A method and apparatus for performing satellite signal acquisition are described. In one embodiment, a method for using a satellite antenna comprises estimating antenna orientation when the antenna is in motion, including estimating yaw using one or more sensors; and performing signal acquisition to search for a satellite signal with the satellite antenna by interleaving a plurality of signal searches performed by the satellite antenna, the plurality of signal searches being based on an estimated yaw.

Methods of issuing an emergency alert in a geographical area serviced by a Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) satellite and a terrestrial Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) base station are provided. A method includes receiving a first emergency alert message from the MSS satellite by a user equipment in the geographical area using a first radio frequency band, and receiving a second emergency alert message from the terrestrial BWA base station by the user equipment in the geographical area using a second radio frequency band. Related devices and systems are provided.

Disclosed herein are an apparatus and method for converting a broadcast signal. The apparatus for converting a broadcast signal includes a demultiplexer unit for receiving a terrestrial broadcast signal and generating a terrestrial signaling signal, a signaling conversion unit for converting the terrestrial signaling signal into a cable signaling signal by parsing the terrestrial signaling signal, a cable multiplexer unit for generating a cable broadcast signal by multiplexing the cable signaling signal, and a cable modulation unit for modulating the cable broadcast signal and transmitting the cable broadcast signal over a cable network.

Disclosed herein are an apparatus and method for converting a broadcast signal. The apparatus for converting a broadcast signal includes a demultiplexer unit for receiving a terrestrial broadcast signal and generating a terrestrial signaling signal, a signaling conversion unit for converting the terrestrial signaling signal into a cable signaling signal by parsing the terrestrial signaling signal, a cable multiplexer unit for generating a cable broadcast signal by multiplexing the cable signaling signal, and a cable modulation unit for modulating the cable broadcast signal and transmitting the cable broadcast signal over a cable network.

A dielectric resonator oscillator includes a dielectric resonator; a transmission line disposed adjacent the dielectric resonator; an active device having an input electrically connected to the transmission line; a matching network having an input electrically connected to an output of the active device and an output configured to be connected to a load; wherein both the transmission line and the active device are positioned sufficiently close to the dielectric resonator to form part of a resonant circuit with the dielectric resonator.

Methods and systems are provided for increasing bandwidth efficiency in satellite communications. In some embodiments, a satellite communications method is provided that comprises receiving, at a satellite and from a plurality of user ground terminals, a plurality of source signals, wherein each of the source signals are modulated according to at least one source modulation method, and further receiving, at a satellite and from a plurality of user ground terminals, a plurality of information signals corresponding to the plurality of source signals. The method further includes combining, at the satellite, the plurality of source signals into a combined source signal with an overlapping bandwidth, wherein each of the source signals are further modulated according to at least one predetermined modulation method before they are combined, and transmitting, by a downlink transmission from the satellite to a gateway ground station, the combined source signal.

An outdoor satellite receiving unit (ODU) receives several independent satellite signals, selects two signals with a switch matrix, downconverts the two signals to a bandstacked signal with a high and a low band signal, and outputs the bandstacked signal on the same cable to receiver units. Several satellite signals can be selected in groups of two or more and output to independent receiver units. Signal selecting is performed at the received radio frequency (RF) and bandstacking is performed with a single downconversion step to an intermediate frequency (IF). Channel stacking on the same cable of more than two channels from several satellites can be achieved by using frequency agile downconverters and bandpass filters prior to combining at the IF output. A slow transitioning switch minimizes signal disturbances when switching and maintains input impedance at a constant value.

An outdoor satellite receiving unit (ODU) receives several independent satellite signals, selects two signals with a switch matrix, downconverts the two signals to a bandstacked signal with a high and a low band signal, and outputs the bandstacked signal on the same cable to receiver units. Several satellite signals can be selected in groups of two or more and output to independent receiver units. Signal selecting is performed at the received radio frequency (RF) and bandstacking is performed with a single downconversion step to an intermediate frequency (IF). Channel stacking on the same cable of more than two channels from several satellites can be achieved by using frequency agile downconverters and bandpass filters prior to combining at the IF output. A slow transitioning switch minimizes signal disturbances when switching and maintains input impedance at a constant value.

Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to enable Digital Satellite Equipment Control (DiSEqC) communication between an antenna and a processor. An example apparatus includes a receiver to be coupled to an antenna by a cable and configured to bidirectionally communicate with the antenna via a communication signal having a periodic waveform, wherein the receiver further includes a low dropout regulator (LDO) pass transistor to be coupled to the cable and configured to generate a current signal based on the periodic waveform of the communication signal, a current envelope detector circuit coupled to the LDO pass transistor configured to generate a voltage signal based on the current signal, and a processor. The processor is coupled to the current envelope detector circuit and configured to process the voltage signal generated by the current envelope detector.

Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to enable Digital Satellite Equipment Control (DiSEqC) communication between an antenna and a processor. An example apparatus includes a receiver to be coupled to an antenna by a cable and configured to bidirectionally communicate with the antenna via a communication signal having a periodic waveform, wherein the receiver further includes a low dropout regulator (LDO) pass transistor to be coupled to the cable and configured to generate a current signal based on the periodic waveform of the communication signal, a current envelope detector circuit coupled to the LDO pass transistor configured to generate a voltage signal based on the current signal, and a processor. The processor is coupled to the current envelope detector circuit and configured to process the voltage signal generated by the current envelope detector.