Low profile mobile tri-band antenna system

• US 8,462,753 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2006
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Eom, Soon-Young, Jung, Young-Bae, Son, Seong-Ho, Yun, Jae-Seung, Jeon, Soon-Ik
• Primary Examiner(s): Mills, Donald
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAVENPORT, MON CHERI S
• Application Number:
  US12/094,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20080298298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,405 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370/339, 370/401, 370/465, 455/12.1, 455/13.1, 455/13.3, 455/13.4, 455 23- 25, 455427-430, 342/352, 342/354, 343/840, 343/779
• US Class Current: 370/339
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3275 mounted on a horizontal surface of the vehicle, e.g. on roof, hood, trunk
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/19 comprising one main concave reflecting surface associated with an auxiliary reflecting surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/007 using two or more primary active elements in the focal region of a focusing device for operation on different wavebands H01Q5/22
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/04 for varying one co-ordinate of the orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/55 for horn or waveguide antennas

Abstract

Provided is a mobile tri-band antenna system having low profile. The antenna system includes a tri-band feeding unit for dividing a satellite broadcasting signal by a signal channel in an azimuth angle and an elevation angle, and transmitting/receiving the satellite communication signal through distinguishing the satellite communication signal; a beam shaping unit for dividing the satellite broadcasting signals into a first channel signal and a second channel signal, combined power thereof through channel switching; an antenna controlling unit for driving an antenna system in an azimuth and elevation angle to direct the satellite according to the power combined second channel signal from the beam shaping unit; a first triplexer unit for outputting the power combined first channel signal to a rotary joint unit; a second triplexer unit for converting the first channel signal inputted to a downlink frequency and providing the converted first channel signal to the indoor apparatus.

Claims

1. A mobile tri-band antenna system, comprising:

an indoor apparatus for controlling the antenna system; and

an outdoor apparatus including a rotating unit for tracking a satellite, a fixing unit for fixing the outdoor apparatus, and a rotary joint means for connecting the rotating unit and the fixing unit, the outdoor apparatus including;

a dual reflecting means for receiving first and second frequency band satellite signals from the satellite, and transmitting a third frequency band satellite signal to the satellite;

a tri-band feeding means for dividing the first frequency band satellite signal as received from the dual reflecting means into a plurality of channel signals, receiving the second frequency band satellite signal, and transmitting the third frequency band satellite signal, wherein the tri-band feeding means includes

a feeding horn means for transmitting and receiving the second and third frequency band satellite signals with the dual reflecting means, the feeding horn means including a stepped protruding dielectric rod inserted into a circular waveguide for impedance matching,

a polarization converting means for converting a linear polarized wave signal to a circular polarized wave signal and vice versa,

an identifying means for identifying the second and third frequency band satellite signals, and

a feed array means for dividing the first frequency band satellite signal into a signal of a first channel in a horizontal direction of the azimuth angle and a signal of a second channel in a vertical direction of the elevation angle, according to an arrangement of feed array elements of the feed array means;

a beam shaping means for further dividing the plurality of channel signals into a plurality of first channel signals and a plurality of second channel signals, and combining power of the plurality of first channel signals and power of the plurality of second channel signals through channel switching;

an antenna controlling means for driving the antenna system according to the azimuth angle and the elevation angle to direct the satellite according to the power-combined second channel signals from the beam shaping means;

a downlink frequency means for converting the second frequency band satellite signal to a first downlink frequency;

an uplink frequency means for converting the third frequency band satellite signal to an uplink frequency;

a first triplexing means for outputting the power-combined first channel signals from the beam shaping means to the rotary joint means; and

a second triplexing means for converting the power-combined first channel signals, inputted from the rotary joint means, to a second downlink frequency and providing the converted first channel signals to the indoor apparatus.

2. The mobile tri-band antenna system as recited in claim 1, wherein the beam shaping means includes:

a channel dividing means for further dividing the plurality of channel signals, from the tri-band feeding means, into the plurality of first channel signals and the plurality of second channel signals;

a first power combining means for combining the power of the plurality of first channel signals; and

a second power combining means for combining the power of the plurality of second channel signals.

3. The mobile tri-band system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a driving means for mechanically driving the antenna system in a direction of the satellite according to a horizontal direction of the azimuth angle and a vertical direction of the elevation angle;

wherein the antenna controlling means includes

a switching means for controlling the third frequency band satellite signal to be turned on or off by driving the antenna system to direct the satellite through the driving means; and

a central processing means for controlling the driving means according to the power-combined second channel signals inputted from the beam shaping means.

4. The mobile tri-band antenna system as recite in claim 1, wherein the first triplexing means includes an IF low band pass filter, an IF band pass filter, and an IF amplifier for transmitting the third frequency band satellite signal, and an IF switch disposed between the IF band pass filter and the IF amplifier and being controlled by the antenna controlling means.

5. The mobile tri-band system as recited in claim 1, wherein the second triplexing means includes an IF amplifier and an IF low band pass filter for receiving the power-combined first signal channel signals, and a second downlink frequency means for converting the power-combined first signal channel signals to the second downlink frequency before the IF amplifier.

6. The mobile tri-band system as recited in claim 1, wherein, in the feed array means, the array elements are disposed around the feeding horn means at 90°

cycle, and a distance between the array elements is dy=dx=0.8λ

₀.

7. The mobile tri-band system as recited in claim 2, wherein the beam shaping means further includes a phase shifting means for shifting a phase of the divided first frequency band satellite signal from the tri-band feeding means in order to correct a phase difference of array elements, and a phase difference made by dividing the divided first frequency band satellite signal into the first and second signal channels.

8. A mobile tri-band antenna system, comprising:

an indoor apparatus for controlling the antenna system; and

an outdoor apparatus including a rotating unit that tracks a satellite, a fixing unit fixing the outdoor apparatus, and a rotary joint connecting the rotating unit and the fixing unit, the outdoor apparatus including;

a dual reflector receiving first and second frequency band satellite signals from the satellite, and transmitting a third frequency band satellite signal to the satellite,

a tri-band feeder receiving first and second frequency band satellite signals from the dual reflector, dividing the received first frequency band satellite signal into a plurality of channel signals, and transmitting the third frequency band satellite signal, wherein the tri-band feeder includes

a feeding horn transmitting and receiving the second and third frequency band satellite signals with the dual reflector, the feeding horn including a stepped protruding dielectric rod inserted into a circular waveguide for impedance matching,

a polarization converter means for converting a linear polarized wave signal to a circular polarized wave signal and vice versa,

an identifying means for identifying the second and third frequency band satellite signals, and

a feed array antenna for dividing the first frequency band satellite signal into a signal of a first channel in a horizontal direction of the azimuth angle and a signal of a second channel in a vertical direction of the elevation angle, according to an arrangement of feed array elements of the feed array means;

a beam shaping unit further dividing the plurality of channel signals into a plurality of first channel signals and a plurality of second channel signals, and combining power of the plurality of first channel signals and power of the plurality of second channel signals through channel switching,

an antenna controller driving the antenna system according to the azimuth angle and the elevation angle to direct the satellite according to the power-combined second channel signals,

a downlink frequency converter converting the second frequency band satellite signal to a first downlink frequency,

an uplink frequency converter converting the third frequency band satellite signal to an uplink frequency,

a first triplexer outputting the power-combined first channel signals to the rotary joint, and

a second triplexer receiving the power-combined first channel signals from the rotary joint, converting the received first channel signals to a second downlink frequency, and providing the converted first channel signals to the indoor apparatus.

9. The mobile tri-band antenna system as recited in claim 8, wherein the beam shaping unit includes

a channel divider further dividing the plurality of channel signals into the plurality of first channel signals and the plurality of second channel signals,

a first power combiner combining the power of the plurality of first channel signals, and

a second power combiner combining the power of the plurality of second channel signals.

10. The mobile tri-band system as recited in claim 8, further comprising a mechanical driving unit mechanically driving the antenna system in a direction of the satellite according to a horizontal direction of the azimuth angle and a vertical direction of the elevation angle;

wherein the antenna controller includes

a switching controller controlling the third frequency band satellite signal to be turned on or off by driving the antenna system to direct the satellite through the driving means, and

a central processing unit controlling the mechanical driving unit according to said power-combined second channel signals.

11. The mobile tri-band antenna system as recite in claim 8, wherein the first triplexer includes an IF low band pass filter, an IF band pass filter, and an IF amplifier for transmitting the third frequency band satellite signal, and an IF switch disposed between the IF band pass filter and the IF amplifier and being controlled by the antenna controller.

12. The mobile tri-band system as recited in claim 8, wherein the second triplexer includes an IF amplifier and an IF low band pass filter for receiving the power-combined first signal channel signals, and a second downlink frequency converter converting the power-combined first signal channel signals to the second downlink frequency before the IF amplifier.

13. The mobile tri-band system as recited in claim 8, wherein said array elements are disposed around the feeding horn at 90°

cycle, and a distance between the array elements is dy=dx=0.8λ

₀.

14. The mobile tri-band system as recited in claim 9, wherein the beam shaping unit further includes a phase shifter shifting a phase of said divided first frequency band satellite signal in order to correct a phase difference of array elements, and a phase difference made by dividing the divided first frequency band satellite signal into the first and second signal channels.