Dynamic antenna platform offset calibration
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- communicating, at a mobile vehicle according to a first tracking mode during one or more travel segments of the mobile vehicle, first user data with a target satellite via a beam of an antenna mounted to the mobile vehicle, wherein communicating the first user data according to the first tracking mode comprises;
performing an alignment calibration procedure to determine an antenna pointing offset based at least in part on a difference between;
(1) an estimated pointing direction from the antenna to the target satellite that is determined based at least in part on positional information of the mobile vehicle; and
(2) a peaked pointing direction from the antenna to the target satellite that is determined based at least in part on a measured signal characteristic of the first user data communicated during the alignment calibration procedure;
pointing the beam of the antenna towards the target satellite for subsequent communication of the first user data based at least in part on the positional information of the mobile vehicle and the determined antenna pointing offset; and
repeating the performing and the pointing until determining that the alignment calibration procedure has been performed for a plurality of spatial conditions that satisfy a spatial separation criteria;
determining, for each of the alignment calibration procedures performed for the plurality of spatial conditions, a respective calibration vector set based at least in part on the respective peaked pointing direction associated with the respective one of the plurality of spatial conditions;
determining, based at least in part on determining that the alignment calibration procedure has been performed for the plurality of spatial conditions that satisfy the spatial separation criteria, an antenna platform offset between a reference frame of the antenna and a reference frame of the mobile vehicle based at least in part on the calibration vector sets determined for each of the alignment calibration procedures performed for the plurality of spatial conditions; and
communicating, subsequent to the determining of the antenna platform offset, second user data with the target satellite via the beam of the antenna according to a second tracking mode, wherein communicating the second user data according to the second tracking mode comprises pointing the beam of the antenna towards the target satellite for communicating the second user data based at least in part on the positional information of the mobile vehicle and the determined antenna platform offset.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are described for supporting dynamic antenna platform offset calibration for an antenna system mounted to a mobile vehicle. In particular, dynamic antenna platform offset calibration can be performed while communicating user data associated with the mobile vehicle (e.g., based at least in part on alignment calibration procedures including measurements of user data signals), with an antenna platform offset being updated when alignment calibration procedures have been performed at suitably separated spatial conditions. Accordingly, antenna platform offset calibration may be performed throughout the operation of the mobile vehicle without requiring that the vehicle be proactively aligned in a particular orientation for a dedicated calibration routine prior to using the antenna for communicating user data during normal operation of the mobile vehicle.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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communicating, at a mobile vehicle according to a first tracking mode during one or more travel segments of the mobile vehicle, first user data with a target satellite via a beam of an antenna mounted to the mobile vehicle, wherein communicating the first user data according to the first tracking mode comprises; performing an alignment calibration procedure to determine an antenna pointing offset based at least in part on a difference between; (1) an estimated pointing direction from the antenna to the target satellite that is determined based at least in part on positional information of the mobile vehicle; and (2) a peaked pointing direction from the antenna to the target satellite that is determined based at least in part on a measured signal characteristic of the first user data communicated during the alignment calibration procedure; pointing the beam of the antenna towards the target satellite for subsequent communication of the first user data based at least in part on the positional information of the mobile vehicle and the determined antenna pointing offset; and repeating the performing and the pointing until determining that the alignment calibration procedure has been performed for a plurality of spatial conditions that satisfy a spatial separation criteria; determining, for each of the alignment calibration procedures performed for the plurality of spatial conditions, a respective calibration vector set based at least in part on the respective peaked pointing direction associated with the respective one of the plurality of spatial conditions; determining, based at least in part on determining that the alignment calibration procedure has been performed for the plurality of spatial conditions that satisfy the spatial separation criteria, an antenna platform offset between a reference frame of the antenna and a reference frame of the mobile vehicle based at least in part on the calibration vector sets determined for each of the alignment calibration procedures performed for the plurality of spatial conditions; and communicating, subsequent to the determining of the antenna platform offset, second user data with the target satellite via the beam of the antenna according to a second tracking mode, wherein communicating the second user data according to the second tracking mode comprises pointing the beam of the antenna towards the target satellite for communicating the second user data based at least in part on the positional information of the mobile vehicle and the determined antenna platform offset. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A system, comprising:
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an antenna; a modem coupled to the antenna operable to process signals communicated via the antenna; a positioner coupled between the antenna and a mobile vehicle, the positioner positioning the antenna based at least in part on positioning control information; and an alignment calibration controller operable to cause the positioner to point a beam of the antenna towards a target satellite, wherein, for a first tracking mode during one or more travel segments of the mobile vehicle, the alignment calibration controller; estimates a pointing direction from the antenna to the target satellite based at least in part on positional information of the mobile vehicle; communicates the positioning control information to the positioner for an alignment calibration procedure based at least in part on the estimated pointing direction; receives, from the modem, a measured signal characteristic of first user data communicated during the alignment calibration procedure via the modem; and determines an antenna pointing offset based at least in part on a difference between the estimated pointing direction and a peaked pointing direction from the antenna to the target satellite that is determined based at least in part on the measured signal characteristic, repeats the estimating, the communicating, the receiving, and the determining until the alignment calibration procedure has been performed for a plurality of spatial conditions that satisfy a spatial separation criteria; determines, for each of the alignment calibration procedures performed for the plurality of spatial conditions, a respective calibration vector set based at least in part on the respective peaked pointing direction associated with the respective one of the plurality of spatial conditions; determines, based at least in part on determining that the alignment calibration procedure has been performed for the plurality of spatial conditions that satisfy the spatial separation criteria, an antenna platform offset between a reference frame of the antenna and a reference frame of the mobile vehicle based at least in part on the calibration vector sets determined for each of the alignment calibration procedures performed for the plurality of spatial conditions, and the modem communicates first user data via the antenna positioned according to the positioning control information, and wherein, in a second tracking mode subsequent to the determining of the antenna platform offset, the alignment calibration controller; estimates the pointing direction from the antenna to the target satellite based at least in part on positional information of the mobile vehicle and the determined antenna platform offset; and communicates the positioning control information to the positioner based at least in part on the estimated pointing direction, and the modem communicates second user data via the antenna positioned according to the positioning control information. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. An apparatus, comprising:
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a processor; memory in electronic communication with the processor; and instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to; communicate, at a mobile vehicle according to a first tracking mode during one or more travel segments of the mobile vehicle, first user data with a target satellite via a beam of an antenna mounted to the mobile vehicle, wherein communicating the first user data according to the first tracking mode comprises; performing an alignment calibration procedure that determines an antenna pointing offset based at least in part on a difference between; (1) an estimated pointing direction from the antenna to the target satellite that is determined based at least in part on positional information of the mobile vehicle; and (2) a peaked pointing direction from the antenna to the target satellite that is determined based at least in part on a measured signal characteristic of the first user data communicated during the alignment calibration procedure; pointing the beam of the antenna towards the target satellite for subsequent communication of the first user data based at least in part on the positional information of the mobile vehicle and the determined antenna pointing offset; and repeating the performing and the pointing until determining that the alignment calibration procedure has been performed for a plurality of spatial conditions that satisfy a spatial separation criteria; determine, for each of the alignment calibration procedures performed for the plurality of spatial conditions, a respective calibration vector set based at least in part on the respective peaked pointing direction associated with the respective one of the plurality of spatial conditions; determine, based at least in part on determining that the alignment calibration procedure has been performed for the plurality of spatial conditions that satisfy the spatial separation criteria, an antenna platform offset between a reference frame of the antenna and a reference frame of the mobile vehicle based at least in part on the calibration vector sets determined for each of the alignment calibration procedures performed for the plurality of spatial conditions; and communicate, subsequent to the determining of the antenna platform offset, second user data with the target satellite via the beam of the antenna according to a second tracking mode, wherein communicating the second user data according to the second tracking mode comprises pointing the beam of the antenna towards the target satellite for communicating the second user data based at least in part on the positional information of the mobile vehicle and the determined antenna platform offset. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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Specification