# US 9,437,918 B1 · Antenna mounting bracket with adjustable azimuth settings > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,437,918 B1 - Document ID: US9437918B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 14/164,499 - Filed: 2014-01-27 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-01-27 - Assignees: Sprint Communications Company L.P. - Applicants: Sprint Communication Company L.P. - Inventors: Stephen R. Bales; Noel M. Hansen; Greg Nohalty; Maneesh Gauba - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9437918B1 ## CPC - H01Q 1/125: {Means for positioning} - H01Q 3/04: for varying one co-ordinate of the orientation - H01Q 1/246: {specially adapted for base stations} - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) ## Abstract An antenna mounting bracket with adjustable azimuth settings and a method and medium for using the antenna mounting bracket are provided. The antenna mounting bracket includes a fixed bracket assembly coupled to a support structure, and a movable bracket assembly to which an antenna is mounted. The movable bracket assembly is rotatably coupled to the fixed bracket assembly by a pivot rod. Locking pins associated with the fixed bracket assembly can be used to reversibly secure the movable bracket assembly at a certain azimuth. A gearbox assembly associated with the movable bracket assembly can be actuated to angularly rotate the movable bracket assembly a predetermined number of degrees relative to the pivot rod when the movable bracket assembly is not secured to the fixed bracket assembly by the locking pins. Rotation of the movable bracket assembly causes the mounted antenna to angularly rotate to a new azimuth. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An antenna mounting bracket assembly with adjustable azimuth settings for mounting an antenna to a support structure, the antenna mounting bracket comprising: a fixed bracket assembly coupled to the support structure, the fixed bracket assembly comprising at least a set of locking pins movable from a first engaged position to a second disengaged position; and a movable bracket assembly rotatably coupled to the fixed bracket assembly via a pivot rod, the movable bracket assembly comprising at least: a set of receiving holes adapted to receive the set of locking pins of the outer bracket assembly when the set of locking pins is in the first engaged position, and a gearbox assembly comprising: (1) a plurality of gears; and (2) a motor coupled to the plurality of gears; wherein actuation of the gearbox assembly rotates the movable bracket assembly relative to the pivot rod along a predetermined angular range or motion on a horizontal plane when the set of locking pins is in the second disengaged position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The antenna mounting bracket assembly of claim 1, wherein the antenna is mounted to the movable bracket assembly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The antenna mounting bracket assembly of claim 2, wherein the movable bracket assembly further comprises an electromagnet that, when activated, is adapted to transition the set of locking pins from the first engaged position to the second disengaged position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The antenna mounting bracket assembly of claim 3, wherein when the electromagnet is de-activated, the set of locking pins is transitioned from the second disengaged position to the first engaged position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The antenna mounting bracket assembly of claim 2, wherein each receiving aperture of the set of receiving apertures is offset from its neighboring receiving aperture by two to five degrees. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The antenna mounting bracket assembly of claim 5, wherein the set of receiving apertures comprises between 12 to 20 receiving apertures. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The antenna mounting bracket assembly of claim 2, wherein the set of locking pins comprises three to five locking pins. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The antenna mounting bracket assembly of claim 2, wherein the angular rotation of the movable bracket assembly is limited to a predefined range. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The antenna mounting bracket assembly of claim 8, wherein the predefined range comprises 30 to 45 degrees. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The antenna mounting bracket assembly of claim 2, wherein the fixed bracket assembly further comprises a rotation limiting pin and the movable bracket assembly further comprises a rotation limiting channel adapted to receive the rotation limiting pin of the fixed bracket assembly such that the angular rotation of the movable bracket assembly is limited to a predefined range. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The antenna mounting bracket assembly of claim 2, wherein the movable bracket assembly further comprises a rotation limiting pin and the fixed bracket assembly further comprises a rotation limiting channel adapted to receive the rotation limiting pin of the movable bracket assembly such that the angular rotation of the movable bracket assembly is limited to a predefined range. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The antenna mounting bracket assembly of claim 2, wherein the motor is powered by an electrical source. ### Claim 13 An antenna mounting bracket assembly with one or more predetermined azimuth settings for mounting an antenna to a support structure, the antenna mounting bracket comprising: a movable bracket assembly adapted to angularly rotate through the one or more predetermined azimuth settings, the movable bracket assembly comprising at least a set of receiving apertures; and a fixed bracket assembly fixedly coupled to the support structure and rotatably coupled to the movable bracket assembly via a pivot rod, the fixed bracket assembly comprising one or more locking pins movable from a first engaged position to a second disengaged position, the one or more locking pins being vertically adjacent to the set of receiving apertures of the movable bracket assembly, wherein when the one or more locking pins are in the first engaged position they are received by the set of receiving apertures such that the movable bracket assembly is held in a fixed position; and wherein when the one or more locking pins are in the second disengaged position the movable bracket assembly is able to angularly rotate through the one or more predetermined azimuth settings relative to the pivot rod. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The antenna mounting bracket assembly of claim 13, wherein the support structure is associated with a base station tower. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The antenna mounting bracket assembly of claim 13, wherein the antenna mounting bracket is manufactured using steel. ### Claim 16 A computerized method carried out by at least one server having at least one processor for automatically and without human intervention changing an azimuth setting of an antenna mounted to a support structure using an antenna mounting bracket assembly having adjustable azimuth settings, the antenna mounting bracket assembly comprising a fixed bracket assembly fixedly coupled to the support structure and rotatably coupled to a movable bracket assembly via a pivot rod, wherein the fixed bracket assembly comprises at least by a set of movable locking pins and the movable bracket assembly comprises at least a set of receiving apertures adapted to receive the set of locking pins when the set of locking pins is in a first engaged position, and wherein the antenna is fixedly coupled to the movable bracket assembly, the method comprising: determining a second azimuth setting for the antenna, wherein the antenna is currently at a first azimuth setting; actuating the set of locking pins to transition the set of locking pins from the first engaged position to a second disengaged position such that the set of locking pins is disengaged from the set of receiving apertures; actuating a gearbox assembly mechanically coupled to the movable bracket assembly for a predetermined period of time such that the movable bracket assembly is angularly rotated in a first direction relative to the pivot rod, the movable bracket assembly angularly rotated to the second azimuth setting; and actuating the set of locking pins to transition the set of locking pins from the second disengaged position to the first engaged position thereby fixing the antenna at the second azimuth setting. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein actuating the set of locking pins to transition the set of locking pins from the first engaged position to the second disengaged position comprising providing an electrical current to an electromagnet positioned vertically above the set of locking pins and coupled to the movable bracket assembly. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein actuating the set of locking pins to transition the set of locking pins from the second disengaged position to the first engaged position comprising ceasing to provide the electrical current to the electromagnet. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the gearbox assembly comprises: (1) a plurality of gears; and 2) a motor coupled to the plurality of gears. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein actuating the gearbox assembly comprises applying an electrical current to the motor.