Hughes Electronics Corporation

Jon M Eastman

Gregory R Sasaki

A method and apparatus for adjusting an antenna to maximize the strength of a program information signal. A first embodiment of the apparatus includes a remote control comprising a user input interface, for accepting at least one user input command and for translating the user input command into at least one command signal; a remote control receiver, for receiving a first signal from a controlled device, wherein the first signal is indicative of a measured quality of a second signal received by the controlled device; a remote control processor, communicatively coupled to the user input interface and the remote control receiver, for processing the received first signals, and for generating coded signals according to the command signal; a remote control transmitter, communicatively coupled to the remote control processor, for transmitting the coded signals to the controlled device to execute the user command; and a user output interface communicatively coupled to the remote control processor, for presenting the processed received signals. A second embodiment includes a set top box comprising a first set top box receiver for receiving a first signal having program information; a second set top box receiver for receiving coded command signals from a remote control; a set top box processor for determining at least one parameter indicative of a measured quality of the first signal; and a set top box transmitter, communicatively coupled to the processor, for transmitting a second signal having information including the parameter to the remote control.

Remote control signal level meter

A method and apparatus for receiving and/or processing communication signals having one of a plurality of alternate signal characteristics is provided. In a particular embodiment, a desired satellite signal (e.g. DBS) having a desired characteristic may be selected from a plurality of characteristics. The characteristics may include (among others) satellite location, carrier frequency, and/or polarization state. In a preferred embodiment, a receiver generates a control signal which is coupled to an external device (e.g. LNB, and/or satellite selector). The external device includes a decoder which receives the control signal and configures the external device for processing the desired characteristic. In a preferred embodiment, the control signal comprises a pulse train generated by the receiver utilizing a two voltage level output device under suitable software control.

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Beverly Hills, CA, United States of America

Jon M Eastman