Optimization of low profile antenna(s) for equatorial operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9583829-B2
Application number	US-201414174535-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 6, 2014
Priority date	Feb 12, 2013
Publication date	Feb 28, 2017
Grant date	Feb 28, 2017

Abstract

Systems and methods for optimizing low profile SATCOM antenna panels affixed to a moving vehicle. An elongated SATCOM antenna panel has a narrow azimuth beam optionally having a typical width of no more than a 2-degree angle while the SATCOM antenna panel is maintained parallel to the motion trajectory of a carrying vehicle. An actuation unit rotates the SATCOM antenna panel about three orthogonal axes: a longitudinal axis (Roll rotation), a vertical axis (Yaw rotation) and a lateral axis (Elevation rotation). The actuation unit actuates the antenna panel so it is maintained aligned with the Earth's equatorial plane and the narrow azimuth beam optionally having a typical width of no more than 2-degree angle eliminates adjacent satellite illumination.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for communication with a geostationary satellite, for reversing a first axis of rotation with a second orthogonal axis of rotation, comprising:
an elongated satellite communications (SATCOM) antenna panel sized and shaped to radiate a narrow azimuth beam (NAB) having a typical width of no more than a 2-degree angle;
an actuation unit that rotates said elongated SATCOM antenna panel about the first axis of rotation, the first axis being a longitudinal axis parallel to said elongated SATCOM antenna panel to impart an elevation rotation; and
a control unit that selectively transmits instructions to said actuation unit for reversing roles of the first axis of rotation with the second orthogonal axis of rotation based on whether a location of said elongated SATCOM antenna panel is within a predetermined range of latitude of the Earth's equatorial plane.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said actuation unit independently controls a plurality of orthogonal actuators in which each of said plurality of orthogonal actuators independently tilts said elongated SATCOM antenna panel about at least one of said longitudinal axis and one or both of the axes of rotation perpendicular to said longitudinal axis.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is located on a moving vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein said NAB having a typical width of no more than a 2-degree angle is generated as a conical beam emitted to intersect two points on a geostationary orbit such that said NAB having a typical width of no more than a 2-degree angle formed between origins of projections along said conical beam, targets only one satellite.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein said elongated SATCOM antenna panel comprises a plurality of electromagnetic active regions in which each independently receives and emits an electromagnetic signal phase and electromagnetic signal amplitude.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein said elongated SATCOM antenna panel receives and transmits multiple electromagnetic signals in frequency bands of interest.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein said actuation unit receives three dimensional (3D) coordinates of a carrying vehicle; and
wherein upon approaching Earth's equatorial plane, said elongated SATCOM antenna panel is maintained aligned with said Earth's equatorial plane by said actuation unit and parallel to a motion trajectory of said carrying vehicle, maintaining said elongated SATCOM antenna panel aligned with Earth's equatorial plane and in parallel to a motion trajectory of said carrying vehicle.

8. The system of claim 2 , wherein certain ones of said plurality of orthogonal actuators comprise:
a motor, generating rotational forces and moments about center of gravity of a carrying vehicle, wherein each certain one of said plurality of orthogonal actuators autonomously exerts forces in three dimensional space.

9. The system of claim 2 , wherein said actuation unit regulates timing, power, torque and direction of a certain one of said plurality of orthogonal actuators.

10. The system of claim 3 , wherein said reversing operates said elongated SATCOM antenna panel to be aligned along a radome and perpendicular to Earth's equatorial plane on routes external to the predetermined range of latitude of said Earth's equatorial plane reducing degradation of said NAB having a typical width of no more than a 2-degree angle.

11. The system of claim 5 , wherein an electronic steering controller independently regulates said electromagnetic signal phase and said electromagnetic signal amplitude of certain of a plurality of said electromagnetic active regions.

12. The system of claim 6 , wherein said multiple electromagnetic signals in frequency bands of interest are Ku-band signals.

13. The system of claim 6 , wherein said multiple electromagnetic signals in frequency bands of interest are at least one of an L band (1 GHz to 2 GHz), an S band (2 GHz to 3 GHz), a C band (4 GHz to 7 GHz), an X band (8 GHz to 11 GHz) and a Ka band (17 GHz to 21 GHz and 27 GHz to 31 GHz).

14. The system of claim 3 , wherein said actuation unit imparts reversing of said first axis of rotation with said second axis of rotation when the vehicle is within a range of latitude extending from 15 degrees south latitude to 15 degrees north latitude.

15. A computer-implemented method for reversing a first axis of rotation with a second orthogonal axis of rotation, the first axis being a longitudinal axis parallel to an elongated SATCOM antenna panel, comprising:
receiving using a processor status information indicative of whether the elongated SATCOM antenna panel is outside a predetermined range of latitude of Earth's equatorial plane;
transmitting instructions for reversing said first axis and said second orthogonal axis; and
wherein said transmitting instructions for reversing roles of the first axis of rotation with the second orthogonal axis of rotation is performed based on whether a location of said elongated SATCOM antenna panel is within the predetermined range of latitude of the Earth's equatorial plane.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
receiving three dimensional coordinates of a carrying vehicle.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
transmitting instructions for steering the electromagnetic signal phase and electromagnetic signal amplitude of electromagnetic active regions on said elongated SATCOM antenna panel.

18. A computer-implemented method for using an elongated SATCOM antenna panel illuminating a single satellite from an array of satellites on a geosynchronous orbit about the Earth, comprising:
locating said satellite, using a processor;
receiving coordinates of a carrying vehicle;
maintaining an elongated SATCOM antenna panel aligned with Earth's equatorial plane and in parallel to a motion trajectory of said carrying vehicle by transmitting instructions for reversing roles of a first axis of rotation with a second orthogonal axis of rotation based on whether a location of said elongated SATCOM antenna panel is within a predetermined range of latitude of the Earth's equatorial plane, the first axis being a longitudinal axis parallel to said elongated SATCOM antenna panel; and
using said elongated SATCOM panel to radiate a narrow azimuth beam (NAB) having a typical width of no more than a 2-degree angle thereby to illuminate a single satellite from an array of satellites in said geosynchronous orbit about the Earth.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising transmitting instructions for steering the electromagnetic signal phase and electromagnetic signal amplitude of electromagnetic active regions on said elongated SATCOM antenna panel.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein said locating comprises:
tracking a tracking signal transmitted from said single satellite;
wherein said tracking signal transmitted from a transmitter aboard said single satellite is indicative of a position of said single satellite; and
wherein said array of satellites orbiting in said geosynchronous orbit about the earth such that said elongated SATCOM antenna panel is adapted to track said single satellite within predetermined geosynchronous satellite parking slots having a separation of at least a 2-degree angle.

Assignees

• Panasonic Avionics Corp

Inventors

• Engel Benjamin
• Bhatia Brinder

Classifications

• H01Q3/26

  varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture ({H01Q3/12,} H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence) · CPC title

• H04B7/18519

  Operations control, administration or maintenance · CPC title

• H01Q1/125

  Means for positioning · CPC title

• H04B7/18508

  with satellite system used as relay, i.e. aeronautical mobile satellite service · CPC title

• H01Q3/08 Primary

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