ROTATIONAL PARABOLIC ANTENNA WITH VARIOUS FEED CONFIGURATIONS

• US 20110291878A1
• Filed: 05/26/2010
• Published: 12/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Radiometrics Corporation
• Original Assignee: DeTect, Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: SLOAN, MEGAN MAUREEN, MCLAUGHLIN, SCOTT ANDREW, LAU, ELIAS MOISES
• Granted Patent: US 8,373,589 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/26.D
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/95 for meteorological use
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/951 ground based
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/132 Horn reflector antennas; Off-set feeding
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/134 Rear-feeds; Splash plate feeds
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/02 using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/08 for varying two co-ordinates of the orientation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

A rotational antenna includes a stationary feed which is disposed in a substantially vertical orientation. A parabolic dish is rotationally mounted about the stationary feed in a state of being tipped with respect to the stationary, substantially vertically oriented feed. The rotational parabolic antenna may alternatively be provided with a rotating radio frequency (RF) and acoustic feed. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A rotational antenna, comprising:

a stationary feed which is disposed in a substantially vertical orientation; and

a parabolic dish rotationally mounted about the stationary feed in a state of being tipped with respect to the stationary, substantially vertically oriented feed.

2. The rotational antenna of claim 1, comprising a positioner which rotatably positions the parabolic dish around the stationary feed.

3. The rotational antenna of claim 2, wherein the positioner comprises:

a stationary antenna mount;

a turntable rotatably mounted to the stationary antenna mount; and

a rotator motor which rotates the turntable,

wherein the rotational parabolic dish is fixedly mounted to the turntable for rotation therewith.

4. The rotational antenna of claim 1, wherein the parabolic dish is tipped about 10 to 20 degrees with respect to a position wherein the parabolic dish is centered with respect to the stationary feed.

5. The rotational antenna of claim 1, wherein the stationary feed comprises a radio frequency (RF) feed.

6. The rotational antenna of claim 1, wherein the stationary feed comprises an acoustic feed.

7. The rotational antenna of claim 1, wherein the stationary feed comprises a radio frequency (RF) feed and a separate acoustic feed.

8. The rotational antenna of claim 2, wherein a circle is traced out by beam positions of the antenna, and data is collected at one of four, eight, sixteen, or more points on the circle defined by the antenna as the positioner rotates the antenna to point to new positions.

9. The rotational antenna of claim 2, wherein the positioner rotates the antenna at least one of continuously or every preset period of time.

10. The rotational antenna of claim 1, wherein the parabolic dish points upward rather than horizontal.

11. The rotational antenna of claim 1, wherein the stationary, substantially vertically oriented feed comprises a stationary feed column, and wherein the parabolic dish is rotatably mounted with respect to the stationary feed column by way of a feed column bearing retainer and stabilizer which maintains the stationary feed column supported within the rotatable parabolic dish.

12. A rotational antenna, comprising:

a rotational parabolic dish; and

a rotational feed which is disposed on the rotational parabolic dish for rotation therewith, the rotational feed comprising at least one radio frequency (RF) feed and at least one separate acoustic feed.

13. The rotational antenna of claim 12, wherein the at least one acoustic feed comprises a plurality of pipes with horns for broadcasting acoustic energy onto the parabolic dish.

14. The rotational antenna of claim 13, wherein the plurality of pipes with horns comprises at least part of a Radio Acoustic Sounding System (RASS).

15. The rotational antenna of claim 12, comprising a positioner which rotatably positions the parabolic dish and the rotational feed.

16. The rotational antenna of claim 15, wherein the positioner comprises:

a stationary antenna mount;

a turntable rotatably mounted to the stationary antenna mount; and

a rotator motor which rotates the turntable,

wherein the rotational parabolic dish is fixedly mounted to the turntable for rotation therewith.

17. The rotational antenna of claim 16, comprising a coaxial rotary joint positioned at a center of the turntable for accommodating a coaxial input of the RF feed.

18. The rotational antenna of claim 17, wherein the coaxial rotary joint comprises a bulkhead pass-through opening for accommodating wires for the at least one separate acoustic feed.

19. A velocity-azimuth display (VAD) radar wind profiler system for making automatic measurements of wind profiles in the atmosphere, comprising:

a radar controller for controlling the acquisition of wind profiles; and

an antenna subsystem communicatively connected to the radar controller and comprising a rotational antenna, the rotational antenna comprising;

a stationary feed which is disposed in a substantially vertical orientation; and

a parabolic dish rotationally mounted about the stationary feed in a state of being tipped with respect to the stationary, substantially vertically oriented feed.

20. The VAD radar wind profiler system of claim 19, comprising a positioner which rotatably positions the parabolic dish around the stationary feed.

21. The VAD radar wind profiler system of claim 19, wherein the radar controller comprises a radar acquisition card which acts as a digital intermediate frequency receiver;

a receiver; and

an up/down converter, wherein the receiver interfaces between the radar acquisition card and the up/down converter.

22. The VAD radar wind profiler system of claim 19, wherein the parabolic dish is tipped about 10 to 20 degrees with respect to a position wherein the parabolic dish is centered with respect to the stationary feed.

23. The VAD radar wind profiler system of claim 19, wherein the stationary feed comprises a radio frequency (RF) feed.

24. The VAD radar wind profiler system of claim 19, wherein the stationary feed comprises an acoustic feed.

25. The VAD radar wind profiler system of claim 24, wherein the acoustic feed comprises a plurality of pipes with horns for broadcasting acoustic energy onto the parabolic dish.

26. The VAD radar wind profiler system of claim 25, wherein the plurality of pipes with horns comprises at least part of a Radio Acoustic Sounding System (RASS).

27. The VAD radar wind profiler system of claim 19, wherein the stationary feed comprises a radio frequency (RF) feed and a separate acoustic feed.

28. The VAD radar wind profiler system of claim 20, wherein a circle is traced out by beam positions of the antenna, and data is collected at one of four, eight, sixteen, or more points on the circle defined by the antenna as the positioner rotates the antenna to point to new positions.

29. The VAD radar wind profiler system of claim 20, wherein the positioner rotates the antenna at least one of continuously or every preset period of time.

30. A velocity-azimuth display (VAD) radar wind profiler system for making automatic measurements of wind profiles in the atmosphere, comprising:

a radar controller for controlling the acquisition of wind profiles; and

an antenna subsystem communicatively connected to the radar controller and comprising a rotational antenna, the rotational antenna comprising;

a rotational parabolic dish; and

a rotational feed which is disposed on the rotational parabolic dish for rotation therewith, the rotational feed comprising at least one radio frequency (RF) feed and at least one separate acoustic feed.

31. The VAD radar wind profiler system of claim 30, wherein the at least one acoustic feed comprises a plurality of pipes with horns for broadcasting acoustic energy onto the parabolic dish.

32. The VAD radar wind profiler system of claim 31, wherein the plurality of pipes with horns comprises at least part of a Radio Acoustic Sounding System (RASS).

33. The VAD radar wind profiler system of claim 30, comprising a positioner which rotatably positions the parabolic dish and the rotational feed.

34. The VAD radar wind profiler system of claim 33, wherein the positioner comprises:

a stationary antenna mount;

a turntable rotatably mounted to the stationary antenna mount; and

a rotator motor which rotates the turntable,

wherein the rotational parabolic dish is fixedly mounted to the turntable for rotation therewith.

35. The VAD radar wind profiler system of claim 34, comprising a coaxial rotary joint positioned at a center of the turntable for accommodating a coaxial input of the RF feed.

36. The VAD radar wind profiler system of claim 35, wherein the coaxial rotary joint comprises a bulkhead pass-through opening for accommodating wires for the at least one separate acoustic feed.

37. The VAD radar wind profiler system of claim 30, wherein the radar controller comprises a radar acquisition card which acts as a digital intermediate frequency receiver;

a receiver; and

an up/down converter, wherein the receiver interfaces between the radar acquisition card and the up/down converter.

38. The VAD radar wind profiler system of claim 33, wherein a circle is traced out by beam positions of the antenna, and data is collected at one of four, eight, sixteen, or more points on the circle defined by the antenna as the positioner rotates the antenna to point to new positions.

39. The VAD radar wind profiler system of claim 33, wherein the positioner rotates the antenna at least one of continuously or every preset period of time.