A method and apparatus for performing satellite signal acquisition are described. In one embodiment, a method for using a satellite antenna comprises estimating antenna orientation when the antenna is in motion, including estimating yaw using one or more sensors; and performing signal acquisition to search for a satellite signal with the satellite antenna by interleaving a plurality of signal searches performed by the satellite antenna, the plurality of signal searches being based on an estimated yaw.

The application discloses a combined phase shifter and a multi-band antenna network system. The combined phase shifter includes at least two phase shifters. The phase shifters have different frequency bands. Each phase shifter includes a signal line layer and components that are configured to change a phase of an output port of the signal line layer. The components are slidable relative to the signal layer. A filter circuit is provided at an output port of the signal layer. Output ports of filter circuits corresponding to the at least two phase shifters are connected by a conductor, and perform output using a common output port.

An antenna may include a base, a gimbal mount coupled to the base, and a first guide body coupled to the base and having a first guide slot. The antenna may include a second guide body rotatably coupled with respect to the base and having a second guide slot defining a steerable intersection position with respect to the first guide slot. The antenna may also have an antenna member coupled to the gimbal mount and extending through the steerable intersection position, and an actuator configured to selectively rotate the second guide body to steer the antenna member.

Disclosed are systems and methods for improving the quality and strength of a wireless signal connecting a mobile station and a base station, in situations where the mobile station is able to utilize a directional antenna. The system for improving system quality comprise, for example, a directional antenna; an antenna power level detector which detects a signal strength; a signal inverter wherein the signal inverter generates a conditioned signal from the detected signal strength; an indicator wherein the indicator provides an indicator of a signal quality level from the detected signal strength; a reorientation decision logic wherein the reorientation decision logic communicates an instruction for movement of the directional antenna, wherein the detected signal strength is correlated to a projected orientation of the directional antenna at a time the signal strength is detected, and further wherein an antenna orientation control loop communicates a reorientation instruction for the directional antenna.

An antenna is selected in a system including a first and at least one second device. The system forms a communication network of TDMA type where each communication occurs in frames. The first device includes plural antennas that each covers a predefined sector near the antennas. The frames are organised in a succession of groups of consecutive frames, each group being organised in a structure associating each frame with a pair formed by an antenna of the first device and of a second device, each possible pair being associated with a different frame in the group according to a position of the frame in the group. For each device including plural antennas: information is obtained representing communication quality between the device's antenna and the first or a second device's antenna, and the antenna is selected having the highest communication quality with an antenna of the first or a second device.

A rotating controlling method for an antenna, the steps includes collecting parameters for indicating signal strength of the antenna; and determining an optimal radiation position of the antenna and setting the corresponding value of a repulsive force or an attractive force so that the antenna is rotated to the optimal radiation position.

A point to point radio alignment system is disclosed. A voltmeter positioned at the first antenna measures alignment voltage that is generated from an alignment of the first radio component positioned on the first antenna. A transceiver positioned at the first antenna receives a second alignment voltage that is measured at the second antenna and generated from an alignment of the second radio component positioned on the second antenna. A controller positioned at the first antenna simultaneously monitors the first alignment voltage as the alignment of the first radio component is adjusted and the second alignment voltage as the second radio component is adjusted. The controller simultaneously displays the first alignment voltage as the first radio component is adjusted and the second alignment voltage as the second radio component is adjusted to enable a first user to track an alignment of the first radio component and the second radio component.

Technologies for aligning an antenna array of a vehicle by a compute device are disclosed. A compute device may control an antenna array to connect to a base station. The compute device may determine one or more movement parameters of the vehicle, such as an indication that the vehicle is going to take a U-turn. The compute device may then control the antenna array to track the base station during the U-turn by physically rotating the antenna array.

A rotatable antenna apparatus has a fixed unit for attachment of the apparatus to an external structure, and a rotatable unit mounted on the fixed unit for rotation relative to the fixed unit. The rotatable unit comprises both an antenna assembly and processing circuitry coupled to the antenna assembly for performing signal processing operations. The apparatus further includes a thermally conductive shaft connected to the rotatable unit and located for rotation within the fixed unit, and a thermally conductive coupling structure to conduct heat from one or more heat generating components of the processing circuitry into the thermally conductive shaft. A heat sink within the fixed unit is thermally coupled to the thermally conductive shaft to draw heat away from the thermally conductive shaft. This provides an efficient mechanism for removing heat from the rotatable unit, whilst still allowing the rotatable unit to be sealed against external environmental conditions.

A method for maximizing signal strength between a land-based or moving first station and a second, moving station on a sea-going vessel is provided, comprising mounting an antenna on a structure on the moving station, the structure rotatable about a vertical axis by a mechanism powered by an electric motor, initiating a data connection between the first and the second stations by a processor in communication circuitry at the second station, reading a received signal-strength by the processor, and operating the electric motor by the processor, rotating the rotatable structure, maximizing the signal strength.