Host-independent VHF-UHF active antenna system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10764573-B2
Application number	US-201916562820-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 6, 2019
Priority date	Jun 20, 2017
Publication date	Sep 1, 2020
Grant date	Sep 1, 2020

Abstract

An antenna system for use with a media device is provided. The antenna system includes a multi-mode active antenna configurable to operate in a plurality of modes. Each mode of the plurality of has a distinct radiation pattern. The antenna system includes a supplemental tuner that is separate from a primary tuner associated with the media device. The antenna system includes a switching device movable between at least two positions to selectively couple the active antenna to the supplemental tuner. When the switching device is in a first position, the active antenna is coupled to the supplemental tuner. When the switching device is in a second position, the active antenna is coupled to the media device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An antenna system for use with a media device, the antenna system comprising:
a multi-mode active antenna configurable to operate in a plurality of modes associated with a ultra-high frequency (UHF) band or a very-high frequency (VHF) band, each of the plurality of modes having a distinct radiation pattern;
a supplemental tuner that is separate from a primary tuner associated with the media device; the supplemental tuner selectively coupled to the multi-mode active antenna; and
one or more controllers configured to:
obtain data indicative of performance of the multi-mode active antenna in each of the plurality of modes while the supplemental tuner is coupled to the multi-mode active antenna;
determine one of the plurality of modes as a selected mode for the multi-mode active antenna based, at least in part, on the data indicative of performance of the multi-mode active antenna in each of the plurality of modes; and
configure the multi-mode active antenna in the selected mode.

2. The antenna system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more controllers are further configured to:
obtain data indicative of a geographical location of the antenna system; and
determine one of the plurality of modes as the selected mode for the multi-mode active antenna based, at least in part, on the data indicative of the geographical location of the antenna system.

3. The antenna system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more controllers are further configured to:
obtain data indicative of an orientation of the multi-mode active antenna from one or more motion sensors; and
determine one of the plurality of modes as the selected mode for the multi-mode active antenna based, at least in part, on the data indicative of the orientation of the multi-mode active antenna.

4. The antenna system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a switching device configured to selectively couple the supplemental tuner to the multi-mode active antenna.

5. The antenna system of claim 4 , wherein the switching device is movable between at least a first position and a second position to selectively couple the supplemental tuner to the multi-mode active antenna.

6. The antenna system of claim 5 , wherein:
when the switching device is in the first position, the supplemental tuner is coupled to the multi-mode active antenna and the primary tuner is decoupled from the multi-mode active antenna; and
when the switching device is in the second position, the primary tuner is coupled to the multi-mode active antenna and the supplemental tuner is decoupled from the multi-mode active antenna.

7. The antenna system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a low noise amplifier coupled between the switching device and the media device.

8. The antenna system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a demodulator coupled to the supplemental tuner, the demodulator configured to demodulate one or more signals received from the supplemental tuner.

9. The antenna system of claim 1 , wherein the media device comprises a television.

10. A method for configuring an antenna system for use with a media device, the antenna system comprising a multi-mode active antenna and a supplemental tuner that is separate from a primary tuner associated with the media device, the method comprising:
coupling the multi-mode active antenna to the supplemental tuner;
obtaining, by one or more controllers of the antenna system, data indicative of performance of the multi-mode active antenna in each of a plurality of modes associated with a ultra-high frequency (UHF) band or a very high frequency (VHF) band while the multi-mode active antenna is coupled to the supplemental tuner, each of the plurality of modes having a distinct radiation pattern;
determining, by the one or more controllers, one of the plurality of modes as a selected mode for the multi-mode active antenna based, at least in part, on the data indicative of performance of the multi-mode active antenna in each of the plurality of modes; and
configuring, by the one or more controllers, the multi-mode active antenna in the selected mode.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
determining, by the one or more controllers, an order for the plurality of modes based, at least in part, on a number of channels viewable when the multi-mode active antenna is configured in each of the plurality of modes.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
decoupling the multi-mode active antenna from the supplemental tuner.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein decoupling the multi-mode active antenna from the supplemental tuner occurs subsequent to determining one of the plurality of modes as the selected mode for the multi-mode active antenna.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein decoupling the multi-mode active antenna from the supplemental tuner occurs subsequent to obtaining the data indicative of performance of the multi-mode active antenna in each of the plurality of modes.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
coupling the multi-mode active antenna to the primary tuner occurs subsequent to decoupling the multi-mode active antenna from the supplemental tuner.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein coupling the multi-mode active antenna to the supplemental tuner comprises coupling the multi-mode active antenna to the supplemental tuner via a switching device of the antenna system.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
obtaining, by the one or more controllers of the antenna system, data indicative of a channel selection.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein coupling the multi-mode active antenna to the supplemental tuner occurs in response to obtaining the data indicative of the channel selection.

Assignees

• Ethertronics Inc

Inventors

• Roe Michael
• Shamblin John
• Manian Vahid
• Bhavnagari Dhaval

Classifications

• H01Q5/378 Primary

  Combination of fed elements with parasitic elements · CPC title

• H01Q9/42

  with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength · CPC title

• H01Q1/38

  formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support {(patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface  H01Q15/142)} · CPC title

• H01Q5/321

  within a radiating element or between connected radiating elements · CPC title

• H01Q9/14

  Length of element or elements adjustable (telescopic elements H01Q1/10) · CPC title