Method and device for accurately pointing a satellite earth station antenna
First Claim
1. A method of accurately pointing a satellite Earth station antenna by:
- selecting a signal filter based on the geographic location at which the user Earth station antenna is to be installed;
wherein the selected filter has bandpass characteristics selected based on parameters of a satellite signal associated with that geographic location such that the satellite signal associated with that location is allowed to pass while effectively blocking other signals, noise and interference not associated with the satellite signal provided at that location;
configuring a signal meter to measure satellite signals received by a user Earth station antenna through the selected filter;
receiving from the user Earth station antenna a plurality of signals, noise and interference across a plurality of frequency bands at an input to the selected filter;
isolating, using the selected filter, the satellite signal associated with that geographic location;
measuring a signal strength of the isolated satellite signal with the signal meter; and
positioning the user Earth station antenna to maximize the signal strength or other related measure of signal quality as indicated by the signal meter.
13 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device for measuring the received signal strength at an Earth station antenna has the capability to provide an accurate pointing indication when the frequency bands and other key characteristics of the satellite signals are not uniform over the coverage area. The device has an input port, a plurality of passive or active signal filters, a filter selector and an output port. The device may further contain a signal amplifier with automatic or manual gain control. A plurality of filters is provided which may be coupled singularly or in combination between the input port and the output port. Each filter or combination of filters is associated with a particular geographic area and capable of allowing the satellite signal assigned to that geographic area to pass while attenuating or blocking other signals, noise and interference. The filter selector is used to connect the appropriate filter or combination of filters between the input port and the output port. A signal amplifier with manual or automatic gain control may be included to provide an output signal at the desired signal level. The output port may be connected to a power measuring unit, antenna pointing meter or other similar device to provide an accurate antenna pointing indication in the particular geographic area corresponding to the filter or filter combination selected.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of accurately pointing a satellite Earth station antenna by:
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selecting a signal filter based on the geographic location at which the user Earth station antenna is to be installed; wherein the selected filter has bandpass characteristics selected based on parameters of a satellite signal associated with that geographic location such that the satellite signal associated with that location is allowed to pass while effectively blocking other signals, noise and interference not associated with the satellite signal provided at that location; configuring a signal meter to measure satellite signals received by a user Earth station antenna through the selected filter; receiving from the user Earth station antenna a plurality of signals, noise and interference across a plurality of frequency bands at an input to the selected filter; isolating, using the selected filter, the satellite signal associated with that geographic location; measuring a signal strength of the isolated satellite signal with the signal meter; and positioning the user Earth station antenna to maximize the signal strength or other related measure of signal quality as indicated by the signal meter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A device for accurately pointing a user Earth station antenna comprising of:
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an input port which may be attached to an output of a user Earth station antenna; a microwave receiver coupled to the input port and operable to receive signals transmitted at a frequency greater than approximately one (1) Gigahertz (GHz); a plurality of signal filters which may be coupled to the input port, each filter associated with a particular geographic area and operable to allow a signal received in a frequency band assigned to that geographic area to pass while effectively blocking signals, noise and interference in other frequency bands; a filter selector operable to insert a selected filter into the signal path between the Earth station antenna and a signal meter; an output port operable to be coupled to a signal meter and to provide the filtered signal to the signal meter; and a housing enclosing at least a portion of each of the filter selector, the signal amplifier, the input port, and the microwave receiver. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A device for accurately pointing a satellite Earth station antenna comprising:
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a plurality of attachable signal filters, wherein each signal filter is operable to be attached to a signal meter and is associated with a particular geographic area and operable to allow a satellite signal received in the frequency band assigned to that geographic area to pass while effectively blocking signals in other frequency bands; and a signal amplifier, the signal amplifier comprising an amplifier input port which may be selectively attached to a selected signal filter and an amplifier output port operable to be coupled to a signal meter, and wherein the signal amplifier is operable to amplify an output of the selected signal filter to a level sufficient to be measured by the signal meter; a housing comprising a housing input port, a housing output port, and a socket operable to couple to the selected signal filter, wherein the housing encloses at least a portion of the signal meter and at least a portion of the selected signal filter, wherein the housing input port is operable to couple to the satellite Earth station antenna and the housing output port is operable to couple to the signal meter; and the signal meter, wherein the signal meter is operable to couple to at least one of the housing input port and the housing output port. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A device for accurately pointing a user Earth station antenna comprising of:
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an input port which may be attached to an output of a user Earth station antenna, wherein the input port comprises a first type-F coaxial connector; eight signal filters which may be coupled to the input port, each filter associated with a particular geographic area and operable to allow a signal received within a unique frequency band assigned to that geographic area to pass while effectively blocking signals, noise and interference in other frequency bands, wherein each of the unique frequency bands comprises a range of approximately sixty (60) Megahertz (MHz); a mechanical switch having eight positions and operable to insert a selected filter into a signal path between the Earth station antenna and a signal meter; an amplifier having a fixed gain of approximately ten (10) decibels (dB) and operable to amplify the filtered signal; an output port operable to be coupled to the signal meter and to provide the amplified filtered signal to the signal meter, wherein the output port comprises a second type-F coaxial connector, wherein the device is operable to operate at a frequency of approximately 1-2 GHz and wherein the device is powered by a direct current (DC) voltage present at the input port.
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21. A device for accurately pointing a satellite Earth station antenna comprising:
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eight attachable signal filters, wherein each signal filter comprises a filter input port that includes a first type-F coaxial connector and a filter output port that includes a second type-F coaxial connector, and wherein each signal filter is operable to be attached to a signal meter and to allow a satellite signal received in a unique frequency band assigned to a particular geographic area associated with that filter to pass while effectively blocking signals in other frequency bands, and wherein each of the unique frequency bands comprises a range of approximately sixty (60) Megahertz (MHz); and a signal amplifier, the signal amplifier having a fixed gain of approximately ten (10) decibels (dB) and comprising; an amplifier input port that includes a third type-F coaxial connector and which may be selectively attached to a selected signal filter; and an amplifier output port that includes a fourth type-F coaxial connector and that is operable to be coupled to a signal meter comprising a meter input port that includes a fifth type-F coaxial connector, wherein the signal amplifier is operable to amplify an output of the selected signal filter to a level sufficient to be measured by the signal meter, and wherein the signal amplifier is powered by a direct current (DC) voltage present on at least one of the amplifier input port and the amplifier output port and wherein the device operates at a frequency of approximately 1-2 GHz.
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Specification