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.

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.

Various arrangements of transmit and receive shared-aperture array antenna systems are presented herein. The arrangements can include an antenna that includes: a planar substrate; a first row of a first plurality of transmit patches arranged on the planar substrate; a second row of a plurality of receive patches arranged on the planar substrate; and a third row of a second plurality of transmit patches arranged on the planar substrate. The first row, second row, and third row can be parallel and the second row can be between the first row and the third row.

A feed array is provided that may be installed in a reflector antenna provided with a single or dual reflector optics. The feed array includes a radiating array for transmitting/receiving radiofrequency signals, a digital beam forming network, a reception conversion unit for applying a frequency down-conversion and an analog-to-digital conversion to incoming radiofrequency signals to obtain incoming digital signals. The feed array includes a transmission conversion unit for applying a digital-to-analog conversion and a frequency up-conversion to outgoing digital signals generated by the digital beam forming network to obtain outgoing radiofrequency signals. The digital beam forming network processes the incoming digital signals by using a reception matrix, and generates the outgoing digital signals by using a transmission matrix, with the matrices computed based on electric field values measured by the radiating array in the focal region.

A feed array is provided that may be installed in a reflector antenna provided with a single or dual reflector optics. The feed array includes a radiating array for transmitting/receiving radiofrequency signals, a digital beam forming network, a reception conversion unit for applying a frequency down-conversion and an analog-to-digital conversion to incoming radiofrequency signals to obtain incoming digital signals. The feed array includes a transmission conversion unit for applying a digital-to-analog conversion and a frequency up-conversion to outgoing digital signals generated by the digital beam forming network to obtain outgoing radiofrequency signals. The digital beam forming network processes the incoming digital signals by using a reception matrix, and generates the outgoing digital signals by using a transmission matrix, with the matrices computed based on electric field values measured by the radiating array in the focal region.

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.

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.

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.

The described features generally relate to adjusting a native antenna pattern of a satellite to adapt communications via the satellite. For example, a communications satellite may include an antenna having a feed array assembly, a reflector, and a linear actuator coupled between the feed array assembly and the reflector. The feed array assembly may have a plurality of feeds for communicating signals associated with a communications service, and the reflector may be configured to reflect the signals transmitted between the feed array assembly and one or more target devices. The linear actuator may have an adjustable length, or otherwise provide an adjustable position between the feed array assembly and the reflector. By adjusting the position of the feed array assembly relative to the reflector, the communications satellite may provide a communications service according to a plurality of native antenna patterns.

A multiple-feed antenna system includes a first feed configured to communicate signals in a first frequency range of a plurality of frequency ranges and a second feed configured to communicate signals in a second frequency range of the plurality of frequency ranges. A subreflector assembly is configured to move among multiple positions that include a first position and a second position. When the subreflector assembly is in the first position, a first element of the subreflector assembly redirects a signal reflected by a primary reflector to the first feed. When the subreflector assembly is in the second position, a second element of the subreflector assembly redirects the signal reflected by the primary reflector to the second feed.