Systems and methods for alignment with a remote source

An alignment system, comprising:

• an antenna assembly comprising an antenna and a receiver, the antenna configured to couple to radiofrequency radiation transmitted from a radiofrequency signal source, the receiver further coupled to the antenna to generate a plurality of signal strength values associated with the radiofrequency radiation coupled to the antenna, the antenna assembly configured to exhibit an azimuthal alignment relative to a positional axis determined by the antenna assembly and the radiofrequency signal source;
• a coarse-grained calculator configured to acquire a first set of signal strength values from the plurality of signal strength values generated by the receiver at a sampling frequency and to generate at least a first coarse-grained signal strength value by smoothing at least a first subset of elements of the first set of signal strength values over a coarse-grained time period, wherein the first set of signal strength values are generated by the receiver while the antenna assembly is at a first azimuthal alignment magnitude relative to the positional axis;
• and
• an alignment calculator configured to use the first coarse-grained signal strength value and a predetermined coarse-grained signal strength value to generate a first measure that the first azimuthal alignment magnitude is at least one of:
• less than a predetermined azimuthal alignment magnitude relative to the positional axis, approximately equal to the predetermined azimuthal alignment magnitude, and greater than the predetermined azimuthal alignment magnitude;
• wherein the radiofrequency signal source is a geostationary satellite;
• wherein the coarse-grained calculator is further configured to acquire a second set of signal strength values from the plurality of signal strength values generated by the receiver at the sampling frequency and to generate at least the predetermined coarse-grained signal strength value by smoothing at least a second subset of elements of the second set of signal strength values over the coarse-grained time period, wherein the second set of signal strength values are generated by the receiver while the antenna assembly is at the predetermined azimuthal alignment magnitude;
• wherein the first subset of elements of the first set of signal strength values are acquired while the antenna assembly is substantially in motion relative to the geostationary satellite;
• and
• wherein the second subset of elements of the second set of signal strength values are acquired while the antenna assembly is substantially stationary relative to the geostationary satellite.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions, executable by a processor, for performing a method of monitoring alignment in an antenna assembly,

• wherein the antenna assembly comprises an antenna and a receiver, the antenna configured to couple to radiofrequency radiation transmitted from a radiofrequency signal source, the receiver further coupled to the antenna to generate a plurality of signal strength values associated with the radiofrequency radiation coupled to the antenna, the antenna assembly configured to exhibit an azimuthal alignment relative to a positional axis determined by the antenna assembly and the radiofrequency signal source, the method of monitoring alignment comprising:
• acquiring a first set of signal strength values from the plurality of signal strength values generated by the receiver at a sampling frequency, wherein the first set of signal strength values are acquired while the antenna assembly is configured to exhibit a first azimuthal alignment magnitude relative to the positional axis, and wherein the sampling frequency has an associated time period;
• generating a first coarse-grained signal strength value from the first set of signal strength values by smoothing at least a first subset of elements of the first set of signal strength values over a coarse-grained time period that is greater than the time period associated with the sampling frequency;
• acquiring a second set of signal strength values from the plurality of signal strength values generated by the receiver at the sampling frequency, wherein the second set of signal strength values are acquired while the antenna assembly is at a second azimuthal alignment magnitude relative to the positional axis;
• generating a second coarse-grained signal strength value from the second set of signal strength values by smoothing at least a second subset of elements of the second set of signal strength values over the coarse-grained time period;
• and
• comparing the second coarse-grained signal strength value with the first coarse-grained signal strength value and determining whether the second azimuthal alignment magnitude is at least one of:
• greater than the first azimuthal alignment magnitude, approximately equal to the first azimuthal alignment magnitude, and less than the first azimuthal alignment magnitude;
• wherein the radiofrequency signal source is a geostationary satellite;
• wherein the second subset of elements of the second set of signal strength values are acquired while the antenna assembly is substantially in motion relative to the geostationary satellite;
• and
• wherein the first subset of elements of the first set of signal strength values are acquired while the antenna assembly is substantially stationary relative to the geostationary satellite.

A method of monitoring alignment, comprising:

• generating a first coarse-grained signal strength value from a first set plurality of signal strength values by smoothing at least a first subset of elements of the first set of signal strength values over a coarse-grained time period while an antenna assembly is configured to exhibit a first azimuthal alignment magnitude relative to a positional axis;
• generating a second coarse-grained signal strength value from a second set of signal strength values by smoothing at least a second subset of elements of the second set of signal strength values over the coarse-grained time period while the antenna assembly is configured to exhibit a second azimuthal alignment magnitude relative to the positional axis;
• and
• comparing the second coarse-grained signal strength value with the first coarse-grained signal strength value and determining whether the second azimuthal alignment magnitude is at least one of:
• greater than the first azimuthal alignment magnitude, approximately equal to the first azimuthal alignment magnitude, and less than the first azimuthal alignment magnitude;
• wherein the antenna assembly comprises an antenna and a receiver, the antenna configured to couple to radiofrequency radiation transmitted from a radiofrequency signal source, the receiver further coupled to the antenna to generate the first set of signal strength values associated with the radiofrequency radiation coupled to the antenna and to generate the second set of signal strength values associated with the radiofrequency radiation coupled to the antenna, the antenna assembly configured to exhibit an azimuthal alignment relative to the positional axis determined by the antenna assembly and the radiofrequency signal source;
• wherein the radiofrequency signal source is a geostationary satellite;
• wherein the first subset of elements of the first set of signal strength values are acquired while the antenna assembly is substantially in motion relative to the geostationary satellite;
• and
• where the second subset of elements of the second set of signal strength values are acquired while the antenna assembly is substantially stationary relative to the geostationary satellite.

An alignment system, comprising:

• an antenna assembly comprising an antenna and a receiver, the antenna configured to couple to radiofrequency radiation transmitted from a radiofrequency signal source, the receiver further coupled to the antenna to generate a plurality of signal strength values associated with the radiofrequency radiation coupled to the antenna, the antenna assembly configured to exhibit an azimuthal alignment relative to a positional axis determined by the antenna assembly and the radiofrequency signal source;
• a coarse-grained calculator configured to generate at least a first coarse-grained signal strength value from the plurality of signal strength values as a function of time while the antenna assembly is at a first azimuthal alignment magnitude relative to the positional axis;
• and
• an alignment calculator configured to use the first coarse-grained signal strength value and a predetermined coarse-grained signal strength value to generate a first measure that the first azimuthal alignment magnitude is at least one of:
• less than a predetermined azimuthal alignment magnitude relative to the positional axis, approximately equal to the predetermined azimuthal alignment magnitude, and greater than the predetermined azimuthal alignment magnitude;
• wherein the radiofrequency signal source is a geostationary satellite;
• wherein the coarse-grained calculator is further configured to acquire a second set of signal strength values from the plurality of signal strength values and to generate at least the predetermined coarse-grained signal strength value, wherein the second set of signal strength values are generated by the receiver while the antenna assembly is at the predetermined azimuthal alignment magnitude;
• wherein the antenna assembly is substantially in motion relative to the geostationary satellite while the antenna assembly is at the first azimuthal alignment magnitude relative to the positional axis;
• and
• wherein the antenna assembly is substantially stationary relative to the geostationary satellite while the antenna assembly is at the predetermined azimuthal alignment magnitude.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions, executable by a processor, for performing a method of monitoring alignment in an antenna assembly,

• wherein the antenna assembly comprises an antenna and a receiver, the antenna configured to couple to radiofrequency radiation transmitted from a radiofrequency signal source, the receiver further coupled to the antenna to generate a plurality of signal strength values associated with the radiofrequency radiation coupled to the antenna, the antenna assembly configured to exhibit an azimuthal alignment relative to a positional axis determined by the antenna assembly and the radiofrequency signal source, the method of monitoring alignment comprising:
• generating a first coarse-grained signal strength value from the plurality of signal strength values while an antenna assembly is configured to exhibit a first azimuthal alignment magnitude relative to a positional axis;
• generating a second coarse-grained signal strength value from the plurality of signal strength values while the antenna assembly is configured to exhibit a second azimuthal alignment magnitude relative to the positional axis;
• and
• comparing the second coarse-grained signal strength value with the first coarse-grained signal strength value and determining whether the second azimuthal alignment magnitude is at least one of:
• greater than the first azimuthal alignment magnitude, approximately equal to the first azimuthal alignment magnitude, and less than the first azimuthal alignment magnitude;
• wherein the radiofrequency signal source is a geostationary satellite;
• wherein the antenna assembly is substantially stationary relative to the geostationary satellite while the antenna assembly is at the first azimuthal alignment magnitude relative to the positional axis;
• and
• wherein the antenna assembly is substantially in motion relative to the geostationary satellite while the antenna assembly is at the second azimuthal alignment magnitude.

An alignment system, comprising:

• an antenna assembly comprising an antenna and a modem, the antenna configured to couple to radiofrequency radiation transmitted from a radiofrequency signal source, the modem further coupled to the antenna to generate a plurality of received signal strength values associated with the radiofrequency radiation coupled to the antenna, the antenna assembly configured to exhibit an azimuthal alignment relative to a positional axis determined by the antenna assembly and the radiofrequency signal source;
• a coarse-grained calculator configured to generate at least a first coarse-grained signal strength value from the plurality of received signal strength values associated with the antenna assembly at a first azimuthal alignment magnitude relative to the positional axis;
• and
• an alignment calculator configured to use the first coarse-grained signal strength value and a predetermined coarse-grained signal strength value to generate a first measure that the first azimuthal alignment magnitude is at least one of:
• less than a predetermined azimuthal alignment magnitude relative to the positional axis, approximately equal to the predetermined azimuthal alignment magnitude, and greater than the predetermined azimuthal alignment magnitude;
• wherein the radiofrequency signal source is a geostationary satellite;
• wherein the coarse-grained calculator is further configured to acquire a second set of signal strength values from the plurality of signal strength values and to generate at least the predetermined coarse-grained signal strength value, wherein the second set of signal strength values are generated by the receiver while the antenna assembly is at the predetermined azimuthal alignment magnitude;
• wherein the antenna assembly is substantially in motion relative to the geostationary satellite while the antenna assembly is at the first azimuthal alignment magnitude relative to the positional axis;
• and
• wherein the antenna assembly is substantially stationary relative to the geostationary satellite while the antenna assembly is at the predetermined azimuthal alignment magnitude.