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:
Apr. 01, 1997
Filed:
Jun. 09, 1995
Robert E Silinsky, Lakewood, CA (US);
Frank Boldissar, Jr, Redondo Beach, CA (US);
Gary S Campbell, Torrance, CA (US);
Raghbir S Tahim, Buena Park, CA (US);
Hughes Electronics, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Abstract
An antenna pointing detection system for use with circularly polarized electromagnetic radiation has a horn, a waveguide and at least one mode switching arm. The horn receives radiation in a primary mode from the radiation source. The waveguide receives radiation from the horn and supports only radiation in a primary mode, e.g. the TE.sub.11 mode and the next higher order TE mode, e.g. the TE.sub.21 mode at one or more rectangular mode switching arms extending from the circular waveguide for stimulating radiation of the-next order TE.sub.21 mode in the waveguide. The arm has a series of switchable pin diodes for changing the effective length of the mode switching arm to cause a phase alteration in the TE.sub.21 mode thereby causing a deflection of the effective pointing direction of the horn. The magnitude of the received signal is detected and compared with different deflections of the horn to operate conventional antenna pointing hardware.