Modular, Expandable System for Data Reception and Distribution

Abstract

A satellite reception assembly may comprise a first module operable to demodulate a first one or more channels of a signal output by a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) low noise block downconverter (LNB). The first module may output a signal to a second module which may demodulate a second one or more channels of the signal output by the DBS LNB. The second module may be installed after the satellite reception assembly has been deployed upon a number of clients served by the satellite reception assembly reaching a threshold.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A system comprising:
 an analog-to-digital converter circuit configured to digitize each of a plurality of down-converted satellite signals to generate a plurality of digitized satellite signals, each of the plurality of down-converted satellite signals comprising a plurality of channels;   a channelization circuit configured to select one or more of the channels for output via a first interface; and   an expansion interface configured to output one or more of the digitized satellite signals via a second interface.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , comprising a device configured to receive the one or more of the digitized satellite signals from the second interface. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the device comprises a channelization circuit configured to select one or more of the channels for output. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the device comprises an expansion interface configured to output one or more of the digitized satellite signals. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the analog-to-digital converter circuit resides on a first semiconductor die and the device resides on a second semiconductor die. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the device resides in a socket on a printed circuit board such that the device is field replaceable. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the analog-to-digital converter circuit and the device reside in a shared housing along with a low noise block down-converter that outputs the down-converted satellite signals. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein each of the down-converted satellite signals corresponds to a respective one of a plurality of polarizations of a respective one of a plurality of satellites. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 21 , comprising aggregation circuitry configured to receive the one or more of the channels output via the first interface and the one or more of the channels output via the device. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the aggregation circuitry is configured to perform time division multiplexing and/or frequency division multiplexing of the one or more of the channels output via the first interface and the one or more of the channels output via the device onto a link to a client device. 
     
     
         31 . A method comprising:
 in first circuitry:
 digitizing, via analog-to-digital conversion circuitry, each of a plurality of down-converted satellite signals to generate a plurality of digitized satellite signals, each of the plurality of down-converted satellite signals comprising a plurality of channels; 
 selecting, by channelization and client interface circuitry, one or more of the channels for output via a first interface of the first circuitry; 
 outputting, via expansion interface circuitry, one or more of the digitized satellite signals via a second interface of the first circuitry. 
   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , comprising receiving, in second circuitry, the one or more of the digitized satellite signals from the second interface of the first circuitry via a second interface of the second circuitry. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , comprising selecting, by channelization and client interface circuitry of the second circuitry, one or more of the channels for output via a first interface of the second circuitry. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , comprising outputting, by expansion interface circuitry of the second circuitry, one or more of the digitized satellite signals via a third interface of the second circuitry. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the first circuitry resides on a first semiconductor die and the second circuitry resides on a second semiconductor die. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the second circuitry resides in a socket on a printed circuit board such that the second circuitry is field replaceable. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first circuitry and the second circuitry reside in a shared housing along with a low noise block down-converter that outputs the down-converted satellite signals. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein each of the down-converted satellite signals corresponds to a respective one of a plurality of polarizations of a respective one of a plurality of satellites. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising receiving, in aggregation circuitry, the one or more channels output via the first interface of the first circuitry and the one or more of the channels output via the first interface of the second circuitry. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 29 , comprising time division multiplexing and/or frequency division multiplexing, by the aggregation circuitry, the one or more of the channels output via the first interface of the first circuitry and the one or more of the channels output via the first interface of the second circuitry onto a link to a client device.