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:
Jul. 10, 2001
Filed:
Jul. 09, 1999
Richard J. Kumpfbeck, Huntington, NY (US);
John F. Pedersen, Northport, NY (US);
Joseph T. Merenda, Northport, NY (US);
BAE Systems Advanced Systems, Greenlawn, NY (US);
Abstract
Low-protrusion array antennas enable reception of satellite signals by airliners in flight. Prior systems using a beam normal to an array face required a 70° array tilt for reception from a satellite at 20° elevation (i.e., tilt angle is complementary angle (90°−&bgr;) of satellite angle (&bgr;) of elevation). Compared to that 70° array tilt for reception from a satellite at 20° elevation, disclosed antennas require an array tilt of only 25° (90°−&bgr;−&agr;=25°). This is accomplished by providing a beam at a fixed acute angle (&agr;) to the array face (e.g. 45 degrees). A side-by-side linear array,of slotted waveguide radiator columns,provides a pencil beam at a fixed acute angle of 45° to array aperture, for example. By action of tilting motor,to mechanically tilt the array of slotted waveguides over a range of ±25° from horizontal, the beam can be scanned from 20° elevation to 70° elevation. Azimuth rotator motor,provides 360° beam pointing in azimuth. A television satellite can thus be tracked by an aircraft mounted antenna with only about a 5 inch above-fuselage protrusion.