# US 10,374,729 B2 · Antenna alignment tool and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,374,729 B2 - Document ID: US10374729B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/430,125 - Filed: 2017-02-10 - Published: 2018-08-16 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-02-10 - Assignees: FreeWave Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: FreeWave Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Timothy G. Mester; Patrick I. Lazar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10374729B2 ## CPC - H04B 17/12: of transmit antennas, e.g. of the amplitude or phase - G06V 20/20: in augmented reality scenes - H04B 17/23: Indication means, e.g. displays, alarms, audible means - H04B 17/27: for locating or positioning the transmitter - H04M 1/72403: with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality - H01Q 1/246: {specially adapted for base stations} - H04M 1/05: specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast - H04B: TRANSMISSION - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) ## Abstract An antenna alignment tool and method for use by a user to align a near end antenna to a far end antenna. Embodiments of the tool include an interface, instrumentation, display, control and hands-free attachment structure. The interface receives location information representative of a location of the far end antenna with respect to the near end antenna. The instrumentation provides information representative of the location and orientation of the tool. The control is coupled to the interface, instrumentation and display, and causes the display of orientation information representative of the orientation of the tool with respect to the far end antenna. The hands-free attachment structure attaches the tool to the user's body and within the user's field of view. The user can move his or her body and the alignment tool attached thereto while viewing the orientation information on the display during antenna alignment. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for a user to align a near end antenna to a far end antenna, comprising: attaching an alignment tool including a display to the user's body by an attachment structure, wherein the attachment structure enables hands-free viewing of the display by the user; displaying on the display alignment information representative of alignment of the near end antenna with respect to the far end antenna; and grasping and manipulating the orientation of the near end antenna by hand while viewing the alignment information on the display. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 and further including: displaying on the display orientation information representative of the orientation of the tool with respect to the location of the far end antenna; and moving the user's body and the alignment tool attached thereto while viewing the orientation information on the display. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein displaying the orientation information includes displaying one or both of (1) the heading of the tool, or (2) an error between the heading of the tool and the location of the far end antenna. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein displaying the orientation information includes displaying an error between the heading of the tool and the location of the far end antenna by one or both of (1) a numerical display, or (2) a pictorial display. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 and further including displaying on the display an image captured by a camera on the tool. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5 wherein: the display includes an augmented reality display; and the attachment structure includes a headset and attaching the augmented reality display includes attaching the display to the user's head by the headset and in the user's field of view. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein attaching the alignment tool includes attaching a mobile phone that includes the augmented reality display. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5 wherein attaching the alignment tool includes attaching a mobile phone that includes the display. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 wherein: the method further includes coupling the near end antenna to a radio receiver; and displaying alignment information on the display includes displaying quality metrics information representative of the quality of a radio transmission from the far end antenna that is received at the radio receiver through the near end antenna. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein displaying the quality metrics information includes displaying the information by one or both of (1) a numerical display, or (2) a graphical display. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the attachment structure is configured to attach the display to the user's head, and attaching the display includes attaching the display to the user's head and in the user's field of view. ### Claim 12 A method for a user to align a near end antenna to a far end antenna, comprising: attaching an alignment tool including a display to the user's body by an attachment structure, wherein the attachment structure enables hands-free viewing of the display by the user; displaying on the display orientation information representative of the orientation of the tool with respect to the location of the far end antenna; and moving the user's body and the alignment tool attached thereto while viewing the orientation information on the display. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein displaying the orientation information includes displaying an error between the heading of the tool and the location of the far end antenna by one or both of (1) a numerical display, or (2) a pictorial display. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 and further including displaying on the display an image captured by a camera on the tool. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein: the display includes an augmented reality display; and the attachment structure includes a headset, and attaching the augmented reality display includes attaching the display to the user's head by the headset and in the user's field of view. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 wherein attaching the alignment tool includes attaching a mobile phone that includes the augmented reality display. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein attaching the alignment tool includes attaching a mobile phone that includes the display. ### Claim 18 An antenna alignment tool for use by a user to align a near end antenna to a far end antenna, comprising: an interface to receive location information representative of a location of the far end antenna with respect to the near end antenna; instrumentation to provide information representative of the location and orientation of the tool; a display; a control coupled to the interface, instrumentation and display, to cause the display of orientation information representative of the orientation of the tool with respect to the far end antenna; and a hands-free attachment structure to attach the tool to the user's body and within the user's field of view. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The antenna alignment tool of claim 18 wherein the control causes the orientation information display to include one or both of (1) the heading of the tool, or (2) an error between the heading of the tool and the location of the far end antenna. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The antenna alignment tool of claim 18 wherein the control causes the orientation information display to include an error between the heading of the tool and the location of the far end antenna by one or both of (1) a numerical display, or (2) a pictorial display. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The antenna alignment tool of claim 18 wherein: the tool further comprises a camera; and the control is coupled to the camera and further causes the display of an image captured by a camera. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The antenna alignment tool of claim 21 wherein the display is an augmented reality display. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The antenna alignment tool of claim 21 wherein the tool is a mobile phone. ### Claim 24 (depends on 18) The antenna alignment tool of claim 18 wherein the user interface is configured to receive (1) the location of the far end antenna, and (2) a heading from the location of the near end antenna and the far end antenna. ### Claim 25 (depends on 18) The antenna alignment tool of claim 18 wherein: the interface is configured to receive quality metrics information from a radio receiver coupled to the near end antenna; and the control causes the display of alignment information representative of the quality of a radio transmission from the far end antenna that is received at the radio receiver through the near end antenna. ### Claim 26 (depends on 18) The antenna alignment tool of claim 18 wherein the control causes the display of the alignment information by one or both of (1) a numerical display, or (2) a graphical display. ### Claim 27 An antenna alignment tool for use by a user to align a near end antenna to a far end antenna, comprising: an interface configured to receive quality metrics information from a radio receiver coupled to the near end antenna; a display; and a control coupled to the interface and display to cause the display of alignment information representative of the quality of a radio transmission from the far end antenna that is received at the radio receiver through the near end antenna; and a hands-free attachment structure to attach the tool to the user's body and within the user's field of view. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The antenna alignment tool of claim 27 wherein the control causes the display of the alignment information by one or both of (1) a numerical display, or (2) a graphical display. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The antenna alignment tool of claim 27 wherein: the tool further comprises a camera; and the control is coupled to the camera and further causes the display of an image captured by a camera. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The antenna alignment tool of claim 29 wherein the display is an augmented reality display. ### Claim 31 (depends on 27) The antenna alignment tool of claim 27 wherein the tool is a mobile phone.