The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 14, 1996
Filed:
Mar. 31, 1993
Martin A van Heyningen, Newport, RI (US);
John M Evans, Jr, Brookfield, CT (US);
KVH Industries, Inc., Middletown, RI (US);
Abstract
An antenna pointing device for use in a satellite tracking system, including a satellite tracking system mounted on a moving body. The tracking system has at least one sensor that generates a signal indicating the orientation of the moving body relative to the satellite. The pointing device includes a base mounted on the moving body, an antenna pointing arm carrying the antenna and a universal joint supported by the base. The pointing arm is rotatably mounted within the universal joint for rotation about first and second control axes, the universal joint being constructed and arranged to enable rotation of the pointing arm through greater than 180 degrees but less than 360 degrees about each of the first and second control axes while suffering no singularities of control. The universal joint is further constructed and arranged so that the orientation of the first control axis varies as the antenna pointing arm is rotated about the second control axis, and the orientation of the second control axis varies as the pointing arm is rotated about the first control axis. The pointing device further includes control means, responsive to the at least one sensor, for rotating the antenna pointing arm about the first and second control axes when the moving body changes its orientation so that the antenna is continuously pointed at the satellite.