# US 12,113,282 B2 · Automatic beam steering system for a reflector antenna > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,113,282 B2 - Document ID: US12113282B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/846,659 - Filed: 2022-06-22 - Published: 2023-05-18 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2021-11-17 - Assignees: Mti Wireless Edge, Ltd. - Applicants: Mti Wireless Edge Ltd. - Inventors: Israel Saraf - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12113282B2 ## CPC - H01Q 19/193: {with feed supported subreflector (splash plate feeds H01Q19/134)} - H01Q 1/125: {Means for positioning} - H01Q 3/18: wherein the primary active element is movable and the reflecting device is fixed - H01Q 13/10: Resonant slot antennas - H01Q 19/13: the primary radiating source being a single radiating element, e.g. a dipole, a slot, a waveguide termination (H01Q19/15 takes precedence) - H01Q 1/005: {Damping of vibrations; Means for reducing wind-induced forces} - H01Q 19/19: comprising one main concave reflecting surface associated with an auxiliary reflecting surface - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) ## Abstract An antenna comprises a main reflector, a waveguide, wherein at least part of the waveguide protrudes towards a region external to the antenna, wherein the antenna is operative to transmit electromagnetic radiations between the waveguide and the main reflector, a mechanism which enables displacement of at least part of the waveguide with respect to the main reflector, and an actuator operative to displace the at least part of the waveguide. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An antenna, comprising: a main reflector, a waveguide, wherein at least part of the waveguide protrudes towards a region external to the antenna, wherein the antenna is operative to transmit electromagnetic radiations between the waveguide and the main reflector, and an actuator operative to displace at least part of the waveguide, the actuator comprising: a magnet coupled to the at least part of the waveguide, a first ferromagnetic element, a second ferromagnetic element, and at least one inductor associated with at least one of the first ferromagnetic element or the second ferromagnetic element. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The antenna of claim 1, wherein: at least part of the waveguide protrudes from the main reflector, or the waveguide is coupled to a first waveguide, wherein at least part of the first waveguide protrudes from the main reflector. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The antenna of claim 1, comprising a mechanism which enables displacement of at least part of the waveguide with respect to the main reflector. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The antenna of claim 3, wherein: a position of the mechanism matches a position of a vertex of the main reflector according to a proximity criterion, or the mechanism is located at an interface between the first waveguide and the waveguide. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The antenna of claim 3, wherein the mechanism enables at least one of: a displacement in azimuth of the at least part of the waveguide, or a displacement in elevation of the at least part of the waveguide. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The antenna of claim 3, wherein the mechanism includes a ball joint. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The antenna of claim 3, wherein the mechanism comprises a first element operatively coupled to a second element, wherein a gap between the first element and the second element has a dimension which is below a tenth of a wavelength informative of a range of wavelengths in which the antenna operates. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The antenna of claim 1, comprising: a sensor generating data usable to determine data Dmotion informative of a displacement of the antenna, and a controller operative to obtain data Dbeam informative of a required beam direction of electromagnetic radiations to be received or transmitted by the antenna, wherein the controller is operative to perform (i) or (ii): (i) determining a displacement Dcorrective for the at least part of the waveguide using Dmotion and Dbeam; (ii) determining a displacement Dcorrective for the at least part of the waveguide using Dmotion and Dbeam, for which a beam direction of electromagnetic radiations received or transmitted by the antenna, after said displacement Dcorrective of said at least part of the waveguide, matches the required beam direction according to a matching criterion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The antenna of claim 1, comprising: a first sensor generating data usable to determine data informative of a displacement of the antenna in a first range of frequencies, and a second sensor generating data usable to determine data informative of a displacement of the antenna in a second range of frequencies, wherein an average frequency of the first range is below an average frequency of the second range. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The antenna of claim 1, wherein an electric current generated in the at least one inductor enables displacement of the magnet and of the at least part of the waveguide. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The antenna of claim 1, wherein the at least one inductor comprises a first inductor associated with the first ferromagnetic element and a second inductor associated with the second ferromagnetic element, wherein an electric current generated in at least one of the first inductor or the second inductor enables displacement of the magnet and of the at least part of the waveguide. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The antenna of claim 1, wherein at least one of (i) or (ii) is met: (i) the first ferromagnetic element is a U-shaped ferromagnetic element; or (ii) the second ferromagnetic element is a U-shaped ferromagnetic element. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The antenna of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first ferromagnetic element or the second ferromagnetic element includes: a first arm located at least partially above the magnet, a second arm located at least partially below the magnet, and a third arm joining the first arm to the second arm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The antenna of claim 1, wherein the electric current enables generation of a magnetic force operative to attract or repel the magnet, thereby moving the at least part of the waveguide. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The antenna of claim 1, wherein the at least one inductor comprises a first inductor and a second inductor, wherein (i) or (ii) is met: (i) an electric current generated in at least one of the first inductor or the second inductor enables displacement of the magnet and of the at least part of the waveguide; (ii) the antenna is configured to generate a first current in the first inductor, and a second current in the second inductor, wherein the second current has a sign opposite to the first current. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The antenna of claim 1, wherein the at least one inductor comprises a first inductor associated with the first ferromagnetic element, wherein the actuator further comprises a third ferromagnetic element, a second inductor associated with the third ferromagnetic element, and a fourth ferromagnetic element, wherein an electric current generated in the first inductor enables displacement of the magnet and of the at least part of the waveguide along a first direction, and an electric current generated in the second inductor enables displacement of the magnet and of the at least part of the waveguide along a second direction, different from the first direction. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The antenna of claim 16, wherein the at least one inductor comprises a third inductor associated with the second ferromagnetic element, wherein the actuator further comprises a fourth inductor associated with the fourth ferromagnetic element, wherein electric currents generated in the first and third inductors with an opposite sign enable displacement of the magnet and of the at least part of the waveguide along the first direction, and wherein electric currents generated in the second and fourth inductors with an opposite sign enable displacement of the magnet and of the at least part of the waveguide along the second direction, different from the first direction. ### Claim 18 A method of controlling an antenna comprising a main reflector and a waveguide, the method comprising, by a processor and memory circuitry: obtaining data Dbeam informative of a required beam direction of electromagnetic radiations to be received or transmitted by the antenna; obtaining data Dmotion informative of a displacement of the antenna; and determining a displacement Dcorrective for at least part of the waveguide using Dmotion and Dbeam, for which a beam direction of electromagnetic radiations received or transmitted by the antenna, after said displacement Dcorrective of said at least part of the waveguide, matches the required beam direction according to a matching criterion. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, comprising controlling an actuator of the antenna to move the at least part of the waveguide according to said displacement Dcorrective. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the antenna comprises an actuator operative to displace at least part of the waveguide, the actuator comprising: a magnet coupled to the at least part of the waveguide, a first ferromagnetic element, a second ferromagnetic element, and at least one inductor, associated with at least one of the first ferromagnetic element or the second ferromagnetic element.