JPH07249920A - Antenna directing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an antenna directing device eliminating the necessity of external information such as the positional information of a satellite, a navigated body, etc. CONSTITUTION:In an antenna directing device of an AZ-EL-2 axial control system, step track type control is superposed to a control system for compensating the oscillation of a navigating object. The antenna 14 is forcedly rotated around an elevation angle axial line Y-Y and an azimuth axial line Z-Z at a minute angle to detect the increment/decrement of the intensity of a radio wave received by the antenna 14 and find out a rotational angle increasing the intensity of the radio wave. The antenna 14 is rotated around the axial lines Y-Y, Z-Z in the rotational direction increasing the radio wave intensity to detect the increment/decrement of the intensity of the radio wave again and find out the rotational direction increasing the intensity. This operation is repeated to direct the antenna 14 to a satellite direction. The step track type control is obtained by a radio wave intensity judging device 60.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an antenna directing device which can be mounted on a mobile body in order to receive radio waves from a satellite or to receive radio waves transmitted from a fixed station or a mobile station.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 shows an example of a conventional antenna pointing device. This antenna directing device is basically called an azimuth-elevation system, and has an antenna 14 and a supporting device that rotatably supports the antenna 14 around two axes. Such a support device has an elevation axis YY orthogonal to the central axis XX of the antenna 14 and an azimuth axis ZZ orthogonal to such an elevation axis YY. The azimuth axis ZZ is perpendicular to the mounting surface of the navigation body (hull surface), and the elevation axis YY is parallel to the mounting surface of the navigation body (hull surface).

The supporting device includes a base 3, an azimuth gimbal 41 mounted on the bridge portion 3-1 of the base 3, and a supporting member 31 mounted on a U-shaped member 41-2 at the upper end of the azimuth gimbal 41. And the antenna 14 on the supporting member 31.
Is attached.

The base 3 may have a bridge portion 3-1.
The bridge portion 3-1 has a cylindrical portion 11 protruding upward.
Is mounted, and a pair of bearings 40A and 40B is mounted inside the cylindrical portion 11. This bearing 4
The azimuth axis 40 is fitted to the inner rings of 0A and 40B,
An azimuth gimbal 41 is attached to the upper end of the azimuth axis 40 via the arm 13.

Thus, the azimuth axis 40 has the bearings 40A and 40B.
The azimuth gimbal 41 can rotate about an axis passing through the azimuth axis 40 while being supported by the azimuth gimbal 41. The azimuth gimbal 41 has a lower support shaft portion 41-1 and an upper U-shaped portion 41-2, and the center axis line of the support shaft portion 41-1 is deviated from the center axis line of the azimuth axis 40. Support shaft 41-1
The central axis of the arrow forms the azimuth axis ZZ.

A smaller U-shaped support member 31 is arranged in the U-shaped portion 41-2 of the orientation gimbal 41, and the support member 31 has two legs 31-1, 3 thereof.
Each of 1-2 has elevation axes 30-1 and 30-2. A suitable bearing is mounted on each of the two legs of the U-shaped portion 41-2 of the azimuth gimbal 41, and the elevation shafts 30-1 and 30-2 are rotatably supported by the bearings.

The central axes of the elevation axes 30-1 and 30-2 constitute an elevation axis YY, and thus the support member 31 is formed.
Is rotatably supported around the elevation axis YY between the two legs of the U-shaped portion 41-2 of the orientation gimbal 41.

The leg portions 31-1, 3 of the U-shaped support member 31
The antenna 14 is mounted on the antenna 1-2, so that the antenna 14 can rotate together with the support member 31 about the elevation axis YY.

An elevation axis Y is formed on one leg of the support member 31.
An elevation gear 32 is mounted coaxially with -Y. A pinion 33-1 is meshed with the elevation gear 32, and the pinion 33-1 is mounted on one leg of the U-shaped portion 41-2 of the azimuth gimbal 41. Is attached to.

An elevation transmitter 34 is attached to the other leg of the U-shaped portion 41-2 of the azimuth gimbal 41, and the elevation transmitter Y of the antenna 14 is attached by the elevation transmitter 34.
A rotation angle θ around the rotation angle is detected and a signal indicating the rotation angle θ is output.

On the other hand, the azimuth gear 4 is provided at the lower end of the azimuth axis 40.
2 is attached, and the azimuth servo motor 43 and the azimuth transmitter 44 are attached on the bridge portion 3-1 of the base 3.
Pinions (not shown) attached to the rotation shafts of the azimuth servo motor 43 and the azimuth transmitter 44 are configured to mesh with the azimuth gear 42.

As shown, the central axis X of the antenna 14
The angle formed by −X with the horizontal plane is the elevation angle θ of the antenna, and the angle formed by the central axis line XX of the antenna 14 with the meridian line N on the horizontal plane is the azimuth angle φ of the antenna.

As shown, the central axis X of the antenna 14
A control loop is provided for directing -X towards the satellite. Such a control loop includes a satellite position calculation unit 72 that calculates an azimuth angle φ _S and an altitude angle θ _S of the satellite, and a command angle calculation unit 71 that generates a command rotation angle signal to be supplied to the elevation angle servo motor 33 and the azimuth servo motor 43. Have and.

The satellite position calculation unit 72 inputs the current longitude and latitude of the navigation body and the position of the satellite in earth coordinates, and calculates the azimuth angle φ _S and altitude angle θ _S of the satellite with respect to the navigation body coordinates.

The command angle calculation unit 71 has a bow azimuth angle azimuth angle φ _C
And the pitch and roll angles, and the azimuth angle φ _S and the altitude angle θ _{S of} the satellite supplied from the satellite position calculation unit 72 are input, and the required rotation angle around the elevation axis YY of the antenna 14 and the azimuth axis of the antenna 14 are input. The necessary rotation angle around ZZ is calculated.
Thus, the central axis XX of the antenna 14 is controlled by the control loop including the satellite position calculation unit 72 and the command angle calculation unit 71.
Points in the direction of the satellite.

The current longitude and latitude of the navigation body can be obtained by GPS, for example. The bow azimuth angle φ _C is supplied by, for example, a gyro compass, and the pitch and roll angles are supplied by an inclinometer.

[0017]

In the conventional antenna directing device, in order to direct the antenna 14 toward the satellite,
The position information of the satellite and the current position information of the navigation body are required, and further the direction and motion information of the navigation body are required.

Such information is supplied from outside the antenna directing device. Further, in order to obtain such information, it is necessary to provide the antenna directing device with an external device. Therefore, when an error is included in the information supplied from the outside or an external device, the pointing error is caused thereby.

In view of the above point, the present invention provides an antenna directing device capable of favorably directing the antenna 14 in the satellite direction without requiring external information or an external device for obtaining external information. With the goal.

[0020]

According to the invention, an antenna 1 having a central axis X--X, for example as shown in FIG.
4, the elevation axis Y-Y orthogonal to the central axis X-X, and the azimuth axis Z-Z orthogonal to the elevation axis Y-Y, the antenna 14 having the elevation axis YY and the azimuth axis Z. −
A support device that rotatably supports around Z, an elevation servomotor 33 that rotates the antenna around the elevation axis YY, and an azimuth servo motor 43 that rotates the antenna around the azimuth axis ZZ. The first gyro 57 detects the rotational angular velocity of the antenna around the elevation axis YY while the navigation body is shaking, and both the central axis of the antenna and the elevation axis YY while the navigation body is shaking. An elevation angle axis drive calculation unit 37 which inputs an output signal of the second gyro 58 for detecting the angular velocity of rotation of the antenna about the orthogonal axes and the output signal of the first gyro 57 and supplies a command signal to the elevation servomotor 33. And the second gyro 5
And an azimuth axis drive calculation unit 47 for supplying a command signal to the azimuth servo motor 43 by inputting the output signal of No. 8 and the antenna is configured to move the elevation angle axis YY
In an antenna directing device that is configured to be constantly stabilized around the azimuth axis ZZ and the azimuth axis ZZ, and is configured to be mounted on a navigation body, the antenna 14 is mounted on the elevation axis YY and the azimuth axis Z. -A radio wave intensity determiner 60 is provided to detect the increase or decrease in the intensity of the radio wave received by the antenna by forcibly rotating the Z-axis alternately at a small angle, and to determine the rotation direction in which the intensity of the radio wave increases. The radio wave strength determiner 60 supplies a command signal for rotating the antenna around the elevation axis YY in the rotation direction in which the strength of the radio wave increases to the elevation axis drive calculation unit 37, and the strength of the radio wave increases. The antenna is rotated in the direction of rotation and the azimuth axis ZZ
A command signal for rotating around is supplied to the azimuth axis drive computing unit 47, and thereby the antenna is directed in the satellite direction.

According to the present invention, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, in the antenna directing device, the accelerometer 6 for detecting the inclination angle of the central axis XX of the antenna with respect to the horizontal plane.
6 is provided, and the antenna 14 is rotationally controlled about the elevation axis YY so that the elevation angle of the antenna becomes equal to the satellite altitude angle.

According to the present invention, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, in the antenna directing device, the rotation angle of the antenna around the elevation axis Y--Y is detected and is supplied to the elevation axis drive computing section 37. An elevation transmitter 34 and an azimuth transmitter 44 that detects a rotation angle of the antenna around the azimuth axis ZZ and supplies the rotation angle to the azimuth axis drive calculation unit 47 are provided, and the elevation angle axis drive calculation unit 37 and When the drive stop signal for stopping the operation of the antenna directing device is input, the azimuth axis drive calculation unit 47 receives the elevation servo motor 33.
And a rotation angle signal is supplied to the elevation servomotor 33 and the azimuth servomotor 43, respectively, so that the antenna is arranged at the reference elevation angle θ ₀ and the reference azimuth angle φ ₀ before the power supply to the azimuth servomotor 43 is cut off. Is configured to.

[0023]

According to the present invention, the antenna 14 is directed toward the satellite by the control of the step track system. According to the control of the step track system, the antenna 14 is forcibly rotated around the elevation axis YY and the azimuth axis ZZ at a small angle, and the increase or decrease in the intensity of the radio wave received by the antenna 14 is detected, and the radio field intensity is detected. Find the direction of rotation that increases. Antenna 14 in the rotating direction where the radio field intensity increases
Is rotated about the elevation axis YY and the azimuth axis ZZ,
The increase / decrease in radio wave intensity is detected again, and the direction of rotation in which the radio wave intensity increases is determined. By repeating this, the antenna 14 is directed toward the satellite. Such step-track type control is provided by the radio field intensity determiner 60.

According to the present invention, when the antenna 14 is directed toward the satellite by the control of the step track system,
A stabilizing function is provided for constantly directing the antenna 14 in the direction of the satellite even if the navigation body is shaken.

The elevation gyro 57 is used to set the elevation axis Y--Y.
The rotational angular velocity of the surrounding antennas is detected, and the rotational angular velocity signal is supplied to the elevation angle axis drive calculation unit 37, and the elevation angle axis drive calculation unit 37 issues a rotation command to the elevation angle servo motor 33 so that the rotation angular velocity becomes zero. Signal is supplied. Similarly, with the azimuth gyro 58, the central axis X of the antenna is
-X and the elevation angle axis Y-Y The rotational angular velocity of the antenna around the axis orthogonal to both is detected, and the rotational angular velocity signal is supplied to the azimuth axis drive calculation unit 47. A rotation command signal is supplied to the servo motor 43 so that the rotation angular velocity becomes zero. Thus
Even if the navigating body sways, the antenna 1 is always used for inertia
4 is stabilized around the elevation axis YY, and the central axis XX
And is stabilized around an axis orthogonal to both the elevation axis YY.

In the second example of the present invention, an elevation angle restraint loop is provided for restraining the antenna 14 around the elevation axis YY so that the elevation angle θ of the antenna 14 coincides with the satellite elevation angle θ _S. Such an elevation angle restraint loop includes an accelerometer 66, an arcsine calculator 69, an adder 39, and an attenuator 3 for detecting the inclination angle of the central axis XX of the antenna with respect to the horizontal plane.
8 and.

In the third example of the present invention, when the operation of the antenna directing device is stopped, the power of the elevation angle servo motor 33 and the azimuth servo motor 43 is not immediately turned off, but the antenna 1
The antenna 14 is arranged around the elevation axis YY and the azimuth axis Z so that the antenna 4 is arranged at a predetermined reference elevation angle and reference azimuth angle.
It is configured to rotate about -Z. Therefore,
When starting the operation of the antenna pointing device again, be sure to
The antenna 14 is arranged at a predetermined reference elevation angle and reference azimuth angle.

[0028]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, corresponding parts in FIG. 5 are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 1 shows a first example of an antenna pointing device according to the present invention. The antenna directing device of this example has a central axis X-
It has an antenna 14 having X and a supporting device for supporting the antenna 14 rotatably around two axes of an elevation axis YY and an azimuth axis ZZ. Such a supporting device is shown in FIG.
It may be the same as the supporting device for the conventional antenna directing device described with reference to FIG.

An elevation gyro 57 and an azimuth gyro 58 are mounted on the support member 31 which supports the antenna 14. The elevation gyro 57 detects the angular velocity of rotation of the antenna 14 rotating about the elevation axis YY with respect to the inertial space, and the azimuth gyro 58 detects the elevation axis YY with respect to the inertial space and the central axis XX of the antenna 14. The angular velocity of rotation of the antenna 14 around the axis orthogonal to the two is detected. The elevation gyro 57 and the azimuth gyro 58 may be differential gyros such as a vibration gyro and a rate gyro.

According to the present example, step track control is used to direct the antenna 14 towards the satellite.
For step track control, the antenna 14 is moved to the elevation axis Y-.
The antenna 14 is forcibly rotated around Y and the azimuth axis Z-Z, and the antenna 14 is rotated in the rotation direction in which the intensity of the radio wave received by the antenna 14 increases. The step track control uses the radio field intensity received by the antenna 14 as an input signal and does not use the satellite position information and the current position information of the navigation vehicle.

The step track control of this example will be described in detail. According to the step track control of this example, first, the radio field intensity E received by the antenna 14 is detected and stored. For example, the radio wave intensity when the elevation angle of the antenna 14 is θ _i and the azimuth angle is φ _i is E (θ _i , φ _i ).
Next, the antenna 14 is rotated by + Δθ about the elevation axis Y-Y, the radio field intensity E received by the antenna 14 is detected again, and the detected value is stored. For example, the radio wave intensity when the elevation angle of the antenna 14 is θ _{i + 1} = θ _i + Δθ and the azimuth angle is φ _i is E (θ _{i + 1} , φ _i ).

Further, the antenna 14 is rotated by + Δφ around the azimuth axis Z-Z, the radio field intensity E received by the antenna 14 is detected, and it is stored. For example, the antenna 14
Elevation angle is θ _{i + 1} = θ _i + Δθ, and azimuth angle is φ _{i + 1} = φ _i +
The radio field intensity when Δφ _i is E (θ _{i + 1} , φ _{i + 1} ).

Here, the radio wave intensity E around the elevation axis Y--Y
Determines the direction in which is increasing. Such a determination is made by the following equation.

[0035]

[Equation 1] E (θ _i , φ _i ) <E (θ _{i + 1} , φ _i ) E (θ _i , φ _i ) ≧ E (θ _{i + 1} , φ _i ).

When the radio field intensity E increases, that is, when the first expression of the equation 1 is satisfied, the antenna 14 is rotated around the elevation axis YY in the same direction as the previous time, that is, by + Δθ, The radio field intensity E received by the antenna 14 is detected.
When the radio field intensity E decreases, that is, when the second equation of the equation 1 is satisfied, the antenna 14 is rotated around the elevation axis Y-Y in the opposite direction from the previous time, that is, by -Δθ, and the antenna 14 is rotated. Detects the radio field intensity E received by.

Similarly, the radio wave intensity E around the azimuth axis Y--Y
Determines the direction in which is increasing. Such a determination is made by the following equation.

[0038]

[Equation 2] E (θ _{i + 1} , φ _i ) <E (θ _{i + 1} , φ _{i + 1} ) E (θ _{i + 1} , φ _i ) ≧ E (θ _{i + 1} , φ _{i + 1} )

When the radio field intensity E increases, that is, when the first equation of the equation 2 is satisfied, the antenna 14 is rotated around the azimuth axis ZZ in the same direction as the previous time, that is, by + Δφ, The radio field intensity E received by the antenna 14 is detected.
When the radio field intensity E decreases, that is, when the second expression of the equation 2 is satisfied, the antenna 14 is rotated around the azimuth axis ZZ in the opposite direction, that is, by -Δφ, and the antenna 14 is rotated. Detects the radio field intensity E received by.

By repeating the above steps, the antenna 14 is moved to the elevation axis Y so that the radio field intensity E becomes maximum.
Rotated about -Y and the azimuth axis ZZ.

FIG. 2 shows an example of changes in the radio field intensity signal E when the antenna 14 is rotated around the elevation axis YY.
The vertical axis represents the radio field intensity E received by the antenna 14, and the horizontal axis represents the rotation angle of the antenna 14 around the elevation axis YY. When the elevation angle θ of the antenna 14 is equal to the altitude angle θ _S of the satellite that is the radio wave source, the radio wave intensity E becomes maximum, and the elevation angle θ of the antenna 14 is the altitude angle θ _{S of the} satellite that is the radio wave source.
When it is further deviated, the radio wave intensity E decreases in a parabolic shape.

Referring again to FIG. As shown, a step track control loop is provided to provide step track control. Such a step track control loop includes an elevation axis system step track control loop and an azimuth axis system step track control loop. The angle formed by the central axis line XX of the antenna 14 and the horizontal plane is the elevation angle θ of the antenna, and the central axis line X of the antenna 14 is
The angle formed by -X with the meridian N on the horizontal plane is the azimuth angle φ of the antenna.

The step track control loop of the elevation axis system includes a radio wave intensity determiner 60, an elevation angle axis drive calculator 37, and an elevation angle servomotor 33. The step track control loop of the azimuth axis system includes a radio wave intensity determiner 60 and an azimuth axis drive calculator 47.
And an azimuth servo motor 43.

The radio wave intensity determiner 60 inputs the radio wave intensity signal E indicating the intensity of the radio wave received by the antenna 14, and outputs a step track signal. This step track signal causes the antenna 14 to rotate at an angular velocity of ± ± around the elevation axis YY.
It includes an elevation axis system command signal for rotation at Δθ and an azimuth system command signal for rotation at the rotation angular velocity ± Δφ about the azimuth axis ZZ. The radio wave intensity determiner 60 has a storage unit that stores the radio wave intensity E and a comparator that calculates the above equations 1 and 2.

The output signal of the radio wave intensity determiner 60 is supplied to the elevation angle axis drive calculator 37 and the azimuth axis drive calculator 47.
The elevation axis drive calculator 37 and the azimuth axis drive calculator 47 may be configured to include, for example, an integrator and an amplifier. The output signals ± Δθ and ± Δφ of the radio wave intensity determiner 60 are integrated by the integrators of the elevation axis drive calculator 37 and the azimuth axis drive calculator 47 to obtain minute angles ± Δθ and ± Δφ. The command angle signals ± Δθ and ± Δφ thus obtained are supplied to the elevation servomotor 33 and the azimuth servomotor 43, respectively.

According to this example, a stabilizing function for stabilizing the antenna 14 against shaking of the navigation body is provided by superposing on the step track control. Such stabilizing function is provided by the elevation gyro 57 and the azimuth gyro 58. Elevation gyro 57
The rotational angular velocity of the antenna 14 around the elevation axis YY is detected by the azimuth gyro 58, and the rotational angular velocity of the antenna 14 around the axis orthogonal to both the central axis XX and the elevation axis YY of the antenna is detected by the azimuth gyro 58. It

The rotational angular velocity is calculated by the elevation angle axis drive calculator 37.
And the azimuth axis drive calculator 47. By the integrator of the elevation axis drive calculator 37 and the azimuth axis drive calculator 47,
Antenna 14 around elevation axis YY and azimuth axis ZZ
Rotation angles θ and φ are calculated, and the rotation angle command signals are supplied to the elevation angle servo motor 33 and the azimuth servo motor 43 so that the rotation angular velocities thereof become zero.

In this way, even if the navigation body sways, the rotational angular velocity of the antenna 14 around the elevation axis YY with respect to the inertial space is always kept at zero, and the central axis XX and the elevation axis YY of the antenna are maintained. The angular velocity of rotation of the antenna 14 around the axis orthogonal to the two is always maintained at zero. That is, even if the navigation body is shaken, the antenna 14 is stabilized around the elevation axis YY, and the center axis XX and the elevation axis Y of the antenna are stabilized.
-Y is stabilized around an axis orthogonal to both.

A second example of the antenna directing device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. According to this example, as compared with the first example, in addition to the elevation angle gyro 57 and the azimuth gyro 58, an accelerometer 66 having an input axis parallel to the central axis XX of the antenna is attached to the support member 31. ing. The accelerometer 66 detects the inclination angle of the central axis line XX with respect to the horizontal plane.

According to this example, the elevation axis control loop has a fast control loop, that is, an elevation axis stabilization loop, and a slow control loop, that is, an elevation axis constraint loop. As described in the first example of FIG. 1, the fast control loop, that is, the elevation angle stabilization loop supplies the output of the elevation angle gyro 57 to the elevation angle axis drive calculator 37 and outputs it from the elevation angle axis drive calculator 37. It is a loop for supplying the command angle signal thus generated to the elevation servomotor 33.

The slow control loop, that is, the elevation angle restraint loop has an accelerometer 66, an arcsine calculator 69, and an adder 39.
It includes an attenuator 38, an elevation axis drive calculator 37, and an elevation servomotor 33. The output signal of the accelerometer 66 is a sine value of the inclination angle of the central axis line XX with respect to the horizontal plane. Therefore, this is converted into a tilt angle by the arcsine calculator 69.

In the adder 39, the arcsine calculator 69
The altitude angle θ _S of the satellite, which is the radio wave source, is subtracted from the output tilt angle. The altitude angle θ _S of the satellite of the radio wave source is manually set, for example. The deviation angle thus obtained is passed through the attenuator 38 and the elevation angle axis drive calculator 37
Is supplied to. The elevation angle restraint loop has a time constant so that the elevation angle θ of the antenna 14 matches the satellite elevation angle θ _S of the radio wave source.

The elevation axis restraint loop causes the antenna 14 to
The elevation angle θ is the satellite elevation angle θ of the radio wave source _STo match
Controlled. Step track control is an elevation axis control loop
And the azimuth axis control loop.

FIG. 4 shows a third example of the antenna pointing device according to the present invention. In this example, in addition to the elevation angle gyro 57 and the azimuth gyro 58, an elevation angle oscillator 34 and an azimuth oscillator 44 are further provided in comparison with the first example.

The elevation transmitter 34 is attached to one leg of the U-shaped portion 41-2 of the azimuth gimbal 41, and the pinion (not shown) attached to the rotary shaft of the elevation transmitter 34 is an elevation shaft. It is configured to be engaged with 30-2. The antenna 14 is provided by the elevation transmitter 34.
A rotation angle θ around the elevation axis Y-Y is detected, and a signal indicating the rotation angle θ is output.

On the other hand, the azimuth transmitter 44 is mounted on the bridge portion 3-1 of the base 3, and the pinion (not shown) attached to the rotating shaft of the azimuth transmitter 44 meshes with the azimuth gear 42. It is configured to be. By the azimuth transmitter 44, the azimuth axis line ZZ of the antenna 14 is generated.
A rotation angle φ around the rotation angle φ is detected and a signal indicating the rotation angle φ is output.

According to this example, a function is provided for automatically returning the antenna 14 to a predetermined reference position (reference elevation angle θ ₀ and reference azimuth angle φ ₀ ) when the use of the antenna directing device is stopped. Therefore, when the antenna directing device is used again, the antenna 14 can start operating from such a reference position.

As shown in the figure, in addition to the step track signal supplied from the radio wave intensity determiner 60, the elevation angle drive calculator 37 further includes a drive signal and an output signal θ of the elevation angle transmitter 34.
Is supplied. Similarly, in addition to the step track signal supplied from the radio wave intensity determiner 60, the azimuth axis drive calculation unit 47 is further supplied with a drive signal and an output signal φ of the azimuth transmitter 44.

First, the case where the operation of the antenna directing device is started will be described. To activate the antenna pointing device,
A drive start signal is supplied to the elevation axis drive calculation unit 37 and the azimuth axis drive calculation unit 47.

When the drive start signal is input, the power of each device of the antenna directing device, for example, the elevation servomotor 33 and the azimuth servomotor 43 is turned on.

Next, a case where the operation of the antenna directing device is stopped or terminated will be described. In order to stop the antenna directing device, the elevation angle drive calculation unit 37 and the azimuth axis drive calculation unit 4
A drive stop signal is supplied to 7. However, in this case, even if the drive stop signal is supplied, the powers of the elevation servomotor 33, the azimuth servomotor 43, etc. are not immediately turned off. The following operations are performed.

When the drive stop signal is supplied, the elevation axis drive operation unit 37 inputs the output signal θ of the elevation transmitter 34,
Compare with the standard elevation angle θ ₀ . Similarly, the azimuth axis drive calculation unit 47
Compares the output signal φ of the azimuth oscillator 44 with the reference azimuth angle φ ₀ . The deviation signals obtained by the comparison are supplied to the elevation angle servo motor 33 and the azimuth servo motor 43, respectively.

Thus, when the elevation angle θ of the antenna 14 becomes equal to the reference elevation angle θ ₀ and the azimuth angle φ of the antenna 14 becomes equal to the reference azimuth angle φ ₀ , the elevation servomotor 33 and the azimuth servomotor 43 stop. To be done. That is, the power is turned off.

Therefore, when the operation of the antenna pointing device is started again, the antenna 14 is arranged at the reference elevation angle θ ₀ and the reference azimuth angle φ ₀ . The antenna 14 starts rotating from the reference elevation angle θ ₀ and the reference azimuth angle φ ₀ . For example, a known satellite altitude angle θ _S may be used as the reference elevation angle θ _0, and 0 ° may be used as the reference azimuth angle φ ₀ , for example. Instead of using the drive start signal and the drive stop signal, one drive signal may be used, and the above operation may be performed when the supply of the drive signal is stopped.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above in detail, those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments and various other configurations can be adopted without departing from the gist of the present invention. Easy to understand.

[0066]

According to the present invention, the antenna 14 can be directed in the direction of the satellite without the need for information on the position of the satellite, the current position of the navigation body, the sway angle of the navigation body, and the like. There is.

According to the present invention, even if the azimuth gyro 57 and the elevation angle gyro 58 have an offset and the central axis XX of the antenna drifts from the direction of maximum radio wave arrival, the offset is compensated by the step track control. There is an advantage that you can use an inexpensive gyro.

According to the present invention, the antenna 14 can be directed toward the satellite without causing a pointing error due to an error in information such as the position of the satellite, the current position of the navigation vehicle, the sway angle of the navigation vehicle. There is an advantage that can be.

According to the invention, the central axis X- of the antenna is
Since X is compensated for the fluctuation, there is an advantage that the radio wave can be immediately captured after the radio wave is temporarily shielded.

According to the present invention, there is an advantage that the antenna can be directed in the satellite direction at an early stage by matching the inclination of the elevation axis YY with the elevation angle of the incoming radio wave.

According to the present invention, since the azimuth angle φ and the elevation angle θ of the antenna are oriented in a fixed direction before the power is turned off,
The next time the power is turned on, there is an advantage that the antenna can be pointed toward the satellite early.

According to the present invention, there is an advantage that the antenna 14 can be directed in the satellite direction by a control device having a simple structure.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a first example of an antenna pointing device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a change in intensity of a radio wave received by an antenna.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a second example of the antenna pointing device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a second example of the antenna directing device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional antenna directing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Base stand 3-1 Bridge part 11 Cylindrical part 13 Arm 14 Antenna 30-1, 30-2 Elevation angle shaft 31 Support member 31-1, 31-2 Leg part 32 Elevation gear 33 Elevation servomotor 33-1 Pinion 34 Elevation transmission Device 37 Elevation axis drive calculator 38 Attenuator 39 Adder 40 Azimuth axis 40A, 40B Bearing 41 Azimuth gimbal 41-1 Support shaft part 41-2 U-shaped part 42 Azimuth gear 43 Azimuth servomotor 44 Azimuth transmitter 47 Azimuth axis drive Calculator 57 Elevation gyro 58 Direction gyro 60 Radio wave intensity determiner 66 Accelerometer 69 Arc sine calculator 71 Command angle calculator 72 Satellite position calculator YY Elevation axis ZZ Axis axis XX Antenna center axis

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Kazuya Arai 2-16-46 Minami Kamata, Ota-ku, Tokyo Within Tokimec Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A support having an antenna having a center axis, an elevation axis orthogonal to the center axis, and an azimuth axis orthogonal to the elevation axis, and supporting the antenna rotatably around the elevation axis and the azimuth axis. A device, an elevation servomotor that rotates the antenna around the elevation axis, an azimuth servomotor that rotates the antenna around the azimuth axis, and a rotational angular velocity of the antenna around the elevation axis while the navigation vehicle is shaking. A first gyro for detecting, a second gyro for detecting a rotational angular velocity of the antenna around an axis orthogonal to both the central axis of the antenna and the elevation axis of the antenna while the navigation body is shaking, and the first gyro. And an output signal of the second gyro are input, and an output signal of the second gyro is input. And an azimuth axis drive calculation unit that supplies a command signal to the position servomotor, and the antenna is configured to be constantly stabilized around the elevation axis and the azimuth axis with respect to the motion of the navigation body. In an antenna directing device configured to be mounted on a navigation body, the antenna is forcibly rotated by a small angle alternately around the elevation axis and the azimuth axis to increase or decrease the intensity of a radio wave received by the antenna. Is provided, and a radio wave intensity determiner for determining the rotation direction in which the radio wave intensity increases is provided, and the radio wave intensity determiner is a command signal for rotating the antenna around the elevation axis in the rotation direction in which the radio wave intensity increases. To the azimuth axis drive calculation unit, and a command signal for rotating the antenna around the azimuth axis line in the rotation direction in which the strength of the radio wave increases is supplied to the azimuth axis drive calculation unit. And an antenna pointing device configured to direct the antenna in the satellite direction. 2. The antenna pointing device according to claim 1, further comprising an accelerometer for detecting a tilt angle of a central axis of the antenna with respect to a horizontal plane, the antenna being set so that an elevation angle of the antenna becomes equal to a satellite altitude angle. An antenna pointing device, characterized in that it is configured to control rotation about an elevation axis. 3. The antenna directing device according to claim 1, wherein an elevation angle transmitter that detects a rotation angle of the antenna around the elevation angle axis and supplies the rotation angle to the elevation angle axis drive calculation unit, and around the azimuth axis line. And an azimuth transmitter for detecting the rotation angle of the antenna and supplying it to the azimuth axis drive computing unit, and the elevation angle axis drive computing unit and the azimuth axis drive computing unit stop the operation of the antenna pointing device. When the drive stop signal is input, the rotation angle signals are supplied to the elevation angle servo motor and the elevation angle servo motor so that the antenna is arranged at the reference elevation angle and the reference azimuth angle before the power to the elevation angle servo motor and the azimuth servo motor is cut off. An antenna pointing device, characterized in that it is configured to supply to the azimuth servomotor.