Aircraft in-flight entertainment system having a multi-beam phased array antenna and associated methods
An in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for an aircraft includes a phased array antenna and control circuitry associated therewith to be carried by the aircraft and to generate dual antenna beams for television programming and Internet data from respective spaced apart satellites. A television programming distribution system is to be carried by the aircraft and coupled to the phased array antenna and control circuitry to provide television programming within the aircraft. At least one access point is to be carried by the aircraft and coupled to the phased array antenna and control circuitry to provide a wireless local area network (WLAN) within the aircraft for the Internet data.
1. An aircraft multi-beam phased array antenna, comprising:
a first subarray of antennas of the multi-beam phased array antenna configured to receive on a first beam signals from a first satellite;
a second subarray of antennas of the multi-beam phased array antenna configured to receive on a second beam signals from a second satellite concurrently with the first subarray of antennas receiving on the first beam the signals from the first satellite;
control circuitry coupled to the first subarray and to the second subarray, and configured to:
split the received signals into a first set of signals received on the first beam from the first satellite and a second set of signals received on the second beam from the second satellite;
shift a phase of the first set of signals and a phase of the second set of signals;
combine the first set of phase shifted signals;
combine the second set of phase shifted signals;
correct a polarization of the first set and the second set of combined signals; and
communicate the first set and the second set of corrected signals to a satellite transceiver of an aircraft.
2. The aircraft phased array antenna of claim 1 , wherein the first set of signals comprise television programming data, and wherein the second set of signals comprise Internet data.
3. The aircraft phased array antenna of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry comprises a first set of phase shifters configured to shift the phase of the first set of signals.
4. The aircraft phased array antenna of claim 3 , wherein the control circuitry comprises a first combiner coupled to the first set of phase shifters and configured to combine the first set of phase shifted signals.
5. The aircraft phased array antenna of claim 4 , wherein the control circuitry comprises a polarization controller coupled to the first combiner and configured to correct a polarization of the first set of combined signals.
6. The aircraft phased array antenna of claim 5 , wherein the polarization controller communicates the corrected first set of combined signals to the satellite transceiver.
7. The aircraft phased array antenna of claim 5 , wherein the first set of combined signals comprises:
a third set of combined signals comprising a first polarization; and
a second set of combined signals comprising a second polarization orthogonal to the first polarization.
8. The aircraft phased array antenna of claim 7 , wherein the polarization controller is configured to correct the polarization of the first set of signals by combining the third set of combined signals with the second set of combined signals.
9. The aircraft phased array antenna of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry comprises a second set of phase shifters configured to shift the phase of the second set of signals.
10. The aircraft phased array antenna of claim 9 , wherein the control circuitry comprises a second combiner coupled to the second set of phase shifters and configured to combine the second set of phase shifted signals.
11. The aircraft phased array antenna of claim 10 , wherein the control circuitry comprises a polarization controller coupled to the second combiner and configured to correct a polarization of the second set of combined signals.
12. The aircraft phased array antenna of claim 11 , wherein the polarization controller communicates the corrected second set of combined signals to the satellite transceiver.
13. The aircraft phased array antenna of claim 11 , wherein the second set of combined signals comprises:
a fourth set of combined signals comprising a vertical polarization; and
a fifth set of combined signals comprising a horizontal polarization.
14. The aircraft phased array antenna of claim 13 , wherein the polarization controller is configured to correct the polarization of the second set of signals by combining the fourth set of combined signals with the fifth set of combined signals.