Baffled sun sensor antenna alignment monitors
First Claim
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1. A directional alignment and alignment monitoring apparatus for directional and omni-directional antennas comprising;
- a light sensor assembly having a housing adapted to be mounted in a known angular relationship on an antenna, at least a portion of the housing being transparent so that light from a source exterior to the housing may enter into the housing, at least one phototransistor mounted within the housing and spaced from the transparent portion of the housing, at least one light controlling baffle member mounted within the housing so as to control illumination of the at least one phototransistor by light entering the housing, the at least one baffle member including a light admitting passageway having a outer light entrance opening that is oriented toward the transparent portion of the housing and is spaced from the at least one phototransistor and an inner opening that is adjacent the at least one phototransistor, the passageway being aligned with the at least one phototransistor such that light entering the outer light entrance is channeled to the at least one phototransistor through the passageway only when the light source is generally aligned with the passageway, the passageway extending at least partially at a vertical angle relative to a horizontal plane, and circuit means for connecting the at least one phototransistor to a monitoring system whereby a time of illumination of the at least one phototransistor by the light passing through the passageway is used to determine an angular position of the sensor relative to a known position of the light source.
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Abstract
A directional alignment and alignment monitoring sensor system that is designed to be mounted to a directional or omni-directional antenna wherein the system includes a sensor having one or more phototransistors that are associated with one or more baffle members and wherein each baffle member defines a restrictive light passageway toward a phototransistor such the by measuring the time that a phototransistor is illuminated, a correct orientation of the antenna may be accurately determined.
30 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A directional alignment and alignment monitoring apparatus for directional and omni-directional antennas comprising;
- a light sensor assembly having a housing adapted to be mounted in a known angular relationship on an antenna, at least a portion of the housing being transparent so that light from a source exterior to the housing may enter into the housing, at least one phototransistor mounted within the housing and spaced from the transparent portion of the housing, at least one light controlling baffle member mounted within the housing so as to control illumination of the at least one phototransistor by light entering the housing, the at least one baffle member including a light admitting passageway having a outer light entrance opening that is oriented toward the transparent portion of the housing and is spaced from the at least one phototransistor and an inner opening that is adjacent the at least one phototransistor, the passageway being aligned with the at least one phototransistor such that light entering the outer light entrance is channeled to the at least one phototransistor through the passageway only when the light source is generally aligned with the passageway, the passageway extending at least partially at a vertical angle relative to a horizontal plane, and circuit means for connecting the at least one phototransistor to a monitoring system whereby a time of illumination of the at least one phototransistor by the light passing through the passageway is used to determine an angular position of the sensor relative to a known position of the light source.
- 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 directional alignment and alignment monitoring apparatus for directional and omni-directional antennas comprising;
- a light sensor assembly having a housing adapted to be mounted in a known angular relationship on an antenna, at least a portion of the housing being transparent so that light from a source exterior to the housing may enter into the housing, at least one phototransistor mounted within the housing, at least one light controlling baffle member mounted within the housing so as to control light entering the housing toward the at least one phototransistor, the at least one baffle member including a light admitting passageway that is aligned with the at least one phototransistor such that light entering the housing is channeled to the at least one phototransistor through the passageway only when the light source is generally aligned with the passageway, said at least one baffle member including a stack of at least two opaque plates mounted above the at least one phototransistor, each plate having at least one slot formed therethrough which is aligned with the slot in the other plate and which define the light admitting passageway, reflective means within the housing oriented to reflect light entering into the housing toward the at least one slot of one of the at least two opaque plates, and circuit means for connecting the at least one phototransistor to a monitoring system whereby a time of illumination of the at least one phototransistor may be used to determine an angular position of the sensor relative to a known position of the light source.
- View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A directional alignment and alignment monitoring apparatus for directional and omni-directional antennas comprising;
- a light sensor assembly adapted to be mounted in a known angular relationship on an antenna, the light sensor assembly including a housing at least a portion of which is transparent so that light from a source exterior to the assembly will enter into the housing, at least one phototransistor mounted within the housing and spaced from the transparent portion of the housing, at least one light controlling baffle member mounted within the housing so as to control illumination of the at least one phototransistor by light entering the housing, the at least one baffle member including opposing halves that when joined to one another define a light admitting passageway there between, the passageway having an elongated outer light entrance opening that is oriented toward the transparent portion of the housing and spaced from the at least one phototransistor and an inner chamber that is oriented toward and adjacent to the at least one phototransistor, the passageway converging from the elongated outer light entrance opening toward the inner chamber and being aligned with the at least one phototransistor such that light entering the elongated outer light entrance is channeled to the at least one phototransistor through the passageway only when the light source is generally aligned with the passageway, the passageway extending at least partially at a vertical angle relative to a horizontal plane, each half of the at least one baffle member including at least one projection that oppose one another when the halves are joined together and being spaced a distance to define a light passage slit that is oriented within the passageway, and circuit means for connecting the at least one phototransistor to a monitoring system whereby a time of illumination of the at least one phototransistor by the light passing through the passageway is used to determine an angular position of the sensor relative to a known position of the light source.
Specification