Window mountable direction-finding antenna arrays
Direction-finding antenna arrays are positioned adjacent the interior surface of one or more aircraft fuselage windows. Such positioning may be means of a frame or other structure that is non-intrusively positioned on the fuselage interior wall adjacent the window and to which the antenna array is secured. Alternatively, a movable floor-supported installation fixture is selectively movable into position relative to fuselage windows and supports one or more antenna arrays adjacent those windows.
1 . A method of deploying a first direction-finding antenna array in an aircraft, wherein the array has a first beam pattern establishing a field of view for the first antenna array, said method comprising positioning the first antenna array adjacent an interior surface of a first window of the aircraft such that the first beam pattern projects through the first window;
wherein the aircraft has a cabin floor and a track mounted on the cabin floor, the method further comprising:
selectively positioning an installation fixture on the track so as to be selectively positionable relative to the window;
securing the first antenna array to a first movable arm of the installation fixture; and
moving the first movable arm to securely position the first antenna array adjacent the interior surface of the first window.
2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
providing a second movable arm of the installation fixture;
securing a second antenna array to the second movable arm; and
moving the second movable arm to securely position the second antenna array adjacent the interior surface of a second window of the aircraft.
3 . The method of claim 2 further comprising enabling the secured first and second antenna arrays to be movable in at least two degrees of motion relative to the first and second windows, respectively, to permit selective redirecting of the fields of view of the first and second antenna arrays through the first and second windows, respectively.
4 . A method of deploying a first direction-finding antenna array in an aircraft, wherein the array has a first beam pattern establishing a field of view for the first antenna array, said method comprising positioning the first antenna array adjacent an interior surface of a first window of the aircraft such that the first beam pattern projects through the first window, said method further comprising:
selectively positioning an installation fixture on the floor of the aircraft cabin so as to be selectively positionable relative to the window;
securing the first antenna array to a first movable arm of the installation fixture; and
moving the first movable arm to securely position the first antenna array adjacent the interior surface of the first window.
5 . The method of claim 4 further comprising:
providing a second movable arm of the installation fixture;
securing a second antenna array to the second movable arm; and
moving the second movable arm to securely position the second antenna array adjacent the interior surface of a second window of the aircraft.
6 . The method of claim 5 further comprising enabling the secured first and second antenna arrays to be movable in at least two degrees of motion relative to the first and second windows, respectively, to permit selective redirecting of the fields of view of the first and second antenna arrays through the first and second windows, respectively.