System and method for pointing and control of an antenna
AssigneeL3 Communications Corporation
InventorsLaMar K. Timothy, Jeffrey S. Sato, Alan M. Buchanan, Patricia F. Batzer
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Abstract
A method is disclosed for directing an antenna mounted in a restricted radome on an aircraft. The method can include the operation of determining whether the antenna is directed in a keyhole. A further operation can involve controlling the antenna using an elevation gimbal and an azimuth gimbal when it is determined the antenna is directed outside the keyhole. Another operation can include directing the antenna using an elevation, azimuth, and cross elevation gimbal when it is determined the antenna is pointing in the keyhole.
Claims23
A method for directing an antenna mounted in a radome on an aircraft, comprising the steps of:
- providing a flattened radome configured to substantially minimize aerodynamic drag caused by wind flow past the flattened radome and to cover the antenna, wherein the antenna has a width dimension which is at least three times larger than a height dimension;
- determining whether the antenna is directed in a keyhole;
- controlling the antenna using an elevation gimbal and an azimuth gimbal when it is determined that the antenna is pointing outside the keyhole, wherein the antenna is pointing outside the keyhole when the elevation gimbal is directed at an angle of less than 80 degrees with respect to a tangential plane of the aircraft and an azimuth error value of the azimuth gimbal is less than ±0.1 degrees with respect to the tangential plane of the aircraft;
- and
- directing the antenna using an elevation, azimuth, and cross elevation gimbal when it is determined the antenna is pointing in the keyhole.
A system for enabling substantially continuous communication between an aircraft and a receiver over a substantially hemispherical area above the earth while the aircraft is in flight, comprising:
- an antenna configured to communicate with a receiver, wherein the antenna has a width dimension that is greater than a height dimension;
- a flattened radome configured to house the antenna outside the aircraft while minimizing resistance to airflow past the aircraft;
- an antenna pedestal configured to support and direct the antenna, the antenna pedestal having an elevation gimbal, a cross elevation gimbal, and an azimuth gimbal, the gimbals configured to move the antenna;
- and
- a gimbal direction module configured to direct the antenna using two gimbals when the antenna is directed to point outside a keyhole and three gimbals when the antenna is directed to point inside the keyhole.
A system for enabling substantially continuous communication between an aircraft and a receiver over a substantially hemispherical area above the earth while the aircraft is in flight, comprising:
- an antenna configured to communicate with a receiver, wherein the antenna has a width dimension that is at least three times greater than a height dimension;
- a flattened radome configured to house the antenna outside the aircraft while minimizing resistance to airflow past the aircraft;
- an antenna pedestal configured to support and direct the antenna, the antenna pedestal having an elevation gimbal, a cross elevation gimbal, and an azimuth gimbal, the gimbals each configured to move the antenna in an orthogonal direction;
- a gimbal direction module configured to direct the antenna using two gimbals when the antenna is directed to point outside a keyhole wherein the antenna is pointing outside the keyhole when the elevation gimbal is directed at an angle of less than 80 degrees with respect to a tangential plane of the aircraft and an azimuth error value of the azimuth gimbal is less than ±0.1 degrees with respect to the tangential plane of the aircraft;
- and
- the gimbal direction module further configured to direct the antenna using three gimbals when the antenna is directed to point inside the keyhole.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.