Antenna positioning system

• US 9,989,961 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2015
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Winegard Company
• Original Assignee: Winegard Company
• Inventors: Linderer, Timothy Jay, Dunkin, Aaron Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Ismail, Shawki S
• Assistant Examiner(s): IMTIAZ, ZOHEB S
• Application Number:
  US14/945,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20160161942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 24/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1257 using the received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/005 using remotely controlled antenna positioning or scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/06 over a restricted angle
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/08 for varying two co-ordinates of the orientation

Abstract

An antenna positioning system includes an outdoor unit with a rotating antenna driven by a motor, and an indoor unit connected to the outdoor unit via a communications link, such as a cable or a wireless link, that enables the indoor unit to control the outdoor unit. On startup, the processor of the indoor unit directs the antenna to search for available signals. The resulting signal information is stored and displayed on a user interface on the indoor unit. The user can then select a desired signal and the processor of the indoor unit will automatically rotate the antenna to the appropriate angular position. Both the search procedure and repositioning of the antenna rely on accurate calibration of the antenna'"'"'s angular velocity to determine the antenna'"'"'s angular position, rather than relying on a position sensor.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the position of a rotatable antenna in an antenna system having a rotatable antenna, a mechanical stop limiting rotation of the antenna beyond a predetermined point, and a motor rotating the antenna;

and a user interface for enabling a user to select a desired angular position for the antenna;

said method comprising;

conducting an initial scan of the antenna by;

(a) rotating the antenna over a predetermined range of rotation defined by the mechanical stop limiting further rotation of the antenna beyond a predetermined point, to thereby define an initial present angular position for the antenna;

(b) measuring the time required to rotate the antenna over the range of rotation; and

(c) calculating the angular velocity of the antenna during the initial scan based on the measured time to rotate the antenna over the range of rotation; and

in a subsequent operational mode, in response to user input selecting a desired angular position for the antenna;

(a) calculating the travel time and direction of travel to rotate the antenna to the desired angular position based on the present angular position and angular velocity of the antenna; and

(b) controlling the motor to rotate the antenna in the calculated direction of travel for the calculated travel time.

2. The antenna positioning system of claim 1 wherein the initial scan of the antenna further comprises searching for signals received by the antenna and storing data regarding the angular directions of the signals received.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of rotating the antenna over a range of rotation further comprises:

rotating the antenna in a first direction until the stop is encountered; and

rotating the antenna in the opposite direction until the stop is encountered while measuring the time required.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of calculating the travel time and direction of travel is further based on avoiding the stop.

5. A method for controlling the position of a rotatable antenna in an antenna system having a rotatable antenna, a mechanical stop limiting rotation of the antenna beyond a predetermined point, and a motor rotating the antenna;

and a user interface for enabling a user to select a desired external signal source for the antenna;

said method comprising;

conducting an initial scan of the antenna by;

(a) rotating the antenna over a predetermined range of rotation defined by the mechanical stop limiting further rotation of the antenna beyond a predetermined point, to thereby define an initial present angular position for the antenna;

(b) receiving signals via the antenna from external signal sources during the initial scan and storing data regarding the identity and angular directions of the signals received;

(c) measuring the time required to rotate the antenna over the range of rotation; and

(d) calculating the angular velocity of the antenna during the initial scan based on the measured time to rotate the antenna over the range of rotation; and

in a subsequent operational mode, in response to user input selecting a desired external signal source;

(a) retrieving the stored angular direction associated with the desired external signal source;

(b) calculating the travel time and direction of travel to rotate the antenna to the angular direction of the desired external signal source, based on the present angular position and angular velocity of the antenna; and

(c) controlling the motor to rotate the antenna in the calculated direction for the calculated travel time.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of rotating the antenna over a range of rotation further comprises:

rotating the antenna in a first direction until the stop is encountered; and

rotating the antenna in the opposite direction until the stop is encountered while measuring the time required.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of calculating the travel time and direction of travel is further based on avoiding the stop.

8. A method for controlling the position of a rotatable antenna in an antenna system having an outdoor unit (ODU) with a rotatable antenna, a mechanical stop limiting rotation of the antenna beyond a predetermined point, and a motor rotating the antenna;

and an indoor unit (IDU) with a communications link to the ODU, a receiver, data storage, and a user interface for enabling a user to select a desired external signal source for the antenna;

said method comprising;

conducting an initial scan of the antenna by;

(a) rotating the antenna over a predetermined range of rotation defined by the mechanical stop limiting further rotation of the antenna beyond a predetermined point, to thereby define an initial present angular position for the antenna;

(b) receiving signals via the antenna from external signal sources during the initial scan and storing data regarding the identity and angular directions of the signals received in the data storage of the IDU;

(c) measuring the time required to rotate the antenna over the range of rotation; and

(d) calculating the angular velocity of the antenna during the initial scan based on the measured time to rotate the antenna over the range of rotation; and

in a subsequent operational mode, in response to user input selecting a desired external signal source;

(a) retrieving the stored angular direction associated with the desired external signal source from data storage;

(b) calculating the travel time and direction of travel to rotate the antenna to the angular direction of the desired external signal source, based on the present angular position and angular velocity of the antenna; and

(c) employing the IDU to control the motor of the ODU to rotate the antenna in the calculated direction for the calculated travel time.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of rotating the antenna over a range of rotation further comprises:

rotating the antenna in a first direction until the stop is encountered; and

rotating the antenna in the opposite direction until the stop is encountered while measuring the time required.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of calculating the travel time and direction of travel is further based on avoiding the stop.