Patent Application
20240089556
Satellite provision of broadband media remains a popular option for consumers, especially those who find themselves in markets that are underserved by terrestrial broadband providers. A typical consumer system would consist of an external dish antenna, a signal upconverter/downconverter (usually co-located with the dish), and a premises device (a “set-top box”) incorporating a tuner, a user interface and a video output.
Broadband service providers, including satellite service providers, increasingly rely upon the consumer for installation of the set-top box. This reliance offers the consumer the flexibility of upgrading or replacing a set-top box without scheduling a service call, and reduces the burden placed upon service provider technicians. Although such do-it-yourself installation of set-top boxes offers advantages to both the consumer and the service provider, satellite system set-top boxes can pose a particular technical challenge for untrained consumers.
Presently, satellite broadband systems can connect to a set-top box via several different types of cable interfaces, including the universal low-noise block (“ULNB”) interface. This type of interface can utilize either one or two RF connections to the set-top box. To an untrained consumer presented with one or more unlabeled cables and a set-top box having any number of input and/or output jacks, the installation of a satellite set-top box could prove a confusing task. Such confusion is likely to result in an improper or at the very least sub-optimal installation, causing loss or limitation of service, consumer dissatisfaction, and the possible need for the service provider to dispatch a technician to correct the problem. All undesirable outcomes for both the consumer and the provider.
To further complicate the matter, some ULNB set-top boxes which would offer optimal performance when connected to two RF cables, will still provide a limited number of service options to a consumer when connected to only a single RF cable. This limited operability may lead an uninformed consumer to wrongly assume that the limited service is all the set-top box can provide and result in the set-top box never being properly installed.
A system and method for an improved automated process enabling the installation of satellite system consumer premises devices, such as set-top boxes, was disclosed in commonly-assigned Patent Application No. PCT/US20/35965, filed on Jun. 3, 2020. However, even the automated process described in the referenced patent application can be further improved upon so as to provide a better system and process for detecting and configuring an optimal ULNB interface for a consumer premises device, such as a set-top box.
A system and method enabling the automated installation and configuration of universal low noise block satellite system premises devices. The system and method utilize a pre-programmed series of tests to systematically test for and recognize the availability and viability of particular interface connections, and then responsively configure and install a premises device. The system and method are also adapted to provide a consumer and/or satellite service provider with feedback regarding the installation and the connection of interface cables.
The aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings in which:
The operation of ULNB set-top boxes is typically governed by an internal controller comprised of at least one processor and associated memory.
However, to an untrained consumer, two ULNB cables (110) would likely appear identical, and perhaps give rise to confusion. In the case of set-top box 102a, a consumer might question which of the two ULNB connectors should be mated with the single RF connector (104a). In the case of set-top box 102b, a consumer might question which of the two ULNB connectors should be mated with which of the two RF connectors (104b and 106). Similarly, confusion can arise in the case where only a single ULNB cable (108) is available. A consumer might wonder which of the two inputs (104b and 106) it should it be mated with when a set-top box similar to 102b is being utilized. So as to enable and optimize the proper set-up of the set-top box and the correct and efficient provisioning of user bandwidth and services, the set-top box controller executes an automatic installation detection process as detailed below.
Once the consumer has connected the available cable(s) to the RF connectors(s), processor 204 within set-top box 202 is initialized and a pre-programmed sequence of steps (300) is executed. This pre-programmed installation sequence is executed in accordance with instructions stored within memory 206 of satellite set-top box 202. These instructions will cause the set-top box to execute an interface detection process that tests for a limited set of specific conditions indicative of the possible types of ULNB interfaces to which the set-top box is intended to mate with. This detection process involves the set-top box sending a message in accordance with the Digital Satellite Equipment Control (“DiSEqC”) 2.0 protocol to upstream provider-controlled equipment. This signal is sent out via the set-top RF connector(s). The set-top box then determines if the upstream equipment has returned a response confirming that an RF cable providing an upstream connection is evident at a given RF connector.
If at step 304 the processor determines that two RF connectors are available upon the set-top box (a box similar to 102b), the process continues with step 316, wherein the processor would determine if an RF cable was connected to either of the available RF connectors. If that test returned a negative result, the installation process would fail (step 308). If, however, the test of step 316 returns an affirmative result, the process continues with step 318, and the processor determines if only a single cable is connected to the set-top box. If so, the process then moves to step 320, wherein the set-top box is configured for single cable ULNB operation. The installation process then terminates (step 314). However, if at step 318 the processor makes a determination that there are two cables connected to the set-top box (a negative outcome at step 318), the processor configures the set-top box for two cable ULNB operation (step 322), and then terminates with step 314.
Although the invention herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention. Other embodiments and variations could be implemented without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. For example, the connectors could be any type of terminal adapted for the transmission and reception of RF signals or streams, and the RF streams and signals could be of any frequency or band. Furthermore, the invention could be implemented in a single unitary device, or across multiple networked devices.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US21/15419 | 1/28/2021 | WO |
