Thinned array fed reflector and beam peak adjustment method thereof
AssigneeViaSat, Inc.
InventorMaria Carolina Vigano
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for adjusting a pointing direction of an antenna beam involves forming a beam with a reflector antenna including a reflector and a feed, the feed including an array of N antenna elements, by activating a first set of antenna elements among the N antenna elements. A signal metric of a signal communicated via the beam is measured. In an iterative fashion, a pointing direction of the beam is adjusted at least in part by activating a different set of antenna elements among the N antenna elements, and the signal metric is re-measured with each iterative adjustment. A final pointing direction and associated final set of antenna elements are selected for operation of the reflector antenna based on the signal metric measurements.
Claims36
A method for adjusting a pointing direction of an antenna beam, the method comprising:
- forming a beam with a reflector antenna comprising a reflector and a feed including a planar array of N antenna elements, by activating a first set of antenna elements among the N antenna elements;
- measuring a signal metric of a signal communicated via the beam;
- iteratively:
- adjusting a pointing direction of the beam at least in part by activating a different set of antenna elements among the N antenna elements;
- and
- re-measuring the signal metric of the signal with each iterative adjustment of the pointing direction;
- and
- selecting a final pointing direction and associated final set of antenna elements for operation of the reflector antenna based on the signal metric measurements.
A reflector antenna comprising:
- a reflector and a feed including a planar array of N antenna elements, the feed being positioned to illuminate the reflector;
- a combiner/divider coupled between the N antenna elements and an input/output port of the reflector antenna;
- signal metric measurement circuitry;
- and
- a controller cooperating with the signal metric measurement circuitry, said controller configured to:
- activate a first set of antenna elements among the N antenna elements and thereby cause the reflector antenna to form a beam;
- measure a signal metric of a signal communicated via the beam;
- iteratively:
- adjust a pointing direction of the beam at least in part by activating a different set of antenna elements among the N antenna elements;
- and
- re-measure the signal metric of the signal with each iterative adjustment of the pointing direction;
- and
- select a final pointing direction and associated final set of antenna elements for operation of the reflector antenna, based on the signal metric measurements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.