KR101041850B1 - Movable satellite tracking system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A movable type satellite tracking system and a method thereof are provided to apply a mobile military system and to track effectively a geostationary orbit satellite. CONSTITUTION: An antenna(100) receives a satellite signal. An elevation motor(230) moves the antenna along an elevation. An azimuth motor(240) moves the antenna along an azimuth. An elevation servo driver(210) drives the elevation motor. An azimuth servo driver(220) drives the azimuth motor. An RF assembly(400) receives a beacon signal from a satellite. A GPS(123) grasps an absolute location of the antenna. A horizontal level(124) grasps incline information of the antenna. A compass(125) grasps true north information. An elevation gyro(121) senses the disturbance of the elevation. An azimuth gyro(122) senses the disturbance of the azimuth. An antenna control unit(300) controls the elevation servo driver and the azimuth servo driver according to the level of the beacon signal to enable the antenna to track the satellite.

Description

Movable satellite tracking system and method

The present invention relates to a mobile satellite tracking system, and more particularly, to a mobile satellite tracking system and method that can be applied to a mobile military system and can effectively track a geostationary satellite.

Recently, as satellite broadcasting and location tracking services are widely used, mobile satellite tracking systems for receiving signals emitted from satellites are mounted on vehicles and ships. The satellite tracking antenna mounted on the moving object transmits and receives a satellite and a radio wave for broadcasting or location tracking.

In such a mobile satellite tracking system, the direction of movement of the vehicle is changed from time to time, and the satellite orientation often changes or is blocked by obstacles such as buildings installed on the ground. Therefore, the direction of the antenna is always changed to overcome this phenomenon. There is a need for an automatic satellite tracking device that is directed to the satellite.

Meanwhile, military terminals that are powered and communicate with geostationary satellites being used in the military tracked satellites at fixed locations. However, there is a need for a system and method for tracking satellites while moving to the demands of the battlefield operational environment that requires satellite communication while moving.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in an effort to provide a mobile satellite tracking system and method that can be applied to a mobile military system and effectively track a geostationary satellite.

In order to solve the above technical problem, a mobile satellite tracking system according to the present invention comprises: an antenna for receiving a satellite signal; An elevation motor configured to perform movement in an elevation direction of the antenna; An azimuth motor for moving in the azimuth direction of the antenna; An elevation servo driver for driving the elevation motor; An azimuth servo driver for driving the azimuth motor; An RF assembly receiving a beacon signal transmitted by the satellite; GPS for determining the absolute position of the antenna; A level gauge for grasping the tilt information of the antenna; A compass for grasping true north information; An elevation gyro for detecting disturbance in an elevation direction; An azimuth gyro for detecting disturbance in the azimuth direction; And an antenna controller for controlling the elevation servo driver and the azimuth servo driver to track the satellite according to the level of the received beacon signal.

The antenna control unit may include a satellite directing mode for controlling the antenna to direct the satellite direction using the absolute position, tilt information, and true north information, a peak point tracking mode for controlling the antenna so that the level of the beacon signal is a peak point, The sensing information of the elevation gyro and the azimuth gyro may be operated in a stabilization mode to maintain the phase-oriented state of the antenna.

The antenna controller may operate in one of the satellite directing mode, the peak point tracking mode, and the stabilization mode according to the level of the beacon signal.

The antenna controller may operate in the stabilization mode in a 1/10 level section of the 3 dB beam width at the beacon signal, and the peak point tracking mode in the 3 dB beam width level section at the 1/10 level of the 3 dB beam width at the beacon signal. The beacon signal may be operated in the satellite-oriented mode in the 3dB beamwidth level or more level section.

In order to solve the above technical problem, the mobile satellite tracking method according to the present invention includes a method for tracking satellites using the mobile satellite tracking system, the method comprising: (a) measuring a level of the beacon signal; And (b) according to the measured level of the beacon signal, the antenna controller controls the antenna to direct the satellite direction using the absolute position, tilt information, and true north information, the level of the beacon signal. Operating in any one of a peak point tracking mode for controlling the antenna to be the peak point and a stabilization mode for maintaining the phase directed state of the antenna by using the sensed information of the elevation gyro and the azimuth gyro. It features.

In the step (b), the beacon signal operates in the stabilization mode in a 1/10 level section of the 3 dB beamwidth at the peak point, and the peak point in the 3 dB beamwidth level section at the 1/10 level of the 3 dB beamwidth In the tracking mode, the beacon signal may operate in the satellite-oriented mode in the 3dB beamwidth level or more level section.

The present invention described above can be applied to a mobile military system and can effectively track a geostationary satellite using the absolute position of the antenna, tilt information, true north information, beacon signal, and the like.

1 is a block diagram of a mobile satellite tracking system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 illustrates a tracking mode in a satellite tracking method according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 and 4 illustrate the satellite tracking mode 530, the peak tracking mode 540, and the stabilization mode 550 in more detail.
5 shows how tracking is performed with a variable step size.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description and the accompanying drawings, substantially the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted. In addition, in the following description of the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known function or configuration may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

1 is a block diagram of a mobile satellite tracking system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The mobile satellite tracking system according to the present embodiment includes an antenna assembly 100, a gimbal assembly 200, an antenna control unit 300, and an RF assembly 400. The antenna assembly 100 includes an antenna 110 and a sensor unit 120, and the sensor unit 120 includes an elevation gyro 121, an azimuth gyro 122, a GPS 123, a leveler 124, and a compass ( 125). Gimbal assembly 200 is a high-angle servo driver 210, azimuth servo driver 220, a high-angle motor 230, azimuth motor 240, slip ring 250, a high-angle resolver 260, azimuth resolver 270 Is done. The RF assembly 400 consists of an LNB 410, a down converter 420.

The antenna 110 receives a beacon signal, which is a signal periodically transmitted by the stationary satellite, and the beacon signal received by the antenna 110 is transmitted to a low noise block down converter (LBN) 430 of the RF assembly 400. . The beacon signal is a reference signal for tracking the satellite, and the antenna controller 300 to be described below measures the reception level of the beacon signal, and determines whether the antenna 110 is correctly directed to the satellite based on this. .

The elevation gyro 121 and the azimuth gyro 122 serve to detect disturbance. The elevation gyro 121 detects disturbance in the elevation direction, and the azimuth gyro 122 detects disturbance in the azimuth direction. The global positioning system (GPS) 123 determines the absolute position of the antenna 110 by using the received GPS signal, the level gauge 124 detects the tilt information of the antenna, and the compass 125 identifies true north information. do. The information collected from the elevation gyro 121, the azimuth gyro 122, the GPS 123, the leveler 124, and the compass 125 is used to allow the antenna controller 300 to perform satellite tracking. Signal 'is transmitted to the antenna controller 300.

The elevation servo driver 210 drives the elevation motor 230 in response to a driving command of the antenna controller 300. The elevation motor 230 performs movement in the elevation direction of the antenna 110. The azimuth servo driver 220 drives the azimuth motor 240 in response to a driving command of the antenna controller 300. The azimuth motor 240 performs movement in the azimuth direction of the antenna 110. The elevation resolver 260 detects position information in the elevation direction of the antenna 110, and the azimuth resolver 270 detects position information in the azimuth direction of the antenna 110. The position information detected by the elevation resolver 260 and the azimuth resolver 270 is transmitted to the antenna controller 300 as a 'feedback resolver signal' so that the antenna controller 300 can perform satellite tracking.

In addition, the gimbal assembly 200 is provided with a slip ring 250 for the 360 ° rotation of the antenna 110.

The LNB 410 amplifies the beacon signal received from the antenna 110, lowers it to an intermediate frequency, and outputs the downconverter 420. The down converter 420 converts it into a baseband signal and transmits it to the antenna controller 300.

The antenna controller 300 performs satellite tracking by controlling the elevation servo driver 210 and the azimuth servo driver 220 based on the beacon signal, the feedback sensor signal, and the feedback resolver signal.

Hereinafter, a satellite tracking method performed by the antenna controller 300 will be described.

2 illustrates a tracking mode in a satellite tracking method according to an embodiment of the present invention. When the power of the satellite tracking system is applied (510), first enters the initialization mode (520). The initialization mode 520 is a preparation step for determining whether the system is normal and tracking satellites after power is applied.

When the initialization is completed, it is switched to the satellite tracking mode (530). The satellite directing mode 530 is a mode for directing the antenna 110 in the satellite direction using information from a feedback sensor signal, that is, the GPS 123, the leveler 124, and the compass 125.

When the antenna 110 is directed in the satellite direction in the satellite orientation mode 530, the antenna 110 is switched to the peak point tracking mode 540. The peak point tracking mode 540 is a mode for controlling the antenna 110 so that the beacon signal is a peak point by using the received beacon signal. In the peak point tracking mode 540, the received beacon signal is checked to see if it is a peak point, otherwise, the step is moved to find the peak point and direct the antenna 110. FIG.

In the peak tracking mode 540, the beacon signal becomes peak, that is, when the satellite orientation is complete, the transition to the stabilization mode 550. In the stabilization mode 550, the feedback sensor signal, that is, information from the elevation gyro 121 and the azimuth gyro 122, is used to maintain the current satellite orientation of the antenna 110.

The initialization mode 520, the satellite tracking mode 530, the peak tracking mode 540, and the stabilization mode 550 are switched with each other according to the satellite directing state, that is, the level of the beacon signal.

On the other hand, military systems must be prepared for various situations due to environmental and operational changes in climate, region, etc. Emergency mode 560 is responsible for the ability to safely shut off the power for the system and the mode to enable communication even in the worst situation by determining whether the communication is possible or impossible when the situation of the various conditions are produced.

3 and 4 illustrate the satellite tracking mode 530, the peak tracking mode 540, and the stabilization mode 550 in more detail. Which mode of the satellite tracking mode 530, the peak tracking mode 540, and the stabilization mode 550 is set depends on the level of the beacon signal obtained from the RF assembly 400.

For example, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the beacon signal is set to the stabilization mode 550 in the 1/10 level section S12 of the 3 dB beam width at the peak point. That is, satellite tracking is completed normally.

Peak point tracking mode # 1 541 is set in a 1/5 level section S23 at a 1/10 level of 3 dB beamwidth, and is a peak point tracking mode in a 3 dB beamwidth level section S34 at a 1/5 level of 3 dB beamwidth. It is set to # 2 (542), and is set to the satellite-oriented mode 530 in the 3dB beamwidth or more level section (S45).

The peak point tracking mode # 1 541 may be referred to as a 'fine tracking mode'. The antenna controller 300 periodically stores the position (elevation position, azimuth position) of the antenna 110. In Fine Tracking mode, the peak point is traced back using the past location and beacon signal levels stored for a certain amount of time (eg 3 seconds). The backtracking method calculates a trajectory of the antenna 110 moved for 3 seconds, and calculates an angle to be moved in the elevation and azimuth directions based on the trajectory. The antenna 110 is moved by a predetermined step in the calculated direction, and it is checked whether the level of the beacon signal is a peak point, and the operation is repeated. In the case of movement, it moves in the diagonal direction which sums the elevation angle and the azimuth angle. The size of the step varies depending on the level of the beacon signal, and the larger the level of the beacon signal, the smaller the size of the step. The fine tracking mode may be performed when the time for which the level of the beacon signal is maintained in the S23 section is 3 seconds or less.

The peak point tracking mode # 2 542 may be referred to as an 'initial tracking mode'. In the initial tracking mode, it may be determined that the beacon signal received from the satellite is more than about 1.5 dB from the peak point (based on the Ka band). In the Initial Tracking mode, the antenna obtains the elevation and azimuth information of the current antenna, and compares it with the elevation and azimuth information at the peak point, and shifts the less distorted angle first and then moves the other angle to find the peak point. The initial tracking mode may be performed when the time for which the level of the beacon signal is maintained in the S23 section is 3 seconds or more.

The satellite tracking mode 530 may be referred to as a 'full tracking mode'. The full tracking mode is a mode in which the antenna 110 is directed in the satellite direction using information from a feedback sensor signal, that is, the GPS 123, the leveler 124, and the compass 125. That is, the initial orientation angle using the information provided by the GPS 123 for indicating the current position of the antenna 110, the horizontal system 124 for providing the tilt information, and the compass 125 for indicating the wrong direction relative to the true north. Is calculated and the antenna 110 is moved.

5 shows how tracking is performed with a variable step size. In FIG. 5, 'X' represents an initial position of the antenna, and 'S' represents a position where the peak point is found. Referring to FIG. 5, the antenna is driven up, down, left, and right by comparing the magnitudes of the received signals. Tracking is performed while varying the step size in accordance with the level of the received beacon signal. That is, the step sizes of steps 1, 2, 3 and 4, 5, and 6 differ.

So far I looked at the center of the preferred embodiment for the present invention. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be implemented in a modified form without departing from the essential features of the present invention. Therefore, the disclosed embodiments should be considered in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. The scope of the present invention is shown in the claims rather than the foregoing description, and all differences within the scope will be construed as being included in the present invention.

Claims (6)

An antenna for receiving satellite signals;
An elevation motor configured to perform movement in an elevation direction of the antenna;
An azimuth motor for moving in the azimuth direction of the antenna;
An elevation servo driver for driving the elevation motor;
An azimuth servo driver for driving the azimuth motor;
An RF assembly receiving a beacon signal transmitted by the satellite;
GPS for determining the absolute position of the antenna;
A level gauge for grasping the tilt information of the antenna;
A compass for grasping true north information;
An elevation gyro for detecting disturbance in an elevation direction;
An azimuth gyro for detecting disturbance in the azimuth direction; And
And an antenna controller for controlling the elevation servo driver and the azimuth servo driver to track the satellite according to the level of the received beacon signal.
The antenna control unit may include a satellite directing mode for controlling the antenna to direct the satellite direction using the absolute position, tilt information, and true north information, a peak point tracking mode for controlling the antenna so that the level of the beacon signal is a peak point, And a mobile satellite tracking system operating in a stabilization mode that maintains a phase-oriented state of the antenna using sensing information of the elevation gyro and the azimuth gyro. delete The method of claim 1,
And the antenna controller operates in one of the satellite directing mode, the peak point tracking mode, and the stabilization mode according to the level of the beacon signal. The method of claim 3,
The antenna controller may operate in the stabilization mode in a 1/10 level section of the 3 dB beam width at the beacon signal, and the peak point tracking mode in the 3 dB beam width level section at the 1/10 level of the 3 dB beam width at the beacon signal. And the beacon signal is operated in the satellite-oriented mode in a 3dB beamwidth level or more level section at a 3dB beamwidth level. A method of tracking satellites using the mobile satellite tracking system described in claim 1,
(a) measuring the level of the beacon signal; And
(b) According to the measured level of the beacon signal, the antenna controller, using the absolute position, tilt information, true north information satellite directed mode for controlling the antenna to direct the satellite direction, the level of the beacon signal is And operating in any one of a peak point tracking mode for controlling the antenna to be a peak point and a stabilization mode for maintaining the satellite orientation of the antenna using sensing information of the elevation gyro and the azimuth gyro. Mobile satellite tracking method. The method of claim 5,
In the step (b), the beacon signal operates in the stabilization mode in a 1/10 level section of the 3 dB beamwidth at the peak point, and the peak point in the 3 dB beamwidth level section at the 1/10 level of the 3 dB beamwidth And a beacon signal operating in a satellite tracking mode in a 3dB beamwidth level or more level section at a 3dB beamwidth level.

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