SATELLITE ANTENNA POSITIONING SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A method for controlling an antenna pointing system on a mobile platform, the method comprising:
- a) identifying structures on the mobile platform that have at least the potential to cause a line of sight blockage with an antenna of the system;
b) creating a blockage map of a location of potential, line of sight blockages that may affect performance of said antenna;
c) determining a sample set of different positions to which said antenna may be moved; and
d) using the results of operations b) and c), generating a decision process for selecting one of said plurality of available antenna positions in accordance with said blockage map to mitigate the effects of said line-of-sight blockages.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for automatically positioning an antenna aperture on a mobile platform in a manner to avoid blockages created by other components/subsystems on the mobile platform between the line of sight of the antenna aperture and a satellite and to avoid interference with other systems that share the mobile platform. In one embodiment, one or more linear support elements are moved by one or more corresponding motors to allow the antenna aperture to be re-positioned between a plurality of different positions. Methods for creating and using a blockage database are also disclosed.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method for controlling an antenna pointing system on a mobile platform, the method comprising:
-
a) identifying structures on the mobile platform that have at least the potential to cause a line of sight blockage with an antenna of the system;
b) creating a blockage map of a location of potential, line of sight blockages that may affect performance of said antenna;
c) determining a sample set of different positions to which said antenna may be moved; and
d) using the results of operations b) and c), generating a decision process for selecting one of said plurality of available antenna positions in accordance with said blockage map to mitigate the effects of said line-of-sight blockages. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method for forming a blockage data base for use by an antenna pointing system used on a marine vessel to maintain said antenna pointed at a communications device during travel of the vessel, the method comprising:
-
a) identifying structures on the vessel that have a potential to cause a line of sight blockage with the communications device;
b) creating a blockage map of a location of at least one anticipated line of sight blockage;
c) determining a sample set of different available antenna positions to which the antenna on the vessel may be moved in an attempt to avoid a line of sight blockage;
d) using the results of operations b) and c), generating a decision process for selecting one of said plurality of available antenna positions that is anticipated to mitigate adverse affects caused by a line-of-sight blockage, on antenna performance;
e) monitoring for blockage of said line of line of sight path to said communications device;
f) if a line of sight blockage develops during operation of said vessel, using said blockage map and said decision process to determine a new position for said antenna from said plurality of available positions; and
g) moving said antenna to said new position to at least one of maintain or reestablish closure of said communications link with said communications device. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method for positioning an antenna pointing system used on a marine vessel to maintain said antenna pointed at a communications device during travel of the vessel, the method comprising:
-
a) identifying structures on the vessel that have a potential to cause a line of sight blockage with the communications device during travel of the vessel;
b) creating a blockage map of a location of potential and anticipated line of sight blockages;
c) determining a sample set of a plurality of different positions to which the antenna on the vessel may be moved in an attempt to avoid a line of sight blockage; and
d) using the results of operations b) and c), generating a decision process for selecting one of said plurality of antenna positions;
e) monitoring for blockage of said line of sight path;
f) if a line of sight blockage develops during operation of said vessel, using said blockage map and said decision process to determine a new position for said antenna from said plurality of antenna positions; and
g) moving said antenna to said new position in an effort to mitigate an adverse affect on performance of said antenna. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
Specification