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US 11,699,838 B2Granted
Antenna with sensors for accurate pointing
AssigneeViaSat, Inc.
InventorsClifford K. Burdick, Kurt A. Zimmerman, Kevin House, David H. Irvine
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Determining movement for alignment of a satellite antenna using accelerometer data and gyroscope data of the satellite antenna. Described techniques include receiving accelerometer data for a first time period from an accelerometer mounted on the antenna and analyzing the accelerometer data to determine a movement time window for a movement event of the antenna. The techniques may include receiving gyroscope data for the first time period from a gyroscope mounted on the antenna and analyzing the gyroscope data during the movement time window to determine an amount of movement of the antenna due to the movement event.
Claims26
An apparatus, comprising:
- an antenna mounted to a base via a mounting bracket assembly, the antenna configured to communicate one or more radio frequency signals with a target device;
- one or more sensors mounted on the antenna, wherein the one or more sensors produce sensor data;
- and
- a controller subsystem coupled with the antenna and the one or more sensors, wherein the controller subsystem is configured to:
- transmit the one or more radio frequency signals to the target device via the antenna at a plurality of angular positioning steps;
- capture the sensor data from the one or more sensors during the plurality of angular positioning steps;
- and
- determine an alignment of the antenna with the target device based at least in part on signal strength information for the one or more radio frequency signals transmitted at the plurality of angular positioning steps and angular positioning information of the antenna determined from the captured sensor data for the plurality of angular positioning steps.
5 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- an input/output circuit configured to input, for a first time period, sensor data from one or more sensors associated with an antenna that is mounted to a base via a mounting bracket assembly, the sensor data related to movement of the antenna along at least one axis of movement of the mounting bracket assembly;
- and
- a controller circuit configured to:
- receive the sensor data from the input/output circuit;
- identify a movement time window during which the antenna moved along the at least one axis of movement based on processing first data of the sensor data, the first data indicative of acceleration of the antenna along the at least one axis of movement;
- determine a type of movement of the antenna during the movement time window based on the first data;
- determine an amount of movement of the antenna along the at least one axis of movement during the movement time window based on processing second data of the sensor data, the second data indicative of changes in orientation of the antenna during the movement time window;
- and
- generate, based on the determined amount of movement of the antenna during the movement time window, a feedback signal comprising at least one of positioning feedback relative to the antenna or an alignment feedback relative to an alignment of the antenna with a target device,
- wherein the input/output circuit is further configured to output the feedback signal.
7 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a first antenna configured to communicate signals with a second antenna of a target device, the second antenna mounted to a base via a mounting bracket assembly;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- transmit a plurality of first radio frequency signals via the first antenna to the second antenna during a first set of time slots;
- receive, during a second set of time slots, a plurality of second radio frequency signals via the first antenna from the second antenna;
- calculate one or more parameters of each of the plurality of second radio frequency signals received from the second antenna;
- and
- transmit a plurality of third radio frequency signals via the first antenna to the second antenna, each of the plurality of third radio frequency signals corresponding to one of the plurality of second radio frequency signals received in a time slot of the second set of time slots and comprising the calculated one or more parameters for the one of the plurality of second radio frequency signals, wherein the calculated one or more parameters associated with the plurality of second radio frequency signals enable the target device to determine an alignment of the second antenna with the first antenna using a combination of the calculated one or more parameters and sensor data from one or more sensors associated with the second antenna.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.