Antenna alignment device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10615484-B2
Application number	US-201715847419-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2017
Priority date	Apr 18, 2017
Publication date	Apr 7, 2020
Grant date	Apr 7, 2020

Abstract

Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing antenna alignment, and, more particularly, to methods, systems, and apparatuses for implementing antenna alignment using a gimbal. In various embodiments, a gimbal system might be provided. The gimbal system may be at least one of a passive two-axis gimbal, a passive three-axis gimbal, an active two-axis gimbal, and/or an active three-axis gimbal. At least one antenna may be coupled to the gimbal system. The gimbal system may be configured to compensate for at least one of a movement of a structure and/or a wind load on the at least one antenna. Additionally and/or alternatively, the gimbal system may be configured to align the antenna toward the position and orientation where there is the signal quality is optimized.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a gimbal, the gimbal comprising:
a first joint configured to allow rotation about a first axis;
a second joint configured to allow rotation about a second axis, the second joint coupled to the first joint via a first member; and
a mount coupled to the second joint via a second member,
wherein the first joint and the second joint are configured to allow the mount to pivot about the first axis and the second axis;

a first antenna coupled to the mount of the gimbal, the first antenna including one or more first antenna elements; and
one or more counterbalances coupled to the mount of the gimbal,
wherein at least one of the one or more first antenna elements and at least one counterbalance of the one or more counterbalances are disposed on opposite sides of the mount substantially equidistant from a center of the mount.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gimbal includes a base coupled to the first joint, wherein the base is further coupled to a pole, and wherein the base is configured to be translated vertically relative to the pole.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gimbal further comprises a third joint coupled to the first joint via a third member, wherein the third joint is configured to rotate about a third axis.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a counterweight coupled to the mount, the counterweight configured to shift a center of gravity of the gimbal to a point between the mount and an end of the counterweight, and mitigate changes in an orientation of the first antenna.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one antenna element of the one or more first antenna elements and the at least one counterbalance of the one or more counterbalances are configured to offset wind load about the center of the mount.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one antenna element of the one or more first antenna elements and the at least one counterbalance of the one or more counterbalances are identical in at least one of size, shape, and weight.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more counterbalances are at least one of one or more second antennas or one or more second antenna elements, wherein the at least one antenna element of one or more first antenna elements and the at least one counterbalance of the one or more counterbalances are at least one of spatially diverse, pattern diverse, polarization diverse, or transmit/receive diverse.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first antenna comprises a plurality of lateral patch antennas, a plurality of arrays of patch antennas, one or more micro-strip patch antennas, a two-dimensional (“2D”) leaky waveguide antenna, a three-dimensional (“3D”) array of the one or more first antenna elements, or a parabolic antenna.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first driver operably coupled to the first joint;
a second driver operably coupled to the second joint;
wherein the first driver is configured to cause the first joint to rotate about the first axis and the second driver is configured to cause the second joint to rotate about the second axis, wherein the first driver and second driver are configured to mitigate changes to at least one of an orientation of the antenna or a position of the antenna, wherein mitigating changes to the orientation of the antenna includes compensating for changes in at least one of a yaw, a roll, or a pitch of the antenna.

10. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:
one or more sensors coupled to the gimbal; and
a controller communicatively coupled to the one or more sensors and the first driver and the second driver, the controller receiving input from the one or more sensors about the orientation of the antenna, the controller further configured to actuate at least one of the first driver or the second driver to at least one of a target position or a target orientation of the antenna.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:
a base coupled to the first joint via a third member, wherein the base is coupled to a pole,
wherein a position or orientation of the antenna changes in response to a swaying of the pole, and wherein the controller is configured to mitigate changes from the at least one of the target position or target orientation of the antenna in response to the swaying of the pole.

12. A method comprising:
providing a gimbal, wherein the gimbal comprises a first joint configured to allow rotation about a first axis, a second joint configured to allow rotation about a second axis, the second joint coupled to the first joint via a first member, and a mount coupled to the second joint via a second member, wherein the first joint and second joint are configured to allow the mount to pivot about the first axis and the second axis;
mounting an antenna to the mount of the gimbal, the antenna including one or more antenna elements; and
mounting one or more counterbalances to the mount of the gimbal,
wherein at least one of the one or more first antenna elements and at least one counterbalance of the one or more counterbalances are disposed on opposite sides of the mount substantially equidistant from a center of the mount.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:
mounting the gimbal to at least one of a building, a tower, a pole, a tree, a wire, a cable, or a support line.

Assignees

• Centurylink Ip Llc

Inventors

• Elford Michael L
• Schwengler Thomas

Classifications

• H01Q3/08 Primary

  for varying two co-ordinates of the orientation · CPC title

• H01Q1/1257

  using the received signal strength · CPC title

• H01Q1/18 Primary

  Means for stabilising antennas on an unstable platform · CPC title

• H01Q1/005

  Damping of vibrations; Means for reducing wind-induced forces · CPC title

• H01Q1/125

  Means for positioning · CPC title