Fixed communication terminal having proximity detector method and apparatus for safe wireless communication
First Claim
1. A fixed terminal, comprising:
- a directional antenna;
a proximity detector; and
an antenna controller coupled to the directional antenna and the proximity detector, wherein the antenna controller forms an antenna beam of the directional antenna, directs the antenna beam toward a satellite based on information generated by the fixed terminal to allow the fixed terminal to communicate with the satellite, and controls the directional antenna based on an output of the proximity detector.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fixed terminal forms a highly directed beam toward a satellite and adaptively maintains a beam to track the satellite as the satellite moves relative to the fixed terminal. The fixed terminal includes a database that contains the positional information of all potential communication satellites. The fixed terminal antenna system provides for both simple auto-steering on installation for ease of use and terminal access to multiple satellite services. The proximity detector detects objects that may interfere with the antenna beam. The proximity detector includes infrared sensors, sonar detectors, motion detectors and optical devices to determine a range and bearing of objects that may interfere with the antenna beam. When an object may be harmed or interfere with the antenna beam, an alarm may be activated to warn the user and/or the object of potential harm from the electromagnetic energy transmitted by the directed antenna.
124 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A fixed terminal, comprising:
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a directional antenna; a proximity detector; and an antenna controller coupled to the directional antenna and the proximity detector, wherein the antenna controller forms an antenna beam of the directional antenna, directs the antenna beam toward a satellite based on information generated by the fixed terminal to allow the fixed terminal to communicate with the satellite, and controls the directional antenna based on an output of the proximity detector. - 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 method for operating a fixed terminal, comprising:
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forming an antenna beam of a directional antenna; directing the antenna beam toward a satellite based on information generated by the fixed terminal to allow the fixed terminal to communicate with the satellite; and controlling the directional antenna based on an output of a proximity detector. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification