Patent Application
20230208043
A satellite-communications gateway includes an antenna structure for receiving and sending transmissions to satellites. Types of satellites includes fixed-service satellites and high-throughput satellites. High-throughput satellites communicate using multiple spot beams on the order of hundreds of miles across, aimed at different regions of the earth's surface. A gateway located in the spot beam is able to communicate with the satellite.
A satellite-communications gateway includes a hub and an antenna configured for satellite communications. The antenna is mounted to the hub and supported by the hub. The antenna includes a plurality of panels forming a parabolic dish. The panels are carbon fiber-reinforced polymer. The parabolic dish has a diameter in a range of 9 to 13 meters.
The satellite-communications gateway may further include an electrically conductive mesh affixed to a concave side of the parabolic dish. The mesh may conform to a paraboloid shape defined by the parabolic dish.
The satellite-communications gateway may further include paint covering the mesh and the parabolic dish.
The satellite-communications gateway may further include a plurality of braces attached on a convex side of the parabolic dish, and the braces may be carbon fiber-reinforced polymer. The braces may be elongated in respective radial directions relative to the parabolic dish. Each brace may be elongated in the respective radial direction from the hub to an outer diameter of the parabolic dish.
Each panel may include an inner circumferential edge, an outer circumferential edge, and two radial edges extending between the circumferential edges, and one of the braces may be elongated along each radial edge from the outer circumferential edge toward the inner circumferential edge. Each brace may include two side walls extending away from the respective panel and a cross wall extending between the side walls, the brace may be attached to the respective panel at the side walls, and the cross wall may be spaced from the respective panel. Each cross wall may be angled away from the respective panel in a direction from the outer circumferential edge toward the inner circumferential edge.
Each panel may include a rib extending from the outer circumferential edge toward the inner circumferential edge, and the rib may be positioned within the respective brace.
The panels may include twelve identical panels.
The panels may be arranged in a single series circumferentially about the hub.
The antenna may include a secondary reflector in a Cassegrain configuration with the parabolic dish.
The satellite-communications gateway may further include a pedestal and an actuator assembly movably coupling the hub to the pedestal. The actuator assembly may have two rotational degrees of freedom.
The pedestal may define a vertical axis, and the actuator assembly may include an azimuth bearing assembly that is actuatable to rotate the hub and the antenna about the axis relative to the pedestal.
The actuator assembly may include an elevation jack that is actuatable to tilt the hub and the antenna about a horizontal axis relative to the pedestal. The actuator assembly may include an azimuth bearing assembly, the elevation jack may be mounted to the azimuth bearing assembly, and the azimuth bearing assembly may be actuatable to rotate the hub, the antenna, and the elevation jack about the axis relative to the pedestal.
The pedestal may be fixedly mounted to the ground.
With reference to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, a satellite-communications gateway 100 includes a hub 104 and an antenna 106 configured for satellite communications. The antenna 106 is mounted to the hub 104 and supported by the hub 104. The antenna 106 includes a plurality of panels 108 forming a parabolic dish 110. The panels 108 are carbon fiber-reinforced polymer. The parabolic dish 110 has a diameter in a range of 9 to 13 meters.
With reference to
The satellites 114 collectively form a constellation (i.e., a group) of network nodes whose position may change relative to one another, to the ground, or both. The satellites 114 include various circuits, chips, or other electronic components. For example, satellites 114 may be in low Earth orbit (LEO) in multiple planes and orbits relative to one another or in a geostationary orbit (GEO). The satellites 114 may be high-throughput satellites that communicate using spot beams.
The satellite-communications system 112 can include multiple gateways 100. Each gateway 100 may be a site for converting the microwave transmissions from the satellites 114 to digital signals that can be sent over the network 116. Each gateway 100 can include an antenna structure 120 for receiving and sending transmissions to the satellites 114, as will be described in more detail below.
The network 116 represents one or more mechanisms by which the gateways 100 may communicate with remote user devices 118. Accordingly, the network 116 may be one or more of various wired or wireless communication mechanisms, including any desired combination of wired (e.g., cable and fiber) and/or wireless (e.g., cellular, wireless, and radio frequency) communication mechanisms and any desired network topology (or topologies when multiple communication mechanisms are utilized). Exemplary communication networks include wireless communication networks (e.g., using Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11, etc.), local area networks (LAN) and/or wide area networks (WAN), including the Internet, providing data communication services.
The user devices 118 are computing devices such as desktop computers, laptop computers, mobile phones such as smartphones, and tablets. The user devices 118 are computing devices generally including a processor and a memory. The user devices 118 may receive and send data to the satellite 114 via the network 116 and the gateway 100, or the user device 118 may be coupled to its own antenna for communicating directly with the satellite 114. The user device 118 may also include an antenna on a mobile platform such as an airplane or train that can send and receive data for devices of passengers on the mobile platform.
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
The actuator assembly 122 can include an azimuth bearing assembly 124. The azimuth bearing assembly 124 is actuatable to rotate a top assembly 126 of the antenna structure 120 about the vertical axis relative to the pedestal 102. The top assembly 126 can include the hub 104, the antenna 106, a bracket 128 of the actuator assembly 122, and an elevation jack 130 of the actuator assembly 122. The azimuth bearing assembly 124 rotates the top assembly 126 as a unit, i.e., all together as a single body. The azimuth bearing assembly 124 can include, e.g., a bearing defining the vertical axis and a motor positioned to advance a point of the top assembly 126 along the bearing. The azimuth bearing assembly 124 can also include an encoder to monitor movement of the azimuth bearing assembly 124.
The actuator assembly 122 can include the bracket 128 and the elevation jack 130. The bracket 128 can be mounted on the azimuth bearing assembly 124. The bracket 128 can have a U-shape with two pivot points attached on the sides of the hub 104. The two pivot points can define the horizontal axis. The bracket 128 can be sized to accommodate the hub 104 inside the U-shape of the bracket 128 even when the hub 104 is aimed horizontally. The elevation jack 130 can be mounted to the azimuth bearing assembly 124. For example, the elevation jack 130 can be attached at a point on the bracket 128 and at a point on the hub 104. The elevation jack 130 can be, e.g., a piston that can be actuated to extend or compress. The extension and compression of the elevation jack 130 changes the distance between the attachment points on the hub 104 and the bracket 128, thereby tilting the hub 104 and the antenna 106 about the horizontal axis relative to the bracket 128. The elevation jack 130 can also include an encoder to monitor movement of the elevation jack 130.
The hub 104 is movably coupled to the pedestal 102 via the actuator assembly 122. The hub 104 can have a cylindrical shape or dodecahedral-prism shape defining an antenna axis. The antenna axis defines the direction in which the antenna 106 is aimed, e.g., at one of the satellites 114.
With reference to
The antenna 106 can be mounted to the hub 104 and supported by the hub 104 and thereby supported by the pedestal 102. For example, the parabolic dish 110 can be formed of panels 108 that are mounted to the hub 104 and to each other in series around the antenna axis. The secondary reflector 134 can be fixed relative to the parabolic dish 110 by legs 136. The feed antenna 132 can be mounted to the hub 104 at a center of the hub 104. The antenna 106 is fixed relative to the hub 104 and moves with the hub 104 as a rigid body.
With reference to
The panels 108 collectively form the parabolic dish 110. The panels 108 can include, e.g., twelve panels 108, which can make the shape of each panel 108 easier to manufacture within correct tolerances. The panels 108 can be arranged in a single series circumferentially about the hub 104, i.e., about the antenna axis, i.e., in one row extending in a circle about the antenna axis. The panels 108 can be arranged radially symmetrically. The outer circumferential edges 140 can collectively form an outer diameter of the parabolic dish 110. The inner circumferential edges 138 can be positioned radially inside a perimeter of the hub 104. The inner circumferential edges 138 can abut the feed antenna 132. Each panel 108 can be attached to the hub 104 and the two adjacent panels 108. The outer circumferential edges 140 can all be attached together. For example, a ring (not shown) can extend around the outer diameter of the parabolic dish 110, i.e., around the outer circumferential edges 140.
Returning to
Each brace 146 can be attached on a single one of the panels 108. Each panel 108 can have two braces 146 attached to that panel 108. One of the two braces 146 can be elongated along each radial edge 142 of that panel 108 from the outer circumferential edge 140 toward the inner circumferential edge 138, e.g., to the hub 104. The two braces 146 on each panel 108 can be separate pieces from each other.
With reference to
Each panel 108 can include at least one rib 144 extending from the outer circumferential edge 140 toward the inner circumferential edge 138. The ribs 144 can be positioned on the convex sides of the respective panels 108. For example, each panel 108 can include two ribs 144, and each rib 144 can be positioned within a respective one of the braces 146. Each rib 144 can be positioned between the side walls 148 of the respective brace 146. Each rib 144 can be elongated following a same path as the respective brace 146. The ribs 144 can increase a stiffness of the panel 108 and can help position the respective braces 146 during assembly.
With reference to
The antenna 106 can include an electrically conductive mesh 152 affixed to a concave side of the parabolic dish 110. The mesh 152 can reflect incoming radio waves to the feed antenna 132 or can direct radio waves emitted by the feed antenna 132. The mesh 152 can be, e.g., copper. The mesh 152 can conform to a paraboloid shape defined by the parabolic dish 110. The mesh 152 can extend circumferentially fully around the antenna feed and can extend radially from the antenna feed to the outer diameter of the parabolic dish 110.
The antenna structure 120 can include paint 154 covering the pedestal 102, the hub 104, and the antenna 106. For example, the paint 154 can cover the mesh 152 and the parabolic dish 110, e.g., the paint 154 can be applied to the mesh 152, the braces 146, and the portions of the panels 108 exposed by the braces 146 and the mesh 152. The paint 154 can protect the antenna structure 120 from environmental elements. The paint 154 can be white to reduce heat absorbed by the antenna structure 120.
The disclosure has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the present disclosure are possible in light of the above teachings, and the disclosure may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.
