IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,033,096
Granted Patent B2
US 10,033,096 · App. 15/118,762 · Granted Jul 24, 2018

Antenna device and control method of antenna device

Inventor: Masashi Hirabe (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: NEC Corporation
H01Q3/08H01Q1/125H01Q1/2291G06T7/60G06T7/73H04B17/101
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,033,096
App. No.
15/118,762
Granted
Jul 24, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

The antenna device includes an antenna unit ( 110 ) mounted so that its direction is adjustable, a motor-driven unit ( 124, 125 ) that changes a direction of the antenna unit ( 110 ), a camera ( 130 ) fixed so that its direction relative to the antenna unit ( 110 ) does not change, and a direction adjustment control unit ( 200 ) that supplies a drive signal to the motor-driven unit ( 124, 125 ) and adjusts the direction of the antenna unit ( 110 ). The direction adjustment control unit ( 200 ) performs feedback control to return the direction of the antenna unit ( 110 ) back to an initial direction based on an image taken by the camera ( 130 ). It is thereby possible to maintain the communication quality even when a mechanical vibration occurs in a structure on which an antenna device is mounted.

Claims (16)

1. An antenna device comprising:

an antenna unit;

a camera fixed so that a direction of the camera relative to the antenna unit does not change; and

at least one circuit configured to adjust a direction of the antenna unit, wherein

the antenna unit is set up in an initial direction so that, when the antenna unit is oriented in the initial direction, the antenna unit is oriented in a direction in which the antenna can perform wireless communication in which reception quality satisfies a predetermined level with an opposite station,

the at least one circuit is configured to return the direction of the antenna unit back to the initial direction based on an image taken by the camera, wherein

the at least one circuit is configured to automatically change the direction of the antenna unit and update the initial direction to a new initial direction based on the taken image and a radio wave strength received by the antenna unit.

2. The antenna device according to claim 1 , wherein

the camera is configured to capture an arbitrary object in an imaging area when the antenna unit is oriented in the initial direction, and

the at least one circuit is configured to adjust the direction of the antenna unit based on a direction in which the object is displaced in the imaging area.

3. The antenna device according to claim 1 , wherein

the at least one circuit is configured to update the initial direction by varying the direction of the antenna unit and recording the taken image and the radio wave strength.

4. A control method of an antenna device including an antenna unit mounted so that a direction of the antenna unit is adjustable, the method comprising:

setting up the antenna unit in an initial direction so that, when the antenna unit is oriented in the initial direction, the antenna unit is oriented in a direction in which the antenna can perform wireless communication in which reception quality satisfies a level with an opposite station,

returning the direction of the antenna unit back to the initial direction based on an image taken by a camera fixed so that a direction of the camera relative to the antenna unit does not change, and

automatically changing the direction of the antenna unit and updating the initial direction to a new initial direction based on the image taken by the camera and a radio wave strength received by the antenna unit.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 12, 2016
From: HIRABE, MASASHI
To: NEC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 039423/0525 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2014-035472 · Feb 26, 2014 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170062922A1 · Mar 2, 2017
Cited By (1)
US 12,640,456