JPH03247003A - Automatic tracking antenna system for satellite broadcast receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To expand the service area by adjusting an elevating angle of each planer antenna for preset by means of an elevating angle preset means for respective service area. CONSTITUTION:Planer antennas 11-18 are connected side by side and a shaft 4 provided to both lower ends of each lateral side is supported pivotally to a bearing 5 provided to both sides of a base 2 in a vertically turnable state to be moved in the elevating angle direction. Moreover, each shaft 6 provided to one side of the upper end of the lateral arrays is coupled turnably with a link 7. Then the lateral planer antennas 11-18 of each lateral array are turned around each shaft in the elevating angle direction in interlocking with the movement of the link 7 in the forward and backward direction. Moreover, the rear end of the link 7 is connected freely to a free end of a set lever 8 provided to the rear end one side of the base 2 and moved backward forward by turning the set lever 8. Thus, the turning position of the set lever 8 is set in 3-stages of positions a-c and the elevating angle of the planer antennas 11-18 is preset in 3-stages to largely expand the service area.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention is directed to the direction of the antenna so that the direction of the antenna always faces the satellite in order to receive satellite broadcasting while moving in a moving body such as a train or bus. It is used in an automatic tracking antenna system for satellite broadcast reception that automatically tracks satellites.

[Prior Art] Generally, it is necessary to increase the gain of a satellite broadcast receiving antenna, and therefore the half width of a commonly used satellite broadcast receiving antenna is narrow, about 1 to 2 degrees. Therefore, in order to receive satellite broadcast radio waves, it is necessary to accurately point the satellite/satellite broadcast receiving antenna in the direction of the satellite.

On the other hand, when receiving satellite broadcasting on a moving object such as a train or bus, the moving object itself changes direction, so it is necessary to control the satellite broadcasting receiving antenna so that it is always directly facing and tracking the satellite. No.

As an automatic tracking antenna system for receiving satellite broadcasting mounted on such a mobile object, there is a system as shown in FIG. 3 proposed by the present inventor.

This system has a plurality of planar antennas 11-1.degree. arranged in rows and columns, and these planar antennas 11-1.degree. This system adopts an adaptive reception method that combines the received signals of the rectangular planar antennas 11 to 16, which are arranged on the substrate 2 in four rows horizontally and two columns vertically, with the short axes corresponding to the elevation direction. 11-1. The antenna is tilted to a predetermined elevation angle that matches the receiving area to widen the half-value angle in the elevation direction, so that electronic elevation tracking can be performed even if the angle varies within a range of about ±10 degrees.

The substrate 2 is placed on a rotating base 3 that is driven by a tracking motor (not shown) so that it can rotate horizontally by 180 degrees, and is mounted on the roof of a moving object such as a car through the rotating base 3. ing.

Here, planar antennas 11-1. Among them, for example, the last planar antenna 1 is used as the main antenna serving as a reference for the adaptive reception system, and the other last antenna 18 is divided into left and right halves and used as an antenna for a tracking sensor. .

To briefly explain the adaptive reception method, it is equipped with a converter and tuner on divided antennas.
Frequency adjustment of the received signal of the sub antenna according to the received signal of the main antenna, azimuthal in-phase synthesis,
It performs elevation angle in-phase synthesis and demodulation, so the main antenna is important.

In addition, the tracking sensor is equipped with a converter and a tuner on the left and right divided antennas, and inputs these pair of received signals to an azimuth monopulse detection circuit to obtain an azimuth monopulse. control the tracking motor so that the entire antenna always points directly toward the satellite.

In the system shown in Figure 3 configured in this way, even if there are small vibrations that occur when the moving object moves or uneven road surfaces, tracking in the elevation direction can be performed electronically using the wide half-power angle described above. This, along with automatic direction tracking, makes it possible to always receive satellite broadcasts in the best condition.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Incidentally, the elevation angle for directly facing a satellite varies depending on the region, and in Japan it is wide, ranging from 48 degrees to 28 degrees.

Therefore, if we consider the road surface and the inclination at the time of a curve, even if the half-value angle in the elevation direction is set to ±10 degrees as in the system shown in Fig.
For example, if the angle is fixed at 38 degrees, there is a problem in that in dairy and Hokkaido areas, reception is only possible with little margin on one side. The range of electronic elevation angle tracking is determined by the directivity of a single planar antenna, and also changes depending on the gain, shape, etc., but in order to ensure the minimum value of C/N input to the synthesis circuit, It was difficult to reduce the shape and gain, and the range of use was limited.

Of course, it is also possible to apply mechanical automatic tracking to elevation angle tracking, but this is mechanically complex, and control is required for both azimuth and elevation angles, making it extremely complex, resulting in increased cost and cost. , there was a problem that it led to a decrease in reliability.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems.The purpose of the present invention is to perform tracking in the elevation direction by electronic tracking, and to do so in order to avoid exceeding the electronic tracking range in the area of use. To provide an automatic tracking antenna system for receiving satellite broadcasting, which can preset the elevation angle of a plane antenna, expand its use area over a wide range, and is inexpensive in cost.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a mobile body equipped with a satellite broadcast reception antenna, in which the satellite broadcast reception antenna is always aligned with the satellite even if the mobile body changes direction. In an automatic tracking antenna system for satellite broadcast reception, which controls the orientation of the satellite broadcast reception antenna so that it faces squarely, the satellite broadcast reception antenna is formed of a plurality of flat antennas, and these flat antennas are controlled to rotate in the horizontal direction. The planar antennas are arranged on a substrate, and each planar antenna is vertically rotatable and pivotally supported on the substrate, and an elevation angle presetting means is provided for fixing and adjusting the elevation angle of the planar antenna, so that the received signal of each planar antenna is adaptively received. This method sets a wide half-value angle in the elevation direction.

[Function] According to the present invention, the elevation angle of each planar antenna is preset adjusted according to the area of use by the elevation angle presetting means, so that even if there is an inclination due to the condition of the road surface or a curve,
Automatic electronic tracking in the elevation direction will be possible. In other words, the area of use can be expanded.

[Example code] The present invention will be explained below with reference to Examples.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, in which horizontally adjacent planar antennas 1+, 12.13.14.
...1γ, 1. They are connected to each other, and shafts 4 provided at the lower ends of both sides of each row are rotatably pivoted in the vertical direction on bearings 5 provided on both sides of the board 2, so that they can move together in the elevation direction. ing. Further, each shaft 6 provided at the upper end of one side of the row is rotatably connected to a link 7.

Therefore, the planar antennas 11.12.13.14...17. is is adapted to rotate in the elevation angle direction around each axis 4.

The rear end of the link 7 is rotatably connected to the free end of a set lever 8 provided on one side of the rear end of the base plate 2, and is moved back and forth by rotation of the set lever 8.

The lower end of the set lever 8 is rotatably supported in the vertical direction on the board 2, and a concave or convex part provided in the center is erected on the board 2 so as to run along the side surface of the set lever 8. It is articulated by engaging and disengaging from a convex portion or a concave portion formed on the splint plate 9, and the rotational position can be maintained at each engaged position.

Therefore, in the embodiment, the rotational positions of the set lever 8 are set to a, b,
The planar antenna can be held in three positions: 1.c. ~1. The elevation angle can be preset in three stages. That is, the set lever 8, the link 7, the shaft 4.6, and the bearing 5 constitute elevation angle presetting means.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, by operating the set lever 8, the planar antenna 1. ~1. As shown in Fig. 2, the elevation angle of the horizontal plane antennas 1+ and 12.1 can be adjusted during construction.

Support plates 1 provided on both sides of the rows of 1, . . ly, Im
1 is rotatably supported vertically on the side surface of the substrate 2 by a shaft 14, and the side surface of the substrate 2 is inserted into an arc-shaped hole 13 bored in the support plate 10 centered on the rotation center 14 of the support plate 1o. The rotating position of the support plate 10 may be fixed by inserting a male screw 12 protruding through the male screw 12 and fastening a wing screw (not shown) to the male screw 12. This is the best option if you want to

[Effects of the Invention] The present invention forms a satellite broadcast receiving antenna with a plurality of planar antennas, arranges these planar antennas on a board whose rotation is controlled in the horizontal direction, and rotates each planar antenna in the vertical direction. Since the elevation angle presetting means is provided which is pivotally supported on the board and which fixes and adjusts the elevation angle of the planar antenna, the elevation angle of each planar antenna can be preset adjusted according to the area of use by the elevation angle presetting means, thereby adjusting the road surface condition. Even if there is an inclination due to a curve or a curve, electronic automatic tracking in the elevation direction is possible, and as a result, the area of use can be expanded.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view of another embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a conventional example. ■I~1・ is a planar antenna, 2 is a board, 3 is a rotating base,
4 is a fixed shaft, 5 is a bearing, 6 is a fixed shaft, 7 is a link, 8
is the set lever.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A mobile object equipped with an antenna for receiving satellite broadcasting,
In an automatic tracking antenna system for satellite broadcast reception, which controls the orientation of the satellite broadcast reception antenna so that it always faces the satellite even if the moving object changes direction, multiple satellite broadcast reception antennas are used. Formed with planar antennas, these planar antennas are arranged on a board whose rotation is controlled in the horizontal direction, and each planar antenna is rotatable in the vertical direction and pivotally supported on the board, and the elevation angle of the planar antenna is fixed and held so as to be freely adjustable. What is claimed is: 1. An automatic tracking antenna system for receiving satellite broadcasting, characterized in that an elevation angle presetting means is provided to set a wide half-power angle in the elevation direction by combining received signals of each planar antenna using an adaptive reception method.