Methods of antenna pointing and antenna assemblies implementing those methods are disclosed. An example method includes providing a user terminal antenna assembly including an antenna and an auto-peak device. The antenna includes a reflector, a subreflector, and a feed, the feed oriented relative to the reflector and the subreflector to produce a beam. The antenna further includes a tilt assembly to tilt the subreflector relative to the reflector and the feed. The method further includes providing a control signal to tilt the subreflector in a plurality of tilt positions to move the beam while measuring corresponding signal strength of a signal communicated via the antenna at each of the plurality of tilt positions. Additionally, the method includes selecting a tilt position from the plurality of tilt positions based on a measured signal strength, and providing the control signal to tilt the subreflector to the selected tilt position.

An apparatus and a method for state detection, the apparatus for state detection includes one or more charge sensing elements arranged on a terminal, a charge collection circuit connected to the charge sensing element, and a state detection module connected to the charge collection circuit, the charge collection circuit is configured to generate charge and radiate the charge out through the charge sensing element, and collect reflected charge from each of the charge sensing elements to generate an induced charge value of the charge sensing element, and output the induced charge value of each of the charge sensing elements to the state detection module; the state detection module is configured to determine a state of the terminal according to the induced charge value.

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.

An antenna system for a moving vehicle, the antenna system comprising: a main antenna to generate a main beam; a measurement antenna to generate a measurement beam; and control circuitry to perform an adjustment process by: rotating the main beam to an initial bearing angle; rotating the measurement beam independently of the main beam to receive signals at positions to either side of the initial bearing angle; comparing at least one metric measured for the signals received by the measurement antenna at the positions to either side of the initial bearing angle to generate a comparison output; and determining, based on the comparison output, a correction to be applied to the initial bearing angle of the main beam.

A vehicle communication system includes a controller configured to be communicatively coupled to one or more antennas. The controller is also configured to adjust a beam during a period of time to be oriented at a plurality of pointing angles, and detect a plurality of sets of signal data for a received signal, where each set of signal data is detected at a different one of the pointing angles. The controller is further configured to identify a particular pointing angle based on the plurality of sets of signal data, reorient another beam from the given pointing angle to the particular pointing angle, and transmit or receive data, via the other beam while the other beam is oriented at the particular pointing angle, between a particular external node and at least one internal node.

Determining movement for alignment of a satellite antenna using accelerometer data and gyroscope data of the satellite antenna. Described techniques include receiving accelerometer data for a first time period from an accelerometer mounted on the antenna and analyzing the accelerometer data to determine a movement time window for a movement event of the antenna. The techniques may include receiving gyroscope data for the first time period from a gyroscope mounted on the antenna and analyzing the gyroscope data during the movement time window to determine an amount of movement of the antenna due to the movement event.

A first beam is implemented, from a set of vehicle-based antennas, for current or future communication with a ground-based or satellite-based network via an external antenna (e.g., of a base station or satellite). A second beam may be implemented to detect or determine a better pointing angle for the first beam, thereby “fine tuning” the pointing angle for the first beam. Specifically, the second beam may be “swept” through a range of pointing angles while a signal parameter representing signal quality or strength is measured, detected, or calculated at each pointing angle. The values for the signal parameter may be evaluated to identify a desired value and the pointing angle at which the desired value was obtained. The first beam may be reoriented or repointed at the desired pointing angle, and one or more nodes of vehicle-based communication system may communicate with an external network via the first beam.

A removeable satellite antenna pointing tool can include a mounting gear releasably engageable with a pole that supports a satellite antenna. The removeable satellite antenna pointing tool can also include an azimuth gear subsystem housed in a frame and engaged with the mounting gear and a motor that drives the azimuth gear subsystem, wherein actuation of the motor causes the frame to rotate about the pole. The removeable satellite antenna pointing tool can further include a linear drive that controls an elevation of a control shaft engageable with a fixture attached to the satellite antenna. Actuation of the motor can change an azimuth of the satellite antenna and actuation of the linear drive can change an elevation of the satellite antenna.

Methods, systems, and devices are described for antenna positioning with an eccentric tilt pointing mechanism. For example, a system in accordance with the present disclosure may include a base structure and an intermediate structure that is rotatably coupled with the base structure about a first axis (e.g., a tilt axis). The system may also include a positioning system that is coupled with the intermediate structure and configured to orient an antenna boresight about at least two angular degrees of freedom with respect to the intermediate structure (e.g., in an elevation-over-azimuth configuration). The system may also include an actuator between the base structure and the intermediate structure that is configured to set, change, or maintain an angle between the base structure and the intermediate structure, which, in some examples, may include a rotation of an eccentric element based on a predicted path of a target device.

Disclosed are devices, systems and methods employing a directional antenna with a single rotational degree of freedom and using multiple signal-quality measurements to define best orientation with respect to a remote communication point and to align the antenna along the highest-signal-quality path. This simplifies alignment upon installation and facilitates higher signal levels, resulting in more reliable communication and higher data throughput.