as a snow or rain storm, and the second set of dish antennas310,311may comprise dish antennas that are impacted by the localized weather event. The first set of enhanced STB signal systems342-345may acquire location information (e.g., GPS location information) for the second set of dish antennas310,311and the first set of dish antennas302-305. Processing elements (e.g., a processor such as the processor146inFIG.1A) within the first set of enhanced STB signal systems342-345may determine a first sequence of dish antennas for generating a combined signal and a second sequence of dish antennas for transmitting the combined signal to the service impacted second set of dish antennas310,311.

As depicted inFIG.3, upon detection that RF signals captured using one or more of the second set of dish antennas310,311are unable to be decoded or are below a threshold SNR, the first set of enhanced STB signal systems342-345associated with the first set of dish antennas302-305may capture a first RF signal using the dish antenna302and transmit an output signal322that includes the first RF signal using an auxiliary transmitting antenna of the enhanced STB signal system342. The enhanced STB signal system343may receive the output signal322via an auxiliary receiving antenna and generate a first combined signal that includes a second RF signal captured using the dish antenna303and the output signal322. The enhanced STB signal system343may transmit an output signal324that includes the first combined signal using an auxiliary transmitting antenna of the enhanced STB signal system343. The enhanced STB signal system344may receive the output signal324via an auxiliary receiving antenna and generate a second combined signal that includes a third RF signal captured using the dish antenna304and the output signal324. The enhanced STB signal system344may transmit an output signal326that includes the second combined signal using an auxiliary transmitting antenna of the enhanced STB signal system344. The enhanced STB signal system345may receive the output signal326via an auxiliary receiving antenna and generate a third combined signal that includes a fourth RF signal captured using the dish antenna305and the output signal326. The enhanced STB signal system345may transmit an output signal328that includes the third combined signal using an auxiliary transmitting antenna of the enhanced STB signal system345.

The enhanced STB signal systems346,347may act as repeaters for transmitting the third combined signal to each of the second set of enhanced STB signal systems346,347corresponding with the second set of dish antennas310,311. The enhanced STB signal systems346may buffer and transmit the output signal328that includes the third combined signal as the output signal330. The output signal330may be generated and transmitted using a unity gain buffer. The enhanced STB signal system347may receive the output signal330and provide the output signal330to the STB348, which may decode content for display using a display device connected to the STB348.

In some embodiments, a first set of enhanced STB signal systems may be identified based on locations of a first set of dish antennas corresponding with the first set of enhanced STB signal systems. In one example, a target location associated with a dish antenna that has captured RF signals that are unable to be decoded may be identified and the first set of enhanced STB signal systems may correspond with one or more dish antenna locations that are more than a threshold distance away from the target location (e.g., that are more than five miles away from the target location). The first set of enhanced STB signal systems may be identified based on a path of enhanced STB signal systems that extend more than the threshold distance away from the target location and also include at least one enhanced STB signal system within an auxiliary transmission range of the target location (e.g., less than one mile from the target location). In reference toFIG.3, the target location may correspond with a location of the dish antenna311and the first set of enhanced STB signal systems may correspond with enhanced STB signal systems342-345; in this case, the dish antenna302more be located more than five miles away from the target location and the dish antenna305may be less than one mile away from the dish antenna310.

FIG.4Adepicts a flowchart describing one embodiment of a process for enhancing set-top box signal reception during adverse weather conditions. In one embodiment, the process ofFIG.4Amay be performed by an enhanced STB signal system, such as the enhanced STB signal system142inFIG.1A. The process ofFIG.4Amay be performed using processing elements within an enhanced STB signal system or within a set-top box. In some embodiments, the process or portions of the process ofFIG.4Amay be performed using one or more virtual machines and one or more virtual storage devices.

In step402, a signal transmitted from a satellite is received at an enhanced STB signal system. The signal may derive from RF signals captured using a dish antenna that have been filtered, amplified, and/or down-converted (e.g., using a low-noise block down-converter mounted to the dish antenna). The enhanced STB signal system may correspond with the enhanced STB signal system142inFIG.1A. In step404, it is detected that a signal strength of the signal is below a threshold signal strength. In step406, location information and signal strength information associated with a plurality of antennas is acquired in response to detecting that the signal strength of the signal is below the threshold signal strength. The location information may comprise GPS location information for the plurality of antennas, wherein each antenna of the plurality of antennas has a signal strength above a threshold signal strength and/or a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) above a threshold SNR (e.g., is greater than 10 dB). The plurality of antennas may comprise antennas with the ability to capture unobstructed RF signals from the satellite.

In step408, a set of enhanced STB signal systems corresponding with the plurality of antennas is identified based on the location information and the signal strength information. In one example, the set of enhanced STB signal systems may correspond with the set of enhanced STB signal systems342-345inFIG.3, wherein each enhanced STB signal system of the set of enhanced STB signal systems is able to capture RF signals with at least a minimum SNR and/or capture RF signals that include content that may be decoded. In step410, a plurality of signals is acquired from the set of enhanced STB signal systems. In step412, a signal combining technique is determined. In one embodiment, the signal combining technique may comprise equal-gain combining if the signal strength of signals derived from the plurality of antennas is at least a threshold signal strength; otherwise, the signal combining technique may comprise maximal-ratio combining.

In step414, an enhanced signal that includes a combination of the plurality of signals is generated using the signal combining technique determined in step412. In one example, the enhanced signal may correspond with the output signal326inFIG.3. In another example, the enhanced signal may correspond with the output signal283inFIG.2D. In step416, the enhanced signal is transmitted to the enhanced STB signal system via at least a subset of the set of enhanced STB signal systems identified in step408.

FIG.4Bdepicts a flowchart describing another embodiment of a process for enhancing set-top box signal reception during adverse weather conditions. In one embodiment, the process ofFIG.4Bmay be performed by an enhanced STB signal system, such as the enhanced STB signal system142inFIG.1A. The process ofFIG.4Bmay be performed using processing elements within an enhanced STB signal system or within a set-top box. In some embodiments, the process or portions of the process ofFIG.4Bmay be performed using one or more virtual machines and one or more virtual storage devices.

In step434, a signal is acquired at an enhanced STB signal system. In some cases, the signal may derive from RF signals captured using a dish antenna that were filtered, amplified, and/or down-converted (e.g., using a low-noise block down-converter mounted to the dish antenna). The enhanced STB signal system may correspond with the enhanced STB signal system347inFIG.3. In step436, it is detected that a decode failure has occurred for data or content encoded within the signal. In one example, a decode failure may be detected by the enhanced STB signal system or a set-top box that is unable to decode content from the signal. In step438, location information and/or signal-to-noise ratio information associated with a set of enhanced STB signal systems is acquired. The location information associated with the set of enhanced STB signal systems may be acquired in response to detection that the decode failure has occurred for the data (or for content) encoded within the signal and/or in response to detection that the SNR of the signal is below a threshold SNR.

In step440, a first set of the set of enhanced STB signal systems is determined. The first set of enhanced STB signal systems may be determined using the location information and/or the signal-to-noise ratio information. In at least one example, each enhanced STB signal system of the first set of the set of enhanced STB signal systems may be located at least five miles away from a dish antenna from which the signal in step434was acquired or derived. In another example, a furthest enhanced STB signal system of the first set of the set of enhanced STB signal systems may be located at least five miles away from a dish antenna associated with the enhanced STB signal system and a nearest enhanced STB signal system of the first set of the set of enhanced STB signal systems may be located within one mile of the dish antenna associated with the enhanced STB signal system.

In some cases, a target location (e.g., specified as a GPS location) associated with a dish antenna that captured RF signals from which the signal in step434was derived may be determined and each enhanced STB signal system of the first set of the set of enhanced STB signal systems may be located at least five miles away from the target location. In other cases, a target location (e.g., specified as a GPS location) associated with a dish antenna that captured RF signals from which the signal in step434was derived may be determined and at least one of the first set of the set of enhanced STB signal systems is located at least five miles away from the target location (e.g., at a distance that is outside of a localized weather event, such as a thunderstorm) and at least one of the first set of the set of enhanced STB signal systems is located within one mile of the target location (e.g., at a distance that allows for a series of auxiliary transmitters and receivers to combine signal information from receiving antennas outside of the localized weather event and deliver the combined signal information to the enhanced STB signal system at the target location).

In step442, a first set of signals is acquired from the first set of enhanced STB signal systems. The first set of signals may derive from RF signals captured by dish antennas connected to the first set of enhanced STB signal systems. In step444, a signal combining technique is determined. The signal combining technique may comprise equal-gain combining if a signal strength of each of the first set of signals is at least a threshold signal strength; otherwise, the signal combining technique may comprise maximal-ratio combining. In step446, an enhanced signal that includes a combination of the first set of signals from the first set of enhanced STB signal systems is generated. In step448, a second set of the set of enhanced STB signal systems is determined. The second set of the set of enhanced STB signal systems may comprise a sequence of enhanced STB signal systems for delivering the enhanced signal to the enhanced STB signal system that is unable to provide decoded content to a set-top box.

In step450, the enhanced signal is transmitted to the enhanced STB signal system using the second set of enhanced STB signal systems. In reference toFIG.3, the first set of enhanced STB signal systems may correspond with the enhanced STB signal systems342-345and the second set of enhanced STB signal systems may correspond with the enhanced STB signal system346. The first set of enhanced STB signal systems may be in communication with dish antennas that captured unobstructed RF signals or captured RF signals with at least a threshold SNR. The second set of enhanced STB signal systems may be used to buffer and/or transmit the enhanced signal generated by the first set of enhanced STB signal systems to the enhanced STB signal system that provided the signal that generated the decoding failure.

At least one embodiment of the disclosed technology includes acquiring, at an enhanced set-top box signal system, a signal that derives from one or more RF signals captured using a receiving antenna, detecting that a decoding failure has occurred for data encoded within the signal, determining a first set of enhanced set-top box signal systems, acquiring a first set of signals from the first set of enhanced set-top box signal systems, generating an enhanced signal that includes a combination of the first set of signals, and transmitting the enhanced signal to the enhanced set-top box signal system.

At least one embodiment of the disclosed technology comprises an electronic device including a storage device (e.g., a semiconductor memory) and one or more processors in communication with the storage device. The storage device configured to store a signal that derives from one or more RF signals captured using a receiving antenna. The one or more processors configured to detect that a signal strength of the signal is less than a threshold signal strength, determine a first set of enhanced set-top box signal systems in response to detection that the signal strength of the signal is less than the threshold signal strength, acquire a first set of signals from the first set of enhanced set-top box signal systems, generate an enhanced signal that includes a combination of the first set of signals, and cause the enhanced signal to be transmitted to the enhanced set-top box signal system.

At least one embodiment of the disclosed technology includes acquiring, at an enhanced set-top box signal system, a signal that derives from one or more RF signals captured using a dish antenna, detecting that a decoding failure has occurred for content encoded within the signal, acquiring location information for a first set of enhanced set-top box signal systems, determining the first set of enhanced set-top box signal systems based on the location information, acquiring a first set of signals from the first set of enhanced set-top box signal systems, generating an enhanced signal that includes a combination of the first set of signals, and transmitting the enhanced signal to the enhanced set-top box signal system.

In some cases, the method may further comprise that the first set of enhanced set-top box signal systems includes a second enhanced set-top box signal system that is more than a first threshold distance away from the dish antenna and that the first set of enhanced set-top box signal systems includes a third enhanced set-top box signal system that is less than a second threshold distance away from the dish antenna, wherein the first threshold distance is greater than the second threshold distance.

The disclosed technology may be described in the context of computer-executable instructions being executed by a computer or processor. The computer-executable instructions may correspond with portions of computer program code, routines, programs, objects, software components, data structures, or other types of computer-related structures that may be used to perform processes using a computer. Computer program code used for implementing various operations or aspects of the disclosed technology may be developed using one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java or C++, a function programming language such as Lisp, a procedural programming language such as the “C” programming language or Visual Basic, or a dynamic programming language such as Python or JavaScript. In some cases, computer program code or machine-level instructions derived from the computer program code may execute entirely on an end user's computer, partly on an end user's computer, partly on an end user's computer and partly on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server.

The flowcharts and block diagrams in the figures provide illustrations of the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various aspects of the disclosed technology. In this regard, each block in a flowchart may correspond with a program module or portion of computer program code, which may comprise one or more computer-executable instructions for implementing the specified functionality. In some implementations, the functionality noted within a block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. In some implementations, the functionality noted within a block may be implemented using hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

For purposes of this document, it should be noted that the dimensions of the various features depicted in the figures may not necessarily be drawn to scale.

For purposes of this document, reference in the specification to “an embodiment,” “one embodiment,” “some embodiments,” or “another embodiment” may be used to describe different embodiments and do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

For purposes of this document, a connection may be a direct connection or an indirect connection (e.g., via another part). In some cases, when an element is referred to as being connected or coupled to another element, the element may be directly connected to the other element or indirectly connected to the other element via intervening elements. When an element is referred to as being directly connected to another element, then there are no intervening elements between the element and the other element.

For purposes of this document, the term “based on” may be read as “based at least in part on.”

For purposes of this document, without additional context, use of numerical terms such as a “first” object, a “second” object, and a “third” object may not imply an ordering of objects, but may instead be used for identification purposes to identify different objects.

For purposes of this document, the term “set” of objects may refer to a “set” of one or more of the objects.

The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. All of the U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications and non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety. Aspects of the embodiments can be modified, if necessary to employ concepts of the various patents, applications and publications to provide yet further embodiments.

These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.