Dynamically Adjusting Width of Beam Based on Altitude
AssigneeGoogle Inc.
InventorsCyrus Behroozi, Eric Teller, Richard Wayne DeVaul
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An antenna includes a radiator and a reflector and has a radiation pattern that is based at least in part on a separation distance between the radiator and the reflector. The antenna includes a linkage configured to adjust the separation distance based at least in part on the altitude of the antenna. The resulting radiation pattern can be dynamically adjusted based on altitude of the antenna such that, while the antenna is aloft and the antenna is ground-facing, variations in geographic boundaries and intensity of the radiation received at ground level are at least partially compensated for by the dynamic adjustments to the radiation pattern.
Claims20
An antenna configured to be mounted to an aerial vehicle, the antenna comprising:
- a radiator configured to emit radiation according to a feed signal;
- a reflector configured to direct radiation emitted from the radiator such that reflected radiation is characterized by an emission pattern determined at least in part by a separation distance between the radiator and the reflector, wherein the reflector is configured to be situated such that the emission pattern is directed in a ground-facing direction while the aerial vehicle is aloft;
- and
- a linkage configured to adjust the separation distance between the radiator and the reflector according to an altitude of the aerial vehicle.
An aerial vehicle comprising:
- an envelope;
- a payload configured to be suspended from the envelope;
- and
- an antenna mounted to the payload and situated so as to be ground-facing while the balloon is aloft, the antenna including:
- (i) a radiator configured to emit radiation according to feed signals;
- (ii) a reflector configured to direct the radiation emitted from the radiator according to a radiation pattern determined at least in part according to a separation distance between the radiator and the reflector;
- and (iii) a linkage configured to adjust the separation distance between the radiator and the reflector according to an altitude of the balloon.
A method comprising:
- emitting radiation from an antenna configured to be mounted to a payload of an associated aerial vehicle, wherein the antenna has an emission pattern determined at least in part by a separation distance between a radiator and a reflector of the antenna, and wherein the antenna is configured to be situated such that the emission pattern is directed in a ground-facing direction while the associated aerial vehicle is aloft and the antenna is mounted to the payload;
- decreasing the separation distance between the radiator and the reflector responsive to a decrease in altitude of the associated aerial vehicle;
- and
- increasing the separation distance between the radiator and the reflector responsive to an increase in altitude of the associated aerial vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.