H01Q3/20

Prism for repointing reflector antenna main beam
11469515 · 2022-10-11 · ·

A microwave prism is used to repoint an operational Direct-to-Home (DTH) or Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) reflector antenna as part of a ground terminal to receive (or transmit) signals from a different satellite or orbital position without physically moving the reflector or the feed horn antenna. The microwave prism operates by shifting the radiated fields from the horn antenna generally perpendicular to the focal axis of the parabolic reflector in order to cause the main beam of the reflector to scan in response. For an existing reflector antenna receiving signals from an incumbent satellite, a prism has been designed to be snapped into place over the feed horn and shift the fields laterally by a calibrated distance. The structure of the prism is designed to be positioned and oriented correctly without the use of skilled labor. This system allows a satellite service provider to repoint their subscribers to a new satellite by shipping a self-install kit of the prism that is pre-configured to have the correct orientation and position on the feed antenna to correctly re-point the beam at a different satellite once the prism is applied. One benefit of the system is that unskilled labor, i.e., the subscribers themselves, can be used to repoint a large number of subscriber antennas in a satellite network rather than requiring the cost of a truck roll and a technician to visit every site. The microwave prisms to implement this functionality can be constructed in different ways, with homogeneous slabs or blocks, Gradient-Index (GRIN), multi-layered dielectric, geometric or graded-index Fresnel-zone, metasurface, or metamaterial prisms. The geometric and electrical constraints of the design are determined by the incumbent and target satellites and the ground terminal location.

Prism for repointing reflector antenna main beam
11469515 · 2022-10-11 · ·

A microwave prism is used to repoint an operational Direct-to-Home (DTH) or Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) reflector antenna as part of a ground terminal to receive (or transmit) signals from a different satellite or orbital position without physically moving the reflector or the feed horn antenna. The microwave prism operates by shifting the radiated fields from the horn antenna generally perpendicular to the focal axis of the parabolic reflector in order to cause the main beam of the reflector to scan in response. For an existing reflector antenna receiving signals from an incumbent satellite, a prism has been designed to be snapped into place over the feed horn and shift the fields laterally by a calibrated distance. The structure of the prism is designed to be positioned and oriented correctly without the use of skilled labor. This system allows a satellite service provider to repoint their subscribers to a new satellite by shipping a self-install kit of the prism that is pre-configured to have the correct orientation and position on the feed antenna to correctly re-point the beam at a different satellite once the prism is applied. One benefit of the system is that unskilled labor, i.e., the subscribers themselves, can be used to repoint a large number of subscriber antennas in a satellite network rather than requiring the cost of a truck roll and a technician to visit every site. The microwave prisms to implement this functionality can be constructed in different ways, with homogeneous slabs or blocks, Gradient-Index (GRIN), multi-layered dielectric, geometric or graded-index Fresnel-zone, metasurface, or metamaterial prisms. The geometric and electrical constraints of the design are determined by the incumbent and target satellites and the ground terminal location.

Cellular system
11646491 · 2023-05-09 ·

A system includes one or more antennas; and a processor to control a directionality of the antennas in communication with a predetermined target using 5G protocols.

ANTENNA REFLECTOR INTERCHANGE MECHANISM
20170365922 · 2017-12-21 ·

An interchange mechanism for deploying at least one reflector for reconfiguration of a spacecraft antenna. The interchange mechanism includes a rotary actuator having a fixed section mounted on an antenna structure and a mobile section rotating relative to the fixed section about a rotation axis. At least one carrier supports a reflector and is freely rotatably mounted on the fixed section for rotation about the rotation axis between first and second angular positions. An arm mounted on the mobile section carries a carrier engaging mechanism that successively and releasably engages the at least one carrier and displaces the at least one carrier from the first to the second angular position when the arm and the mobile section rotate in a first direction.

ANTENNA REFLECTOR INTERCHANGE MECHANISM
20170365922 · 2017-12-21 ·

An interchange mechanism for deploying at least one reflector for reconfiguration of a spacecraft antenna. The interchange mechanism includes a rotary actuator having a fixed section mounted on an antenna structure and a mobile section rotating relative to the fixed section about a rotation axis. At least one carrier supports a reflector and is freely rotatably mounted on the fixed section for rotation about the rotation axis between first and second angular positions. An arm mounted on the mobile section carries a carrier engaging mechanism that successively and releasably engages the at least one carrier and displaces the at least one carrier from the first to the second angular position when the arm and the mobile section rotate in a first direction.

Arrangement and method for electronically tracking RF reflector antennas
09847572 · 2017-12-19 · ·

A high-frequency reflector antenna (1) is provided that includes at least one main reflector (2), at least one sub-reflector (3) and at least one horn (4). The stationary elements (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8) for influencing the direction-dependent reception characteristic are present in the beam path between the main reflector (2) and the horn (4). The stationary elements (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8) may protrude into the free aperture area (6) of the horn (4). The stationary elements (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8) are switchable dipole elements (5.1.1, 5.2.1, 5.3.1, 5.4.1, 5.5.1, 5.6.1, 5.7.1, 5.8.1) that are arranged with their dipole axis (15) in a manner to influence the reception characteristics of elliptically to circularly or linearly polarised high-frequency radiation.

Cellular system
11677147 · 2023-06-13 ·

A system includes a cellular transceiver to communicate with a predetermined target; one or more antennas coupled to the 5G or 6G transceiver each electrically or mechanically steerable to the predetermined target; a processor to control a directionality of the one or more antennas in communication with the predetermined target; and an edge processing module coupled to the processor and the one or more antennas to provide low-latency computation for the predetermined target.

Forming a beam from a subscriber module of a fixed wireless access communication system

A subscriber module of a fixed wireless access communication system comprises an offset Gregorian antenna arrangement, an array of antenna elements arranged as a feed, a beamforming network and a processor. The processor is configured to provide, to the beamformer, a pre-determined plurality of antenna weight vectors configured to form a plurality of beams, the orientations of the plurality of beams being arranged in a grid comprising a plurality of rows, each of the pre-determined plurality of antenna weight vectors being configured to form a respective beam from the primary reflector dish of the Gregorian antenna arrangement by forming a respective feed beam from the array of antenna elements. The relationship between the azimuth and elevation direction of each feed beam and the azimuth and elevation direction of the respective beam from the primary reflector dish is a non-linear function of azimuth and elevation.

Forming a beam from a subscriber module of a fixed wireless access communication system

A subscriber module of a fixed wireless access communication system comprises an offset Gregorian antenna arrangement, an array of antenna elements arranged as a feed, a beamforming network and a processor. The processor is configured to provide, to the beamformer, a pre-determined plurality of antenna weight vectors configured to form a plurality of beams, the orientations of the plurality of beams being arranged in a grid comprising a plurality of rows, each of the pre-determined plurality of antenna weight vectors being configured to form a respective beam from the primary reflector dish of the Gregorian antenna arrangement by forming a respective feed beam from the array of antenna elements. The relationship between the azimuth and elevation direction of each feed beam and the azimuth and elevation direction of the respective beam from the primary reflector dish is a non-linear function of azimuth and elevation.

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RECONFIGURABLE FACETED REFLECTOR ANTENNAS
20170338556 · 2017-11-23 ·

Systems and methods are disclosed herein for a reconfigurable faceted reflector for producing a plurality of antenna patterns. The reconfigurable reflector includes a backing structure, a plurality of adjusting mechanisms mounted to the backing structure, and a plurality of reflector facets. Each of the plurality of reflector facets is coupled to a respective one of the plurality of adjusting mechanisms for adjusting the position of the reflector facet with which it is coupled. The reflector facets are arranged to produce a first antenna pattern of the plurality of antenna patterns. By adjusting the plurality of adjusting mechanisms, the position of each of the reflector facets coupled to the respective one of the plurality of adjusting mechanisms is adjusted so that the reflector facets are arranged to produce a second antenna pattern of the plurality of antenna patterns.