JPH04286221A - Antenna controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To quickly acquire a satellite after passing through a non-acquirable zone. CONSTITUTION:An arithmetic unit 3 stores the data of a section where the satellite can be acquired by automatic tracking and the section where the satellite can not be acquired in a storage device 4, and simultaneously, it stores also the data of the direction of the satellite at the time when the satellite becomes acquirable by coordinating it with that section. Then, when the satellite becomes not to be acquired, the arithmetic unit 3 retrieves the data in the corresponding section of the storage device 4, and when the data of the direction of the satellite at a position at which the satellite becomes acquirable afterward is stored, it givers a command based on this data to an antenna driving device 5 so as to set beforehand the direction of an antenna 1 for satellite communication. Thus, possibility that the satellite can be acquired instantly after passing through the non-acquirable zone is raised.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an antenna control device for automatic tracking of a satellite communication antenna mounted on a moving body such as a vehicle.

0002

[Prior Art] In order to perform stable satellite communication from a moving object such as a vehicle while the vehicle is in motion, the satellite communication antenna must be driven at high speed and track the satellite. An antenna control device is used that has an automatic tracking function to control the direction of the satellite communication antenna so that

However, there are sections where it is impossible to capture satellites due to the influence of buildings and the like.

Although it is unavoidable that satellite communication is not possible in this section, it is desirable to acquire the satellite as soon as possible after exiting this section.

Conventionally, when it becomes impossible to capture a satellite,
The satellite communication antenna was driven at high speed to scan all possible directions for satellites, and the satellite was captured in the process.

[0006]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] As mentioned above, in the conventional antenna control device, when it becomes impossible to capture a satellite due to the influence of buildings, etc., it scans all directions in which the satellite can exist. Therefore, there was a drawback that it took time for acquisition to be completed and for normal automatic tracking to occur. In particular, when there are many areas where acquisition is impossible, initial acquisition as described above must be performed each time, and the time required cannot be ignored.

The present invention has been proposed in view of the above points, and its purpose is to provide an antenna control device that can quickly capture a satellite when it passes through an area where it cannot be captured. be.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an antenna control device for automatic tracking of a satellite communication antenna mounted on a moving body such as a vehicle.
The data of the sections where satellites can be captured and the sections where satellites cannot be captured by automatic tracking are stored based on the position data of the moving object obtained from the navigation system, and the data of the satellite direction when satellites can be captured are stored as sections. In addition to controlling the storage device that stores data in association with each other and controlling the storage in the storage device, when a satellite cannot be captured, the data in the corresponding section of the storage device is searched, and the data is stored in a position where the subsequent satellite can be captured. If satellite direction data is stored, the apparatus includes a calculation device that gives a command to the antenna driving device to preset the direction of the satellite communication antenna based on the data.

[0009]

[Operation] In the antenna control device of the present invention, under the control of the arithmetic unit, the data of the sections in which the satellite is captured and the sections in which the satellite is not captured by automatic tracking are stored in the storage device, and Satellite direction data when possible is stored in association with the section. When a satellite cannot be captured, the computing device searches for data in the corresponding section of the storage device, and if data on the satellite direction at a position where the satellite can be captured after that is stored, based on that data. A command is given to the antenna driving device to preset the direction of the satellite communication antenna. This increases the possibility of immediately capturing a satellite when it passes through an area where it cannot be captured.

0010

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of an antenna control device of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, this embodiment is comprised of a satellite communication antenna 1, a transceiver 2, an arithmetic unit 3, a storage device 4, an antenna drive device 5, a motor 6, and a speed reducer 7. Each part has the following functions.

Satellite communication antenna 1: An antenna for performing satellite communication.

Transmitter/receiver 2; receives the RF signal from the satellite communication antenna 1, and transmits the R signal to the satellite communication antenna 1.
This is a device that transmits the F signal. It also outputs a satellite acquisition signal indicating whether or not a satellite is being acquired, as well as satellite direction data and automatic tracking data necessary for automatic tracking.

Arithmetic device 3: A device that controls the antenna drive device 5 and the storage device 4. That is, the antenna driving device 5 is controlled to automatically track the satellite, and data on the sections in which the satellite can be captured and the sections in which the satellite cannot be captured by automatic tracking is stored in the storage device 4, and furthermore, it becomes possible to capture the satellite. The data on the satellite direction at the time of the search is stored in association with the section. In addition, when a satellite cannot be captured, data in the corresponding section of the storage device 4 is searched, and if data on the satellite direction at a position where the satellite can be captured is stored, satellite communication is performed based on that data. A command is given to the antenna driving device 5 to preset the direction of the antenna. Note that the data regarding the section is obtained from data such as the position and traveling direction of a navigation system (mounted on the mobile object) that uses regional information data provided by a map matching CD-ROM or the like.

Storage device 4: This is a device in which the above data is stored and updated as necessary.

Antenna drive device 5: This is a device that controls the rotation of the motor 6 based on the control of the arithmetic device 3.

Motor 6: A device for obtaining driving power for the satellite communication antenna 1.

Reducer 7: A device for reducing the rotational speed of the motor 6 to an appropriate value to obtain the necessary torque.

The operation of the above embodiment will be explained below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, the arithmetic unit 3 determines whether or not a satellite acquisition signal is provided from the transceiver 2 (step S
1).

If a satellite acquisition signal is given (YES in step S1), the antenna driving device 5 is controlled to perform automatic tracking (step S2), and the data during that time is stored in the storage device 4 (step S1). S3), return to step S1. These operations are repeated during satellite acquisition.

On the other hand, if the satellite acquisition signal is not given (NO in step S1), that is, if the satellite acquisition fails due to entering the shadow of a building, etc., it is determined whether or not there is a current driving record. (Step S4).

[0023] If there is no driving record (NO in step S4)
), initial acquisition is performed in the normal search mode (step S5), and the process returns to step S1.

[0024] Also, if there is a driving record (step S4
If the answer is YES), the data of the direction of the satellite when it becomes possible to capture it ahead in the direction of travel is read from the storage device 4 (step S6), and the antenna driving device 5 drives the satellite communication antenna 1 based on this data ( Step S7)
.

[0025] Next, start the timer (step S8
).

Next, it is determined whether or not a satellite acquisition signal is provided from the transceiver 2 (step S9).

If a satellite acquisition signal is provided (YES in step S9), it means that the satellite has been successfully acquired in the set direction, and the process returns to step S1.

If the satellite acquisition signal is not given (NO in step S9), it is determined whether the timer has timed out (step S10).

[0029] If the timeout has not occurred (step S
10), the process returns to step S9.

[0030] Also, if a timeout occurs (step S
10 (YES), it means that the satellite could not be captured due to the set direction, and initial capture is performed in the normal search mode (step S11), and the process returns to step S1.

[0031] In the initial acquisition using the search mode, in addition to scanning all directions in which the satellite can exist as in the past, the satellite direction is determined based on the current position of the moving object obtained from the navigation system and the satellite position (known). It is also possible to calculate this and drive the satellite communication antenna 1 in that direction to speed up acquisition.

[0032]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, in the antenna control device of the present invention, information on the sections that have already been traveled (data on whether or not the satellite can be captured, data on the satellite direction) is accumulated, and when the satellite cannot be captured, If the data on the satellite direction at the position where the subsequent satellite can be captured is stored, the direction of the satellite communication antenna is set in advance based on that data. In some cases, the satellite can be captured quickly when the capture period begins. In reality, the present invention has a great effect because the vehicle often travels in the same section as before.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of an antenna control device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1...Satellite communication antenna 2...transmitter/receiver 3... Arithmetic device 4...Storage device 5...Antenna drive device 6...Motor 7...Reducer

Claims (2)

[Claims] [Claim 1] In an antenna control device for automatic tracking of a satellite communication antenna mounted on a moving body such as a vehicle, data of sections where satellites can be captured and sections where satellites cannot be captured by automatic tracking is transmitted to a navigation system. A storage device that stores data based on the position data of the mobile object obtained from the mobile object, and also stores data on the satellite direction when it becomes possible to capture the satellite in association with the interval. When acquisition is no longer possible, the data in the corresponding section of the storage device is searched, and if the data of the satellite direction at the position where the satellite can be acquired after that is stored, the satellite communication antenna is adjusted based on that data. An antenna control device comprising: an arithmetic device that gives a command to an antenna drive device to preset a direction. [Claim 2] When a satellite cannot be captured, there is no data for the corresponding section, and the satellite cannot be captured within a predetermined time due to the direction set based on the stored satellite direction data. 2. The antenna control device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna control device performs acquisition in a normal search mode.