Antenna assembly and a method for satellite tracking
First Claim
1. An antenna assembly for satellite tracking, said antenna assembly comprising:
- a master antenna for receiving and transmitting first satellite signals to and from a master antenna satellite in a first frequency band,a slave antenna for receiving second satellite signals from a slave antenna satellite in a second satellite band, said master and slave antennas being mounted on the same stabilizing platform,a master drive assembly for mechanically changing the direction of a physical bore-sight axis of the master antenna, anda slave drive assembly for mechanically changing the direction of a physical bore-sight axis of the slave antenna,wherein said master and slave assemblies are adapted for arranging the physical bore-sight axes of the master antenna and the slave antenna at different directions in relation to each other in response to one or more master-slave control signals,wherein the antenna assembly further comprises control means for providing one or more master-slave control signals to the slave drive assembly to thereby control the arrangement of the direction of the physical bore-sight axis of the slave antenna in relation to the physical bore-sight axis of the master antenna so that the angular distance in azimuth between said physical bore-sight axes is set at a given azimuth value, ALPHA(AZ), andwherein the control means for providing the one or more master-slave controls signals to the slave drive assembly is further adapted for providing control signals to thereby control the arrangement of the direction of the physical bore-sight axis of the slave antenna so that the angular distance in elevation between the physical bore-sight axis of the slave antenna and the horizontal plane is set at a given elevation value, ALPHA(ELS).
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a method for satellite tracking by use of an antenna assembly having a master antenna for receiving and transmitting signals to and from a master antenna satellite in a first frequency band, and a slave antenna for receiving signals from a slave antenna satellite in a second satellite band, where the master and slave antennas have physical bore-sight axes which can be arranged at different directions in relation to each other. The method of the invention includes a master antenna search routine and a slave antenna search routine. The master antenna search routine comprises the steps of changing or switching a direction of reception of the master antenna, monitoring, during the changing or switching of direction of reception of the master antenna. The slave antenna search routine comprises the steps of arranging the direction of the physical bore-sight axis of the slave antenna at a first slave direction, where the first slave direction is at least partly based on the obtained direction of the physical bore-sight axis of the master antenna.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An antenna assembly for satellite tracking, said antenna assembly comprising:
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a master antenna for receiving and transmitting first satellite signals to and from a master antenna satellite in a first frequency band, a slave antenna for receiving second satellite signals from a slave antenna satellite in a second satellite band, said master and slave antennas being mounted on the same stabilizing platform, a master drive assembly for mechanically changing the direction of a physical bore-sight axis of the master antenna, and a slave drive assembly for mechanically changing the direction of a physical bore-sight axis of the slave antenna, wherein said master and slave assemblies are adapted for arranging the physical bore-sight axes of the master antenna and the slave antenna at different directions in relation to each other in response to one or more master-slave control signals, wherein the antenna assembly further comprises control means for providing one or more master-slave control signals to the slave drive assembly to thereby control the arrangement of the direction of the physical bore-sight axis of the slave antenna in relation to the physical bore-sight axis of the master antenna so that the angular distance in azimuth between said physical bore-sight axes is set at a given azimuth value, ALPHA(AZ), and wherein the control means for providing the one or more master-slave controls signals to the slave drive assembly is further adapted for providing control signals to thereby control the arrangement of the direction of the physical bore-sight axis of the slave antenna so that the angular distance in elevation between the physical bore-sight axis of the slave antenna and the horizontal plane is set at a given elevation value, ALPHA(ELS). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for satellite tracking by use of an antenna assembly having a master antenna for receiving and transmitting first satellite signals to and from a master antenna satellite in a first frequency band, and a slave antenna for receiving second satellite signals from a slave antenna satellite in a second frequency band, said master and slave antennas being mounted on the same stabilizing platform and having physical bore-sight axes which can be arranged at different directions in relation to each other, said method including:
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a) a master antenna search routine comprising the steps of; changing or switching a direction of reception of the master antenna, monitoring, during the changing or switching of direction of reception of the master antenna, one or more signals carrying information representing variations in receiving signal strength of one or more signals transmitted from the master antenna satellite, and mechanically moving the master antenna in response to the results of the monitoring of the signal strength information signal(s) corresponding to the signal(s) from the master antenna satellite, thereby obtaining a direction of the physical bore-sight axis of the master antenna resulting in reduced pointing errors of the master antenna in relation to the master antenna satellite; and b) a slave antenna search routine comprising the steps of; arranging the direction of the physical bore-sight axis of the slave antenna at a first slave direction, wherein the arrangement of the direction of the physical bore-sight axis of the slave antenna at the first slave direction comprises arranging the angular distance in azimuth between the physical bore-sight axes of the master antenna and the slave antenna at a given azimuth value, and wherein the arrangement of the direction of the physical bore-sight axis of the slave antenna at the first slave direction further comprises arranging the angular distance in elevation between the physical bore-sight axis of the slave antenna and the horizontal plane at a given elevation value, ALPHA(ELS), said given azimuth value and said given elevation value being determined from the obtained direction of the physical bore-sight axis of the master antenna, the orbital position of the master antenna satellite, the orbital position of the slave antenna satellite, and the geographical position of the antenna assembly. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification