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:
Nov. 21, 2000
Filed:
Oct. 30, 1998
Donald C Wilcoxson, Redondo Beach, CA (US);
Eldad Perahia, Hermosa Beach, CA (US);
TRW Inc., Redondo Beach, CA (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides a method for determining antenna pointing error of a satellite antenna (702-716) that produces at least one spot beam having a corresponding gain pattern. The method obtains from a first unique location (510) on the ground a first measurement of a spot beam strength for a first cell (502). Similar measurements are obtained at second and third unique locations (512, 514). Attitude component errors, for example the roll or pitch attitude component errors may then be determined. The method may further determine a yaw attitude component error based on fourth, fifth, and sixth measurements of spot beam strength made from unique locations (616-620) in a second cell (604) also generated by the antenna. Additional measurements may be collected in each beam at unique locations (510-514, 516-520, 610-614, 616-620) and averaged to reduce the temporary or zero means effects of rain, scintillation, or other atmospheric conditions on the spot beam strength. Furthermore, the method may transmit any of the measurements to a central processor (422) which determines the attitude component errors based on the measurements.