Antenna device and antenna device control method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9954277-B2
Application number	US-201414775508-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2014
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Apr 24, 2018
Grant date	Apr 24, 2018

Abstract

An antenna unit part is coupled to a housing unit in such a way that the antenna unit part can be relatively oscillated. Acceleration sensors that detect accelerations that occur in an azimuth angle direction and an elevation angle direction are provided in the housing unit. Linear actuators are provided between the housing unit and an antenna unit part so that the linear actuators are able to adjust a relative angle of the antenna unit part with respect to the housing unit. A variation amount calculation unit calculates a variation amount in the elevation angle direction and the azimuth angle direction based on the accelerations detected by the acceleration sensors. A correction amount calculation unit calculates a correction amount to cancel the variation amount calculated by the variation amount calculation unit. The linear actuators are driven based on the correction amount.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An antenna device comprising:
a housing unit that is fixedly installed;
an antenna unit part that is housed in the housing unit and receives radio waves coming from an opposing antenna;
a movable coupling unit that couples the antenna unit part to the housing unit in such a way that the antenna unit part can be relatively oscillated in an azimuth angle direction and an elevation angle direction;
an acceleration detection unit that is arranged in one of the housing unit and the antenna unit part, the acceleration detection unit detects an acceleration that occurs in the azimuth angle direction and the elevation angle direction;
an angle adjustment unit that adjusts a relative angle of the antenna unit part with respect to the housing unit, wherein the angle adjustment unit is one of a plurality of linear actuators arranged between the housing unit and the antenna unit part;
a variation amount calculation unit that calculates a variation amount in the elevation angle direction and the azimuth angle direction based on the acceleration that is detected by the acceleration detection unit;
a correction amount calculation unit that calculates a correction amount to cancel the variation amount calculated by the variation amount calculation unit; and
a drive circuit that drives the angle adjustment unit based on the correction amount.

2. The antenna device according to claim 1 , wherein the acceleration detection unit comprises:
first and second acceleration sensors spaced apart from each other in the azimuth angle direction; and
third and fourth acceleration sensors spaced apart from each other in the elevation angle direction.

3. The antenna device according to claim 2 , wherein:
the first to fourth acceleration sensors are provided in the housing unit,
the first and second acceleration sensors are spaced apart from each other in the azimuth angle direction and are arranged around an outer periphery of the housing unit, and
the third and fourth acceleration sensors are spaced apart from each other in the elevation angle direction and are arranged around an outer periphery of the housing unit.

4. The antenna device according to claim 2 , wherein, when a direction in which the azimuth angle is opened by 180 degrees is denoted by an X direction and a direction in which the elevation angle is opened by 180 degrees is denoted by a Z direction,
the variation amount calculation unit integrates an average value of an x-direction detection value of the first acceleration sensor and an x-direction detection value of the second acceleration sensor twice to calculate a translation amount (dx) along the x direction,
the variation amount calculation unit calculates a rotation angle (θy) regarding the orientation based on a difference between a z-direction detection value of the first acceleration sensor and a z-direction detection value of the second acceleration sensor, and
when a distance between the antenna device and the opposing antenna is denoted by L, the correction amount calculation unit calculates a correction amount (φy) regarding an orientation by the following expression

Expression
⁢

⁢
1

⁢

φ
y

=

-

θ
y

-

arctan
⁡

(

d
x

L

)

×

180
⁢
°

π

.

(

Expression
⁢

⁢
1

)

5. The antenna device according to claim 2 , wherein,
when a direction in which the azimuth angle is opened by 180 degrees is denoted by an X direction and a direction in which the elevation angle is opened by 180 degrees is denoted by a Z direction, the variation amount calculation unit calculates a rotation angle (θy) regarding the orientation based on a difference between a z-direction detection value of the first acceleration sensor and a z-direction detection value of the second acceleration sensor, and
the correction amount calculation unit sets a correction amount (φy) to −θy.

6. The antenna device according to claim 1 , wherein the acceleration detection unit includes one two-axis angular acceleration sensor that detects an angular acceleration in the azimuth angle direction and an angular acceleration in the elevation angle direction.

7. An antenna device control method, the antenna device comprising:
a housing unit that is fixedly installed;
an antenna unit part that is housed in the housing unit and receives radio waves coming from an opposing antenna;
a movable coupling unit that couples the antenna unit part to the housing unit in such a way that the antenna unit part can be relatively oscillated in an azimuth angle direction and an elevation angle direction;
an acceleration detection unit that is arranged in one of the housing unit and the antenna unit part, the acceleration detection unit detects an acceleration that occurs in the azimuth angle direction and the elevation angle direction; and
an angle adjustment unit that adjusts a relative angle of the antenna unit part with respect to the housing unit, wherein the angle adjustment unit is one of a plurality of linear actuators arranged between the housing unit and the antenna unit part, the method comprising:
calculating a variation amount in the elevation angle direction and the azimuth angle direction based on the acceleration that is detected by the acceleration detection unit;
calculating a correction amount to cancel the variation amount that is calculated; and
driving the angle adjustment unit based on the correction amount.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing an antenna device control program, a computer being installed in the antenna device comprising:
a hous

Assignees

• Nec Corp

Inventors

• Fukuda Junichi

Classifications

• H04B17/221

  of receiver antennas, e.g. as to amplitude or phase · CPC title

• H01Q3/08 Primary

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

• H04B17/21

  for calibration; for correcting measurements · CPC title

• H04B17/12

  of transmit antennas, e.g. of the amplitude or phase · CPC title

• H01Q1/18 Primary

  Means for stabilising antennas on an unstable platform · CPC title