Method and apparatus for beam-steerable antenna with single-drive mechanism

1. An antenna assembly comprising:

an antenna; and

an antenna positioner coupled to the antenna, the antenna positioner comprising:

a single drive interface;

a plurality of gears to rotate in a first manner in response to a first drive direction applied through the single drive interface, and to rotate in a second manner in response to a second drive applied through the single drive interface;

a threaded rod, wherein the threaded rod moves in a first rod direction and a second rod direction in response to rotation of the plurality of gears in the first manner and the second manner respectively; and

a tilt plate contacting the threaded rod, wherein the tilt plate tilts about a pivot line in response to movement of the threaded rod to move a beam of the antenna in a spiral pattern.

2. The antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein the antenna positioner includes a flexible coupling to deter rotation of the tilt plate.

3. The antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

the threaded rod tilts the tilt plate to move the beam of the antenna outward along the spiral pattern in response to rotation of the gears in the first manner; and

the threaded rod tilts the tilt plate to move the beam of the antenna inward along the spiral pattern in response to rotation of the gears in the second manner.

4. The antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein the movement of the threaded rod tilts the tilt plate a first number of degrees, and moves the beam of the antenna a second number of degrees.

5. The antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein a maximum scan angle of the beam between successive turns along the spiral pattern is less than a 1-dB beamwidth of the beam.

6. The antenna assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a bi-directional motor to apply the first drive direction and the second drive direction through the single drive interface.

7. The antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein the threaded rod is a first threaded rod, and the antenna positioner further comprises a second threaded rod contacting the tilt plate.

8. The antenna assembly of claim 7 , wherein:

the first threaded rod moves in the first rod direction and the second threaded rod moves in the second rod direction in response to rotation of the gears in the first manner; and

the first threaded rod moves in the second rod direction and the second threaded rod moves in the first rod direction in response to rotation of the gears in the second manner.

9. The antenna assembly of claim 8 , wherein the first threaded rod has right-hand threads, and the second threaded rod has left-hand threads.

10. The antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein the antenna positioner further comprises a first pivot rod and a second pivot rod, the first and second pivot rods defining the pivot line and contacting the tilt plate.

11. The antenna assembly of claim 10 , wherein the first and second pivot rods are in slideable contact with the tilt plate.

12. The antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein the threaded rod further rotates about a central axis in response to rotation of the plurality of the gears, thereby rotating the pivot line about the central axis.

13. The antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein the threaded rod is in slideable contact with the pivot plate.

14. The antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of gears comprise:

a ring gear;

a center gear along a central axis of the ring gear; and

a planetary gear on the ring gear and meshed with the center gear.

15. The antenna assembly of claim 14 , wherein the threaded rod is within the planetary gear.

16. The antenna assembly of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of gears further comprise a drive gear meshed with the ring gear and coupled between the ring gear and the single drive interface.

17. The antenna assembly of claim 14 , wherein the ring gear is a first ring gear, and the plurality of gears further comprises a second ring gear to rotate in response to the drive applied through the single drive interface, the second ring gear between the first ring gear and the tilt plate, and the center gear is connected to the first ring gear and extends through an opening in the first ring gear.

18. The antenna assembly of claim 17 , wherein the first ring gear and the second ring gear rotate relative to one another in response to the drive applied through the single drive interface.

19. The antenna assembly of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of gears further comprises:

a first drive gear meshed with the first ring gear and coupled between the first ring gear and the single drive interface; and

a second drive gear meshed with the second ring gear and coupled between the second ring gear and the single drive interface.

20. The antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein the tilt plate is mounted to a back of the antenna.

21. The antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein the antenna comprises a reflector and a feed.

22. The antenna assembly of claim 21 , wherein the tilt plate tilts the reflector relative to the feed to move the beam of the antenna in the spiral pattern.

23. The antenna assembly of claim 22 , wherein a location of the feed relative to the antenna positioner is fixed.

24. The antenna assembly of claim 21 , wherein the tilt plate tilts the reflector and the feed together to move the beam of the antenna in the spiral pattern.

25. The antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein the antenna positioner further comprising a mounting bracket assembly.

26. The antenna assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a controller to control the application of the drive based on signal strength of a signal communicated via the antenna assembly.

27. A method of antenna pointing, the method comprising:

providing an antenna positioner coupled to an antenna, the antenna positioner comprising a single drive interface, a plurality of gears, and a threaded rod contacting a tilt plate;

driving the single drive interface to rotate the plurality of gears;

moving the threaded rod in a first rod direction in response to rotation of the plurality of gears; and

tilting the tilt plate of the tilt assembly about a pivot line in response to movement of the threaded rod to move a beam of the antenna in a spiral pattern.

28. The method of claim 27 , further comprising iteratively:

driving the single drive interface to tilt the pivot plate in a plurality of tilt positions to move the beam of the antenna along the spiral pattern; and

measuring corresponding signal strength of a signal communicated via the antenna at each of the plurality of tilt positions.

29. The method of claim 28 , further comprising:

selecting a tilt position from the plurality of tilt positions based on the measured signal strength; and

driving the single drive interface to tilt the pivot plate to the selected tilt position.

30. The method of claim 27 , further comprising, prior to driving the single drive interface:

attaching the antenna to a stationary structure via a mounting bracket assembly;

moving the antenna via the mounting bracket assembly to point the beam of the antenna in a direction at a target, the direction having a pointing error; and

immobilizing the mounting bracket assembly upon pointing the beam of the antenna in the direction at the target.

31. The method of claim 30 , wherein the driving the single drive interface reduces the pointing error of the beam at the target.

32. The method of claim 30 , wherein the target is a geostationary satellite.