Multidirectional communication assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9748628-B1
Application number	US-201213618473-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 14, 2012
Priority date	Sep 14, 2012
Publication date	Aug 29, 2017
Grant date	Aug 29, 2017

Abstract

An apparatus (e.g., a communication assembly) includes a waveform detector operable to detect a waveform. The apparatus also includes a membrane encircling the waveform detector. The membrane has a first portion that is at least partially transparent to the waveform and has a second portion that is at least partially reflective of the waveform. The apparatus also includes a support member coupled to the waveform detector. The support member is configured to moveably support the waveform detector within the membrane at a location that enables the waveform detector to detect a portion of the waveform that is reflected by the second portion of the membrane.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a waveform detector operable to detect a waveform;
a membrane encircling the waveform detector, the membrane having a first portion that is at least partially transparent to the waveform and having a second portion that is at least partially reflective of the waveform;
a support member having a first end for mounting the waveform detector and the membrane at a location and having a second end opposite the first end and inside the membrane coupled to the waveform detector, wherein the support member is configured to support, at the second end, the waveform detector within the membrane;
one or more movable components coupled to the support member and to the waveform detector, wherein the one or more movable components are configured to move the waveform detector relative to the support member;
a controller external to the membrane, the controller configured to control movement of the waveform detector, via the one or more movable components, to align the waveform detector with a focal point of the waveform within a focal area of the membrane, and
a transmitter coupled to a first side of the waveform detector such that the transmitter is aligned with a remote communication system sending the waveform when a second side of the waveform detector is aligned with the focal point.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the membrane is inflatable to form an approximately spherical shape, wherein the first portion comprises a first approximately hemisphere shape of the approximately spherical shape that is substantially transparent to the waveform, wherein the second portion comprises a second approximately hemisphere shape of the approximately spherical shape that is substantially reflective of the waveform, and wherein when the membrane is inflated, the second portion of the membrane is operable to reflect at least a portion of the waveform toward the focal area, wherein a location of the focal area depends on a direction of arrival of the waveform.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a pump to inflate the membrane.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a pump to inflate the membrane, wherein the controller is further configured to automatically control the pump to cause the pump to inflate the membrane or to deflate the membrane, and when the membrane is inflated to automatically control movement of the waveform detector inside the membrane.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more movable components are configured to move the waveform detector to sweep the waveform detector over the focal area, wherein the focal area corresponds to a plurality of focal points of the second portion of the membrane, wherein a reflected portion of the waveform is focused to a focal point of the focal area depending on a direction of arrival of the waveform.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more movable components include a first movable member operable to move the waveform detector in an azimuth direction and a second movable member operable to move the waveform detector in an elevation direction.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the waveform includes optical waves, acoustic waves, or matter waves, and wherein the waveform detector is operable to generate an electrical signal corresponding to the waveform and to send the electrical signal to a communication device coupled to the waveform detector.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein satellite tracking data or detector positioning information enables the controller to cause the one or more movable components to move the waveform detector relative to the support member for coarse positioning and fine positioning, wherein the coarse positioning is based on at least one of a predicted satellite location and global positioning system data corresponding to a global location of the wave detector, and wherein the fine positioning is based upon a peak detected signal strength of a signal received at the waveform detector.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to automatically control the one or more movable components to move the waveform detector relative to the support member via wireless communications signals that comply with a wireless communication protocol.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first portion and the second portion are arranged in a grid pattern, wherein the first portion and the second portion are arranged in a fractal pattern, wherein the second portion is continuous and the first portion is discontinuous and distributed over the second portion, or wherein the first portion is continuous and the second portion of the membrane is discontinuous and distributed over the first portion.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the transmitter coupled to the waveform detector inside the membrane is configured to enable simultaneous or concurrent transmission of a return signal by the transmitter and reception of a reflected portion of the waveform by the waveform detector.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the one or more movable components include one or more motors within the membrane.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more movable components include one or more motors, actuators, or movement transducers, and wherein the support member is at least partially hollow and includes a communication line coupling the controller to the one or more movable components, the waveform detector, or both, within the membrane.

14. A system comprising:
a communication assembly comprising:
a waveform detector operable to detect a waveform;
a membrane encircling the waveform detector, the membrane having a first portion that is at least partially transparent to the waveform and having a second portion that is at least partially reflective of the waveform;
a support member having a first end for mounting the communication assembly at a location and having a second end opposite the first end and inside the membrane coupled to the waveform detector, wherein the support member is configured to support, at the second end, the waveform detector within the membrane; and
one or more movable components coupled to the waveform detector and coupled to the support member, wherein the one or more movable components are configured to move the waveform detector relative to the support member;

a controller external to the membrane, the controller configured to control movement of the waveform detector, via the one or more movable components, to align the waveform detector with a focal point of the waveform within a focal area of the membrane; and
a transmitter coupled to a first side of the waveform detector such that the transmitter is aligned with a remote communication system sending the waveform when a second side of the waveform detector is aligned with the focal point.

15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising a satellite tracking system coupled to the controller, wherein the satellite tracking system is operable to provide predicted satellite location information to the controller to enable the controller to automatically control movement of the waveform detector such that the waveform detector is able to detect the waveform from a satellite.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the controller is electrically coupled to the one or more movable components via one or more conductors, wherein the one or more conductors are routed through the membrane within the support member, wherein the one or more movable components include one or more motors, and wherein the support member if configured to couple the controller to the one or

Assignees

• Hiller Nathan D
• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Hiller Nathan D

Classifications

• H01Q1/081 Primary

  Inflatable antennas · CPC title

• H01Q1/1235 Primary

  Collapsible supports; Means for erecting a rigid antenna · CPC title

• H01Q3/18

  wherein the primary active element is movable and the reflecting device is fixed · CPC title

• H01Q1/1257

  using the received signal strength · CPC title

• H01Q15/163

  inflatable · CPC title