KA/KU ANTENNA ALIGNMENT

• US 20100085256A1
• Filed: 12/09/2009
• Published: 04/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Norin, John L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,106,842 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/359
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/08 for varying two co-ordinates of the orientation

Abstract

A method, apparatus and system for aligning an antenna reflector with satellites in a satellite configuration. A system in accordance with the present invention comprises an alignment mechanism, coupled to the reflector, wherein the alignment mechanism comprises adjustments in azimuth, elevation, and skew, wherein the alignment mechanism is used to provide a first alignment to the satellite configuration, and a tool, used to access a database, wherein the database, comprises data related to satellite configuration positional data, including a position of at least one satellite in the satellite configuration at a given point in time, data related to the antenna, including at least data related to an alignment mechanism coupled to the antenna, data related to polarizations and frequencies of signals being transmitted by the satellite configuration, and data related to the geoposition of the antenna being aligned, wherein the database calculates at least one offset for the alignment of the reflector, wherein the at least one offset is used to reposition the antenna using the alignment mechanism.

Claims

1. A tool for aiding in alignment of a reflector of an antenna with a satellite configuration comprising a plurality of satellites, comprising:

at least one connector, coupled to a feedhorn assembly of the antenna;

a divider, coupled to the at least one connector, for dividing signals received by the feedhorn assembly;

a power supply, coupled to the at least one connector, for powering the feedhorn assembly of the antenna and for selecting a specific feedhorn of the feedhorn assembly;

a tuner/demodulator section, coupled to the divider, for tuning to a specific signal from a first satellite in the satellite configuration and demodulating the specific signal;

a processor, coupled to the tuner/demodulator, for processing the demodulated specific signal, wherein the processor processes the demodulated specific signal using positional data from at least one other satellite in the satellite configuration; and

a display section, coupled to the processor, for displaying characteristics of the demodulated specific signal, wherein the tool aligns the reflector of the antenna with the first satellite and the at least one other satellite in the satellite configuration such that the antenna receives a signal from the first satellite and simultaneously receives a signal from the at least one other satellite in the satellite configuration.

2. The tool of claim 1, further comprising an input section, coupled to the processor, for inputting commands to the processor.

3. The tool of claim 2, further comprising a memory, coupled to the processor, for storing commands used by the processor.

4. The tool of claim 3, further comprising a data port, coupled to the processor, for inputting electronic commands from an external source to the processor.

5. The tool of claim 1, wherein the processor processes a plurality of demodulated specific signals simultaneously.

6. The tool of claim 5, wherein the plurality of demodulated specific signals are transmitted by a plurality of satellites in the satellite configuration.

7. The tool of claim 6, wherein the display section indicates adjustments needed for the reflector based on characteristics of the plurality of demodulated specific signals.

8. The tool of claim 7, wherein the characteristics comprise at least a power level of each of the plurality of demodulated specific signals.

9. The tool of claim 1, wherein the processor processes a plurality of demodulated specific signals in a sequential manner.

10. The tool of claim 9, wherein the plurality of demodulated specific signals are transmitted by a plurality of satellites in the satellite configuration.

11. An alignment tool for aligning a reflector of an antenna with a satellite configuration comprising a plurality of satellites, comprising:

at least one connector coupled to the antenna;

a switch for selecting a specific satellite signal;

a tuner/demodulator section, coupled to the switch, for tuning to a specific portion of the specific satellite signal from a first satellite in the satellite configuration and for demodulating the specific portion;

a processor, coupled to the tuner/demodulator, for processing the demodulated specific portion, wherein the processor processes the demodulated specific portion using positional data from at least one other satellite in the satellite configuration; and

a display section, coupled to the processor, for displaying characteristics of the demodulated specific portion, wherein the tool aligns the reflector of the antenna with the first satellite and the at least one other satellite in the satellite configuration such that the antenna receives a signal from the first satellite and simultaneously receives a signal from the at least one other satellite in the satellite configuration.

12. The alignment tool of claim 11, further comprising a memory, coupled to the processor, for storing commands used by the processor.

13. The alignment tool of claim 12, further comprising a data port, coupled to the processor, for inputting electronic commands from an external source to the processor.

14. The alignment tool of claim 11, wherein the processor processes a plurality of demodulated specific portions in a specific order.

15. The alignment tool of claim 14, wherein the plurality of demodulated specific portions are transmitted by a plurality of satellites in the satellite configuration.

16. The alignment tool of claim 15, wherein the specific order selects a satellite signal from each of the satellites in the satellite configuration.

17. The alignment tool of claim 11, wherein the display section indicates a condition of the demodulated specific portion.

18. An alignment tool for aligning a reflector of an antenna with a satellite configuration comprising a plurality of satellites, comprising:

means for selecting a specific satellite signal from a first satellite in the satellite configuration;

means for tuning to a specific portion of the specific satellite signal;

a processor, coupled to the selecting means and tuning means, for processing the specific portion using positional data from at least one other satellite in the satellite configuration; and

a display section, coupled to the processor, for displaying characteristics of the demodulated specific portion such that the displayed characteristics indicate alignment of the reflector of the antenna with the first satellite and at least one other satellite in the satellite configuration.

19. The alignment tool of claim 18, wherein the processor processes a plurality of specific portions in a specific order.

20. The alignment tool of claim 19, wherein the plurality of specific portions are transmitted by a plurality of satellites in the satellite configuration.