Method and device for boresighting an antenna on a moving platform using a moving target
First Claim
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1. A method of boresighting an antenna mounted on a moving platform using a concurrently moving calibration target, comprising:
- a) receiving target navigation data from the calibration target describing movement of the calibration target;
b) concurrently,i) pointing the antenna in a nominal direction toward the calibration target using the target navigation data to compensate for the movement of the calibration target and using platform navigation data to compensate for motion of the moving platform, andii) offsetting the nominal direction to a bias direction corresponding to a best signal quality received from the calibration target; and
c) computing antenna boresight correction factors from a difference between the bias direction and the nominal direction.
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Abstract
A technique for boresighting an antenna mounted on a moving platform is described. The technique uses a concurrently moving calibration target. Target navigation data and platform navigation data are used to compensate for movement of the target and the platform. The antenna pointing direction is biased in a direction which provides a best signal quality, and the bias used to determine antenna boresight calibration factors. The boresight correction factors can be used for open loop pointing.
77 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method of boresighting an antenna mounted on a moving platform using a concurrently moving calibration target, comprising:
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a) receiving target navigation data from the calibration target describing movement of the calibration target; b) concurrently, i) pointing the antenna in a nominal direction toward the calibration target using the target navigation data to compensate for the movement of the calibration target and using platform navigation data to compensate for motion of the moving platform, and ii) offsetting the nominal direction to a bias direction corresponding to a best signal quality received from the calibration target; and c) computing antenna boresight correction factors from a difference between the bias direction and the nominal direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for boresighting an antenna on a ship at sea, comprising:
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a moving calibration target configured to respond to navigation commands and send target navigation data to the antenna; an antenna pointing subsystem in communication with the calibration target so as to receive the target navigation data and being operationally coupled to the antenna so as to control an antenna pointing direction, wherein the antenna pointing subsystem is configured to use the target navigation data in conjunction with navigation data from the ship to point the antenna in a nominal direction toward the target while compensating for target motion and ship motion; and a calibration subsystem operationally coupled to the antenna pointing subsystem and configured to (i) provide bias values to the antenna pointing system to offset the antenna from the nominal direction while taking signal quality measurements and (ii) use the signal quality measurements and bias values to compute a set of boresight calibration factors. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A system for boresight calibrating an antenna subsystem mounted on a moving platform using a concurrently moving calibration target, comprising:
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a receiver coupled to the antenna subsystem and configured to receive target navigation data from the moving calibration target via the antenna; an antenna pointing subsystem coupled to the antenna subsystem and receiver and configured to direct the antenna beam nominally toward the moving calibration target using the target navigation data and platform navigation data to compensate for motions of the moving calibration target and moving platform; and a calibration unit configured for interface to the antenna pointing subsystem and receiver so as to inject into the antenna pointing system bias values to cause a deviation in the direction of the antenna beam and to accept from the receiver signal quality values, whereby the bias values and the signal quality values are useable for computation of boresight calibration factors. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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Specification