METHOD OF LOCKING ON SATELLITE IN ON-THE-MOVE SATELLITE DISHES

Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the systems which allow the satellite antennas used in vehicles in motion to aim at satellite. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method, which can be used to center the satellite in an "on-the-move" satellite antenna, which is mounted on a vehicle in motion and can maintain communication by tracing the direction of said satellite while the vehicle is in motion. It is the method of masking certain parts of a receiver antenna dish alternately at a certain speed. Said masking process can be performed either on the BUC / LNB side or the satellite dish side. Description of the Related Art

So as to receive satellite broadcasts, systems that allow satellite antennas and dishes to aim are used in vehicles while they are in motion. The most common method known is conical scanning, which is locating the position of the true target by drawing a circle or polygon around the last known target point; however, said method has many disadvantages.

A satellite dish can never aim at a satellite precisely since the known method operates through a method of deviation from the true target. Although such method may be acceptable in receiving systems, the signals from a transceiving system are sent to a point much farther than the satellite due to deviation from the target. Therefore, major and undesired losses occur especially during the transceiving process.

Economic life of the device is shortened due to mechanical abrasions and wearing caused by the continuous circular motions performed by the known mechanism.

Due to the constant energy supplied to the motors during circular motions, said motors will become hot, which will add to the heat problem that is already an issue as to operating conditions. As a requirement for eliminating said issue, thermal relief becomes another problem. In the state of the art, the continuous rotating motion results in an extra energy consumption. A more complex software is required to run on the system due to said rotating motion, and this has a negative effect on software costs.

Another known method is based on a system in which the true center is located where the signal received by the semi-conductive components mounted in four directions at the antenna's end is strong. The disadvantages of this method can be listed as follows: The signals being aimed at the receivers will not be in exact proportion to one another for it is not possible for four semi-conductive receivers to be manufactured identically. Such imparity should be eliminated through a mechanical/electronic or software calibration.

However, it is necessary to renew such calibration since it will go off due to mechanical reasons like deformation of the satellite dish in time or electronic reasons like electronic components getting out of adjusted values. This process may only be performed by skilled specialists. Maintenance needs and costs pose a problem.

Apart from what has been mentioned above, the device cannot operate at full performance until such a time it is recalibrated for there will be an ever increasing decrease in the device's performance.

Design of semi-conductive receivers requires advanced engineering knowledge and their manufacturing requires great care since they work at very high frequencies. This, too, is a factor which leads to increased costs. In consideration of the issues mentioned above and in presence of applications, it has become necessary to develop a new solution. Description of the Objectives of the Invention

Based on the state of the art, the objective of the present invention is to develop the method of locking on satellite in satellite dishes called "on the move", a method that eliminates the problems encountered in current structures and offers lots of advantages.

Another objective of the present invention is to develop an economic method, which allows the detection of satellite signals at any position by the satellite antennas used in the vehicles that are in motion.

Another objective of the present invention is to mask certain parts of satellite receiver antenna dish alternately at a certain speed in order for the signals received from the satellite to focus at any position.

Another objective of the present invention is to receive the signals from the satellite at any position by performing the masking process over a block positioned at the satellite dish side or the BUC / LNB side. The method of masking certain parts of satellite receiver antenna dish alternately at a certain speed has been developed in order to carry out the objectives of the present invention.

Description of the Drawings

FIG.1 is a diagram showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG.2 is a diagram showing the position of the block in the masking process in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG.3 is a diagram showing the position of the block in the masking process in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Reference Numbers

1 Main reflector 6 Focal Point (BUC / 7 Signal from the

(satellite dish) LNB) satellite 2 Block 4 Secondary reflector 8 Out of focal point

3 Rotator Component 5 Signal from the satellite

Detailed Description of the Present Invention

The present invention relates to a new method that allows the satellite dishes in motion (1 ) to lock on satellite, and to a system that carries out said method.

Representative diagrams in figures are given to describe the operating process of application in cassegrain type antennas. Masking can be performed at a convenient point in antennas of various types. Components in cassegrain type antennas are situated in a way, which main reflector (1 ) collects the signals received from the satellite (5,7) over the secondary reflector (4) at the focal point (6). The method of the present invention is performed by a block (2), and a rotator component (3) that rotates said block. While some signals (5) sent by the satellite (5,7) are collected at the focal point (6), the others (7) are reflected by the block (2) away from the focal point (8). Signals received at different sides of the satellite dish depending on the position of the block (2) are reflected away from the focal point (8). If the satellite dish

(1 ) is precisely aimed at the satellite, the measured level of signal will not change when the block (2) is rotating since the rotation of the block (2) will always result in the loss of same amount of signal.

However, if the system is not precisely aimed at the satellite, the level of signal will either decrease or increase depending on the position of the block (2). As seen in FIG.2, all the signals received (5) are collected at the focal point (6) when the block

(2) travels at a distant point from the satellite.

As in FIG.3, when the block (2) is at the same side with the satellite, some of the signals received (5,7) will reach the focal point (6) while the others (7) will be reflected by the block (2) away from the focal point (8). When the block (2) is being rotated by the rotator component (3), the positional data and the data of the signal (5,7) received at the focal point (6) from the satellite are evaluated to detect the current direction of the satellite, and the satellite dish (1) is turned towards the detected direction to ensure that it always aims precisely at the satellite. When the block (2) is being rotated by the rotator component (3), the positional data and the level/strength of the signal (5,7) received at the focal point (6) from the satellite are evaluated to detect the current direction of the satellite, and the satellite dish (1) is turned towards the detected direction to ensure that it always aims precisely at the satellite.)

In order to ensure that the position of the satellite is detected based on the position of the signals (5,7) received from the satellite through masking of certain parts of the receiver antenna dish (1) alternately at a certain speed, a satellite masking system has been developed comprising at least one block (2) that allows for masking of the signals (5,7) from the satellite over the main reflector (1) and at least one rotator component (3) that allows for changing the block (2) masking position. At least one block (2) is positioned either on the satellite dish side or BUC / LNB (6) side which allows the masking process to be performed.

The satellite dish (1) is aimed at the satellite based on the position of said satellite, which is detected through the signals received from the satellite (5,7) at the same position with the block (2) performing the masking process.

It is a method of locking on the satellite comprising of the steps of:

Receiving the positional data of the signals from the satellite (5,7) over at least one block (2) positioned on the reflector (1) and/or a secondary reflector (4),

- Detecting the signals (5,7) from the satellite received at the focal point (6) and reflected away from the focal point (8) over the position that changes via the rotation of the block (2),

- Detecting the satellite position through masking over the block (2) in order that the signals (5,7) from the satellite are received at the focal point (6)

Aiming the main reflector (1) at the satellite so that the signals from the satellite are received at the focal point (6) based on the satellite position detected. The satellite dish (1) is rotated and locked on the satellite by detecting the position of the satellite through the signals (5,7) from the satellite based on the position of the block (2) that performs the masking process.

The main reflector (1) is locked on the satellite through changing the position of the block (2) over the rotator component (3), collecting the data of the signals from the satellite received at the focal point (6) and reflected away from the focal point (8) based on the position of the block (2) masking, and detecting the position of the satellite based on the position of the block (2) masking.