Structure of vehicular active antenna system of mobile and satellite tracking method with the system

• US 6,124,832 A
• Filed: 08/21/1998
• Issued: 09/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Pyo, Cheol Sig, Eom, Soon Young, Yim, Choon Sik, Jeon, Soon Ik, Choi, Jae Ick
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Tan
• Application Number:
  US09/137,528
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 343/711, 343/853, 343/755, 343/756, 343/872, 342/371, 342/372, 342/374, 342/375
• US Class Current: 343/711
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3275 mounted on a horizontal surface of the vehicle, e.g. on roof, hood, trunk
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/061 Two dimensional planar arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/00 Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00

Abstract

This invention relates to a structure of an active antenna system of a mobile and a satellite navigation method using the system. The present invention provides a structure of an active antenna system of a mobile and a satellite tracking method using the system, in which beams are formed and then directed by using sub-array concept, the tracking accuracy becomes to high by using double beam satellite tracking mode for tracking the satellite, tracking loss is reduced and positions are more accurately tracked during movement using an absolute steering sensing mode.

Claims

1. A vehicle active antenna system, comprising:

multiple groups of plural active channel sub-modules which receive satellite signals transferred to an antenna radome;

a plurality of signal power combiners which receive the satellite signals from the active channel sub-modules;

a beam forming block which distributes the satellite signals from the signal power combiners form a secondary beam, couples the signal power, and transmits satellite reception signals, angle control signals and a supply power in a relative rotation state of a fixed part and a rotating part to a rotary jointer which is not opened and continuously transmits and supplies them;

a frequency converter which converts satellite information signals from the rotary jointer into intermediate frequencies;

a satellite broadcasting receiver which provides signals which are frequency converted satellite information signals filtered by a bandpass filter;

a tracking signal converter which receives the satellite signals transmitted through the secondary beam formed in the beam forming block and detects the magnitude of the satellite tracking information signals;

a beam steering controller which transmits the satellite tracking information signals transferred from the satellite signal converter through the rotary jointer, performs calculations for forming beams for one-dimensional elevation angle control, and then calculates phase delay value codes of desired double beams assigned to a phase shifter;

an electronic compass sensor which calculates satellite tracking information signals transmitted through the rotary jointer from the beam steering control together with the information processing results of the sensed movement of the mobile, creates azimuth angles, elevation angle information and tracking speed informations, and provides three-axis posture information regarding absolute steering, a forward declination and a side declination;

a driving controller which provides the azimuth angles and speed information created in the electronic compass sensor and controls and monitors a driving motor so as to control one-dimensional azimuth angle;

a power supply module which supplies power from the vehicle power supply to each part of the system; and

a rotation platform which receives the power from the power supply module through the rotary jointer and controls one-dimensionally the azimuth angle of the active antenna by the driving motor.

2. The active antenna system of claim 1, wherein the active channel sub-module comprises:

a plurality of radiation sub-arrays which receives satellite signals from the antenna radome;

a plurality of primary low noise amplifies which amplify in low noise the satellite signals obtained reception gains in the plurality of radiation sub-arrays and ensure performance of a gain to noise constant;

a signal power combiner which couples the amplified signals in the plurality of primary low noise amplifiers;

a secondary low noise amplifier which recovers gain loss relative to an output of the signal power combiner;

a phase shifter which delays the phase of the output signals of the secondary low noise amplifier by a desired phase;

a signal power attenuator which compensates for the gain difference of the signals delayed by the phase shifter between the active channel sub-modules; and

a driver which receives phase delayed codes in a beam steering control and then controls the phase of the phase shifter into a certain value.

3. The active antenna system of the mobile of claim 1, wherein the radiation sub-arrays are arranged in a plane oriented to the satellite, the radiation sub-arrays have a certain horizontal spacing and a certain perpendicular spacing, phased array unit areas of the double beam are divided into 4 groups, each group having equal numbers of radiation sub-arrays which satisfy array rules and are included in a circle, each row of the group constitutes active channel sub-modules, and the number of the active channel-module is such that n-i rules are satisfied where n is an arbitrary number in order that the number i of the radiation sub-arrays of the longest column in each groups becomes a maximum.

4. The active antenna system of claim 1, wherein the beam forming block comprises:

a plurality of low noise amplifiers which compensate for and distribute the gain loss of the signal from the reception signal combiner of the antenna system;

a plurality of phase shifters which receive one of the signals distributed from the plurality of the low noise amplifiers and delay the phase for forming a secondary beam of the double beam;

a first reception signal combiner which couples the delayed signals from the plurality of phase shifters; and

a second signal power combiner which couples the distributed opposite side signals from the plurality of the low noise amplifiers and then provides antenna reception satellite broadcasting signals.

5. A satellite tracking method using an active antenna system of a mobile, said method comprising the steps of:

performing open loop tracking using an electronic compass sensor in an initial satellite tracking after initialization of the system and then tracking an initial position of the satellite;

confirming first whether signals are detected as a result of the initial satellite position tracking;

performing repeatedly an automatic antenna measurement tracking which applies a double beam satellite tracking as a closed loop tracking if any signal is not detected after confirming detection of a primary signal and the position of the satellite is captured;

stopping an operation in an emergency based on a determination of a user if any signal is not detected after confirming detection of the primary signal;

confirming secondly whether the signals are detected;

performing repeatedly a satellite tracking as an open loop tracking which applies an electronic compass sensor if any signal is not detected after confirming secondly the signal detection and thus the satellite tracking has failed;

proceeding to the automatic antenna measurement tracking step if the signals are detected after confirming secondly the signal detection and thus the satellite tracking is succeeded;

confirming thirdly whether the signals are detected, proceeding to an automatic antenna measurement tracking step if any signals is not detected after confirming thirdly the signal detection; and

proceeding to the initial satellite tracking step if any signals is not detected after confirming thirdly the signal detection and thus the satellite tracking is failed.

6. The satellite tracking method of claim 5, wherein the primary beam of the double beam is formed by the steps of:

transferring codes to the phase shifter driver of the active channel sub-module when phase steering information are provided from a satellite tracking processor to a beam steering control; and

delaying the phase of the signals via the phase shifter after transferring the codes to the phase shift driver.

7. The satellite tracking method of claim 5, wherein the secondary beam of the double beam is formed by the steps of:

detecting a reception magnitude of the arbitrary secondary beam in a tracking signal converter and then transferring a satellite tracking error signal to the satellite tracking processor via the beam steering controller;

calculating and determining a reception magnitude of the arbitrary secondary beam transferred to the satellite tracking processor and then providing codes to the beam steering controller; and

transferring the codes provided to the beam steering controller to the phase shift driver of the beam forming block and then delaying additionally the phase of the primary beam signals via the phase shifter driver.

8. The satellite tracking method of claim 5, wherein the secondary beam of the double beam, +45, +45, -45 and -45 degrees of delay phase are assigned to 4 unit areas of the phased array, are altered sequentially and assigned to arbitrary time intervals depending on a tracking sequence, and then the secondary beam steering patterns each having different steering are arranged sequentially.

9. The satellite tracking method of claim 5, wherein steering patterns of the double beam are positioned in the origin,

if the patterns have arbitrary steering effective areas, the secondary beam having arbitrary tracking effective areas shifts the steering center of the secondary beam steering pattern to the sequence of +45, +45, -45 and -45 along the steering effective area track of the secondary beam,

if the actual satellite coordinates are shifted to arbitrary coordinates, shifted coordinates values are calculated based on the difference of the satellite signals received in the secondary beam steering pattern, and

then the center coordinates of the primary beam are shifted from the origin to the arbitrary coordinates to which the actual coordinates are shifted.