# US 12,216,215 B2 · Antenna alignment apparatus

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- Number: US 12,216,215 B2
- Document ID: US12216215B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/500,521
- Filed: 2021-10-13
- Published: 2023-04-13
- Granted: 2025-02-04
- Earliest claimed: 2021-10-13
- Assignees: Viavi Solutions Inc.
- Applicants: Viavi Solutions Inc.
- Inventors: Raleigh Benton Stelle, IV; Thomas Sevilla
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12216215B2

## CPC

- G01S 19/26: involving a sensor measurement for aiding acquisition or tracking
- G01C 17/28: Electromagnetic compasses (with north seeking magnetic elements and having electric pick-offs G01C17/26)
- G01S 19/14: specially adapted for specific applications
- G01S 19/53: Determining attitude
- H01Q 3/04: for varying one co-ordinate of the orientation
- G01V 3/40: specially adapted for measuring magnetic field characteristics of the earth
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S)
- H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72)
- G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02)

## Abstract

An antenna alignment apparatus may include magnetic field sensors as an alternative to or in addition to GNSS sensors. The magnetic field sensors may measure the earth's magnetic fields at corresponding locations, and a processor may use the measurements to calculate at least one of a roll, tilt, or azimuth of an antenna. For an optical alignment, the antenna alignment apparatus may, additionally or alternately, include a reference object (e.g., a printed mark or a physical stud) located within a field of view of a camera. A location of the reference object may indicate the alignment of the antenna vis-à-vis the structures within the field of view.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An antenna alignment apparatus configured to be coupled to an antenna, the apparatus comprising:
one or more magnetic field sensors configured to measure earth's magnetic fields at corresponding locations of the one or more magnetic field sensors;
a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver configured to receive a signal from a GNSS satellite, the GNSS receiver configured to calculate its geolocation based on the received signal;
a processor configured to:
receive the measured earth's magnetic field from each of the one or more magnetic field sensors;
determine an azimuth of the antenna that the apparatus is coupled to, based on the measured earth's magnetic field by at least one magnetic field sensor of the one or more magnetic field sensors; and
determine the azimuth of the antenna based on the geolocation in tandem with determining the azimuth based on the measured earth's magnetic field.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1:
wherein the one or more magnetic field sensors comprise at least three magnetic field sensors;
wherein the at least three magnetic field sensors are arranged in a reference plane with respect to the antenna alignment apparatus; and
wherein the processor is further configured to determine the azimuth of the antenna based on the reference plane.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
an accelerometer configured to calculate an orientation of the apparatus; and
wherein the processor is further configured to determine at least one of a roll or a tilt of the antenna based on the orientation.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a camera configured to, when the apparatus is coupled to the antenna, capture a field of view of a portion of the antenna.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:
a display configured to render the field of view captured by the camera.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:
a reference object disposed in front of the camera such the reference object is within the field of view of captured by the camera.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the reference object comprises at least one of a printed mark or a physical stud.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the at least one of a roll, a tilt, or the azimuth of the antenna based on a location of the reference object within the field of view captured by the camera.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a communication interface configured to transmit the azimuth of the antenna to an external device.