Aircraft in-flight entertainment system having a dual-beam antenna and associated methods

An aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for an aircraft and comprising:

• a dual-beam satellite antenna and first and second positioners coupled thereto to be carried by the aircraft, said dual-beam satellite antenna comprising
• a first aperture to be positioned by said first positioner and configured to operate within a Ka frequency band,
• second aperture to be positioned by said second positioner and adjacent said first aperture and configured to operate within a Ku frequency band,
• said first aperture providing orthogonal polarizations toward a satellite and said second aperture providing orthogonal polarizations toward another satellite,
• a first polarization correction module associated with said first aperture for adjusting the corresponding polarizations based upon aircraft position, and
• a second polarization correction module associated with said second aperture for adjusting the corresponding polarizations based upon aircraft position.

An aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for an aircraft and comprising:

• a dual-beam satellite antenna and first and second positioners coupled thereto to be carried by the aircraft, said dual-beam satellite antenna comprising
• a first aperture to be positioned by said first positioner and configured to operate within a first frequency band,
• a second aperture to be positioned by said second positioner and adjacent said first aperture and configured to operate within a second frequency band,
• said first aperture providing orthogonal polarizations toward a satellite and said second aperture providing orthogonal polarizations toward another satellite,
• a first polarization correction module associated with said first aperture for adjusting the corresponding polarizations based upon aircraft position, and
• a second polarization correction module associated with said second aperture for adjusting the corresponding polarizations based upon aircraft position.

A method for operating an aircraft in-flight entertainment (IFF) system for an aircraft and comprising a dual-beam satellite antenna, first and second positioners to be carried by the aircraft and coupled to the dual-band satellite antenna, the method comprising:

• controlling the first and second positioners so that the dual-beam satellite antenna simultaneously generates first and second antenna beams, the dual-beam satellite antenna comprising
• a first aperture to be positioned by the first positioner and configured to operate within a first frequency band for receiving signals via the first antenna beam,
• a second aperture to be positioned by the second positioner and adjacent the first aperture and configured to operate within a second frequency band for receiving signals via the second antenna beam,
• the first aperture providing orthogonal polarizations toward a satellite and the second aperture providing orthogonal polarizations toward another satellite,
• a first polarization correction module associated with the first aperture for adjusting the corresponding polarizations based upon aircraft position, and
• a second polarization correction module associated with the second aperture for adjusting the corresponding polarizations based upon aircraft position.