Patent US3772701A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3772701A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Satellite antenna autotrack system permitting error signals to appear at the earth station
Assignee: Comsat Corp
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Filing: 1971-02-11
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Granted: 1973-11-13
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Expires: 1991-02-11
Abstract
Abstract The invention pertains to satellite antenna autotrack systems which permit error signals to appear at the ground station rather than at the satellite''s antenna. A conventional four horn cluster is used to produce pairs of circularly polarized position signals which are detected and processed at the ground station to produce vertical and horizontal error signals. The four horn cluster is simultaneously used to transmit the satellite''s down link communications signals. The error signals are transmitted from the ground station to the satellite to reposition the satellite''s vertical and horizontal axis to correspond to the line of sight to the ground station.
Inventors
- 👤 E Wilkinson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 19:32
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S3/00; G01S3/02; G01S3/14; G01S3/146
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
172 words
In an antenna autotrack system for aligning a transmitter antenna pointing direction to correspond to the line of sight between a receiver antenna of a receiver and said transmitter antenna, the receiver producing error signals proportional to the angular offset of the transmitter antenna pointing direction with respect to the receiver, the improvement comprising: a. means at said transmitter for generating electromagnetic beams, said means including first radiator means, displaced in a first plane on opposite sides of the focal axis of said transmitter antenna for generating a first pair of distinguishable, directional electromagnetic beams and second radiator means, displaced in a second plane on opposite sides of said focal axis for generating a second pair of distinguishable, directional electromagnetic beams, said second pair of beams being distinguishable from each other and from said first pair of beams; and b. means, at said receiver, for receiving said beams and generating error signals proportional to the difference in the received intensities of said first pair of beams and said second pair of beams.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
172 words
In an antenna autotrack system for aligning a transmitter antenna pointing direction to correspond to the line of sight between a receiver antenna of a receiver and said transmitter antenna, the receiver producing error signals proportional to the angular offset of the transmitter antenna pointing direction with respect to the receiver, the improvement comprising: a. means at said transmitter for generating electromagnetic beams, said means including first radiator means, displaced in a first plane on opposite sides of the focal axis of said transmitter antenna for generating a first pair of distinguishable, directional electromagnetic beams and second radiator means, displaced in a second plane on opposite sides of said focal axis for generating a second pair of distinguishable, directional electromagnetic beams, said second pair of beams being distinguishable from each other and from said first pair of beams; and b. means, at said receiver, for receiving said beams and generating error signals proportional to the difference in the received intensities of said first pair of beams and said second pair of beams.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The antenna autotrack system of claim 1 wherein said first and second planes are orthogonal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
67 words
The antenna autotrack system of claim 2 wherein said means for receiving and generating includes means for distinguishing between said first and second pairs of beams and for generating error signals corresponding to said angular offset of the pointing direction in said first and second planes, said error signals being proportional to the difference in the intensities of said received beams which comprise a pair of beams.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The antenna autotrack system of claim 3 wherein said distinguishable, directional beams are circularly polarized, with the beams in a pair of beams having opposite sense polarization.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
95 words
The antenna autotrack system of claim 4 wherein saId means for generating said electromagnetic beams comprises: a. beacon means for generating beacon signals of different frequencies; b. a first pair of radiators, each radiator including a pair of orthogonal, linearly polarized probes responsive to beacon signals of a first frequency, for generating a first pair of circularly polarized beams of opposite sense; and c. a second pair of radiators, each radiator including a pair of orthogonal, linearly polarized probes responsive to beacon signals of a second frequency, for radiating circularly polarized beams of opposite sense.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
88 words
The antenna autotrack system of claim 5 wherein said means for receiving and generating includes: a. a single horn radiator responsive to said pairs of directional beams for generating dual, opposite sense circularly polarized output signals of a magnitude proportional to the difference in intensity of the beams in each of said pairs of beams; and b. tracking receiver means, responsive to said single horn radiator generated signals, for producing error signals proportional to the offset of the transmitter antenna pointing direction with respect to the receiver antenna.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
110 words
In a satellite antenna autotrack system of the type wherein a satellite generates distinguishable, directional beams on opposite sides of the focal axis of an antenna, a ground station for producing error signals proportional to the offset of the antenna pointing direction with respect to the ground station comprising: a. means for receiving said distinguishable, directional beams, said receiving means including a single horn radiator means for generating output signals proportional to the difference in the intensities of said received beams; and b. means, responsive to the difference in the intensity of said received beams, for generating error signals proportional to the difference in the intensities of said received beams.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
110 words
In a satellite antenna autotrack system of the type wherein a satellite generates distinguishable, directional beams on opposite sides of the focal axis of an antenna, a ground station for producing error signals proportional to the offset of the antenna pointing direction with respect to the ground station comprising: a. means for receiving said distinguishable, directional beams, said receiving means including a single horn radiator means for generating output signals proportional to the difference in the intensities of said received beams; and b. means, responsive to the difference in the intensity of said received beams, for generating error signals proportional to the difference in the intensities of said received beams.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
161 words
A transmitting system including a transmitting antenna for generating electromagnetic beams to enable a distant ground receiving station to determine the offset of the pointing direction of the transmitting system antenna from the line of sight between the transmitting system and the ground receiving means comprising: a. beacon means for generating beacon signals of different frequencies; b. a first pair of radiators, located on opposite sides of the focal axis of said transmitting antenna, each radiator including a pair of orthogonal, linearly polarized probes responsive to a beacon signal of a first frequency, for generating a first pair of circularly polarized beams of opposite sense; and c. a second pair of radiators, displaced on opposite sides of said focal axis in a plane distinct from said first pair of radiators, each radiator including a pair of orthogonal, linearly polarized probes responsive to a beacon signal of a second frequency for generating a second pair of circularly polarized beams of opposite sense.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
161 words
A transmitting system including a transmitting antenna for generating electromagnetic beams to enable a distant ground receiving station to determine the offset of the pointing direction of the transmitting system antenna from the line of sight between the transmitting system and the ground receiving means comprising: a. beacon means for generating beacon signals of different frequencies; b. a first pair of radiators, located on opposite sides of the focal axis of said transmitting antenna, each radiator including a pair of orthogonal, linearly polarized probes responsive to a beacon signal of a first frequency, for generating a first pair of circularly polarized beams of opposite sense; and c. a second pair of radiators, displaced on opposite sides of said focal axis in a plane distinct from said first pair of radiators, each radiator including a pair of orthogonal, linearly polarized probes responsive to a beacon signal of a second frequency for generating a second pair of circularly polarized beams of opposite sense.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3534364A
Cited
US3560977A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-11-12 | 1977-05-14 | 1977-11-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-11-12 | 1981-05-14 | 1981-11-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-11-12 | 1985-05-14 | 1985-11-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |