Post-installation monitoring method for a satellite terminal antenna
AssigneeHughes Electronics Corporation
InventorRussell Fang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to a system and method for monitoring a non-tracking satellite antenna terminal's pointing accuracy in three situations. First, the pointing accuracy is monitored after initial installation of the antenna within a geo-synchronous satellite communications system. Secondly, the method is employed to determine mis-pointing of the antenna terminal as a result of a long term event such as building settlement. Lastly, the method is employed to detect mis-pointing of the non-tracking antenna terminal due to a short term event, such as an earthquake, wind storm, or hurricane.
Claims18
A method for determining pointing of a satellite terminal antenna, wherein said satellite terminal antenna is adapted to receive a signal from at least one satellite within a communications network, identify a satellite position area in which said satellite is expected to be present, and divide said satellite position area into a plurality of regions, said method comprising:
- determining a plurality of first measurement values corresponding to a respective one of said regions, each representing a magnitude of a signal received from said satellite by said satellite terminal antenna when said satellite terminal antenna is pointing toward a first location;
- determining at least one second measurement value corresponding to a respective one of said regions and representing a magnitude of a second signal received by said satellite terminal antenna from said satellite;
- comparing said at least one of said measurement values to said first measurement value corresponding to said region to which said second measurement value corresponds;
- and
- issuing an alarm signal when a result of the comparison indicates that said at least one second measurement value differs from said first measurement value by more than a pre-determined amount.
An apparatus for determining pointing of a satellite terminal antenna, wherein said satellite terminal antenna is adapted to receive a signal from at least one satellite within a communications network, identify a satellite position area in which said satellite is expected to be present, and divide said satellite position area into a plurality of regions, said apparatus comprising:
- a satellite terminal antenna;
- a processing device, adapted to process a plurality of first measurement values corresponding to a respective one of said regions, each representing a magnitude of a signal received from said satellite by said satellite terminal antenna when said satellite terminal antenna is pointing toward a first location and at least one second measurement value corresponding to a respective one of said regions and representing a magnitude of a second signal received by said satellite terminal antenna from said satellite, said processing device compares said at least one of said measurement values to said first measurement value corresponding to said region to which said second measurement value corresponds;
- and
- an alarm signal when a result of the comparison indicates that said at least one second measurement value differs from said first measurement value by more than a pre-determined amount.
A computer readable medium for determining pointing of an satellite terminal antenna, wherein said satellite terminal antenna is adapted to receive a signal from at least one satellite within a communications network, identify a satellite position area in which said satellite is expected to be present, and divide said satellite position area into a plurality of regions, said computer readable medium comprising the following set of instructions:
- a first set of instructions for determining a plurality of first measurement values corresponding to a respective one of said regions, each representing a magnitude of a signal received from said satellite by said satellite terminal antenna when said satellite terminal antenna is pointing toward a first location;
- a second set of instructions for determining at least one second measurement value corresponding to a respective one of said regions and representing a magnitude of a second signal received by said satellite terminal antenna from said satellite;
- a third set of instructions for comparing said at least one of said measurement values to said first measurement value corresponding to said region to which said second measurement value corresponds;
- and
- a fourth set of instructions for issuing an alarm signal when a result of the comparison indicates that said at least one second measurement value differs from said first measurement value by more than a pre-determined amount.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.