Integrated ODU controller for antenna pointing
View Patent ↗A method and system for aligning an antenna reflector with satellites in a satellite configuration. A method in accordance with the present invention comprises pointing the reflector to a position along an orbital arc used in the satellite configuration, commanding a Single Wire Multiswitch circuits which is coupled to the reflector of the antenna to output a signal from at least one satellite at the orbital slot, and adjusting the reflector to maximize reception of the signal from the orbital slot.
1. A method for aligning a reflector of an antenna with a satellite configuration, comprising:
pointing the reflector in an azimuthal direction to a position along an orbital arc used in the satellite configuration;
commanding a single wire multiswitch (SWM) which is coupled to the reflector of the antenna to output a signal from at least one satellite at the orbital slot, the signal being selected based on a beam squint of the signal;
adjusting the reflector in azimuth to maximize reception of the signal from the orbital slot;
commanding the SWM to output a second signal from a second satellite at a second orbital slot; and
adjusting the reflector in a tilt direction to maximize reception of the second signal from the second orbital slot.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the SWM is commanded to output a single transponder from the satellite at the orbital slot.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the SWM is commanded using frequency shift keyed commands.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reception is maximized by reading a meter which measures a received power of the signal from the orbital slot.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the SWM is commanded to output a specific group of transponders from the satellite at the orbital slot.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the satellite in the orbital slot transmits in a Ka-band of frequencies.
7. A system for aligning a reflector of an antenna with a satellite configuration, comprising:
a reflector;
a single wire multiswitch (SWM), coupled to the reflector;
a power meter coupled to the reflector, wherein the power meter and reflector are tuned to receive a signal from a satellite in the satellite configuration, the signal being selected based on a beam squint of the signal;
an alignment mechanism, coupled to the reflector, wherein the alignment mechanism is manipulated to point the reflector at a point along an orbital arc; and
a controller, coupled to the power meter and the SWM, for commanding to output signals from at least one satellite at a first orbital slot, wherein the reflector is aligned by maximizing a signal strength of the signal being measured on the power meter.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the SWM is commanded to output a single transponder from the satellite in the satellite configuration.
9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the SWM is commanded using frequency shift keyed commands.
10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the power meter is an analog power meter.
11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the power meter is a digital power meter wherein the power meter demodulates at least one transponder signal and reports a carrier-to-noise ratio of the demodulated transponder signal.
12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the controller further commands the SWM to output a second signal from a second orbital slot; and
the reflector is aligned by maximizing a signal strength of the second signal from the second orbital slot.
13. The system of claim 7 , wherein the satellite in the orbital slot transmits in a Ka-band of frequencies.
14. The system of claim 7 , wherein the satellite in the orbital slot transmits in a Ku-band of frequencies.