Main beam alignment verification for tracking antennas

Abstract

A method for main beam alignment verification includes providing data pertaining to one or more patterns associated with an antenna, measuring power levels of a signal acquired by the antenna, and comparing the measured power levels with the data to determine whether a direction of the signal is incident upon a main beam of the antenna.

1. A method for main beam alignment verification, comprising:
 providing data pertaining to one or more patterns associated with an antenna; 
 measuring, at at least one data receiver, power levels of a signal acquired by the an antenna; and 
 comparing, at at least one antenna control system, the measured power levels with the data pertaining to one or more patterns associated with the antenna; and  
 to determinedetermining, at the at least one antenna control system, whether a direction of the signal is incident upon a main beam of the antenna based on the comparison. 
 
     
     
       2. The method for main beam alignment verification of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more patterns include a data pattern. 
     
     
       3. The method for main beam alignment verification of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more patterns include data and tracking patterns. 
     
     
       4. The method for main beam alignment verification of  claim 1 , wherein the data includes main beam and sidelobe angular widths for the antenna. 
     
     
       5. The method for main beam alignment verification of  claim 1 , wherein the data includes monopulse error responses for a main beam region and sidelobe regions of the antenna. 
     
     
       6. The method for main beam alignment verification of  claim 1 , wherein the data is a priori. 
     
     
       7. The method for main beam alignment verification of  claim 1 , wherein multiple samples of the measured power levels at a common antenna position are averaged. 
     
     
       8. The method for main beam alignment verification of  claim 1 , wherein power levels measured in the azimuth coordinate are averaged. 
     
     
       9. A method for main beam alignment verification, comprising:
 providing data including main beam and sidelobe angular widths for an antenna; 
 measuring, at at least one data receiver, power levels of a signal acquired by the an antenna at multiple antenna positions; and 
 comparing, at at least one antenna control system, the measured power levels with the data pertaining to one or more patterns associated with the antenna; and  
 to determinedetermining, at the at least one antenna control system, whether a direction of the signal is incident upon a main beam of the antenna based on the comparison. 
 
     
     
       10. The method for main beam alignment verification of  claim 9 , wherein the data is a priori. 
     
     
       11. The method for main beam alignment verification of  claim 9 , wherein multiple samples of the measured power levels at a common antenna position are averaged. 
     
     
       12. The method for main beam alignment verification of  claim 9 , wherein power levels measured in the azimuth coordinate are averaged. 
     
     
       13. The method for main beam alignment verification of  claim 9 , further including using the data to reposition the antenna. 
     
     
       14. The method for main beam alignment verification of  claim 9 , further including using the data to reposition the antenna after a determination has been made that the signal is not incident upon the main beam. 
     
     
       15. The method for main beam alignment verification of  claim 9 , further including using the data to reposition the antenna to align the signal with a sidelobe of the antenna. 
     
     
       16. A method for main beam alignment verification, comprising:
 providing data including monopulse error responses for a main beam region and sidelobe regions of an antenna; 
 measuring, at at least one data receiver and at least one tracking receiver, power levels of a signal acquired by the an antenna at multiple antenna positions; and 
 comparing, at at least one antenna control system, the measured power levels with the data pertaining to one or more patterns associated with the antenna and including monopulse error responses for a main beam region and sidelobe regions of the antenna; and  
 to determinedetermining, at the at least one antenna control system, whether a direction of the signal is incident upon a main beam of the antenna based on the comparison. 
 
     
     
       17. The method for main beam alignment verification of  claim 16 , wherein the monopulse error responses are determined from data and tracking patterns of the antenna. 
     
     
       18. The method for main beam alignment verification of  claim 16 , wherein the data is a priori. 
     
     
       19. The method for main beam alignment verification of  claim 16 , further including using the data to reposition the antenna. 
     
     
       20. The method for main beam alignment verification of  claim 16 , further including using the data to reposition the antenna after a determination has been made that the signal is not incident upon the main beam. 
     
     
       21. The method for main beam alignment verification of  claim 16 , further including using the data to reposition the antenna to align the signal with a sidelobe of the antenna. 
     
     
       22. A system for determining main beam and sidelobe alignment, comprising:
 an antenna for acquiring a signal and outputting a received signal;   a positioner for rotating the antenna to offset positions;   a data receiver for receiving the received signal and outputting data and power of the received signal; and   an antenna control system for controlling the positioner and for processing outputs of the data receiver and a priori data,   wherein the offset positions of the antenna are spaced apart in opposite directions and with equal angular widths, and the system is configured to measure received signal power upon initially acquiring the signal and at each of the offset positions, compare the measured received signal powers with a priori antenna data, and determine main beam and sidelobe alignment based on the comparison.   
     
     
       23. The system of claim 22, wherein the a priori antenna data is a main beam shape and a sidelobe shape. 
     
     
       24. The system of claim 23, wherein the a priori antenna data further comprises satellite ephemeris data. 
     
     
       25. The system of claim 22, wherein the received signal power is measured at each of the offset positions and when the signal is initially acquired with a step track procedure. 
     
     
       26. The system of claim 25, wherein the antenna control system further comprises logic for the step track procedure. 
     
     
       27. The system of claim 22, wherein an automatic gain control signal of the data receiver provides the received signal power. 
     
     
       28. A system for determining main beam and sidelobe alignment comprising:
 an antenna for acquiring a signal and outputting a received sum signal and received difference signal;   a positioner for rotating the antenna to offset positions;   a data receiver for outputting data and power of the received sum signal;   a tracking receiver for tracking the received difference signal and outputting power of the received difference signal; and   an antenna control system for controlling the positioner and for processing outputs of the tracking receiver and a priori antenna data,   wherein the offset positions of the antenna are spaced apart in opposite directions with equal angular widths and,   received sum signal power is measured upon initially acquiring the signal and at each of the offset positions,   the measured received sum signal powers are compared with the a priori antenna, and main beam and sidelobe alignment are determined based on the comparison.   
     
     
       29. The system of claim 28, wherein the a priori antenna data is monopulse error slope data over extended angular range. 
     
     
       30. The system of claim 28, wherein the received sum signal power at each of the offset positions and upon acquiring the signal is measured with a step track procedure. 
     
     
       31. The system of claim 30, wherein the antenna control system further comprises logic for the step track procedure. 
     
     
       32. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to implement a method for main beam alignment verification, comprising:
 receiving measured power levels of a signal acquired by an antenna;   accessing data pertaining to one or more patterns associated with the antenna;   comparing the measured power levels with the data pertaining to one or more patterns associated with the antenna;   determining whether a direction of the signal is incident upon a main beam of the antenna based on the comparison; and   commanding the antenna to be repositioned based on whether the direction of the signal is incident upon the main beam of the antenna.   
     
     
       33. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the one or more patterns include a data pattern. 
     
     
       34. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the one or more patterns include data and tracking patterns. 
     
     
       35. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the data includes main beam and sidelobe angular widths for the antenna. 
     
     
       36. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the data includes monopulse error responses for a main beam region and sidelobe regions of the antenna. 
     
     
       37. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein execution of the instructions further comprises averaging multiple samples of the measured power levels at a common antenna position. 
     
     
       38. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein execution of the instructions further comprises averaging power levels measured in the azimuth coordinate. 
     
     
       39. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to implement a method for main beam alignment verification, comprising:
 receiving measured power levels of a signal acquired by an antenna at multiple antenna positions;   accessing data pertaining to one or more patterns associated with the antenna;   comparing the measured power levels with the data pertaining to one or more patterns associated with the antenna;   determining whether a direction of the signal is incident upon a main beam of the antenna based on the comparison; and   commanding the antenna to be repositioned based on whether the direction of the signal is incident upon the main beam of the antenna.   
     
     
       40. The computer-readable medium of claim 39, wherein execution of the instructions further comprises averaging of multiple samples of the measured power levels at a common antenna position. 
     
     
       41. The computer-readable medium of claim 39, wherein execution of the instructions further comprises averaging of power levels measured in the azimuth coordinate. 
     
     
       42. The computer-readable medium of claim 39, wherein execution of the instructions further comprises generating a positioner signal to reposition the antenna. 
     
     
       43. The computer-readable medium of claim 39, wherein execution of the instructions further includes generating a positioner signal to reposition the antenna after a determination has been made that the signal is not incident upon the main beam. 
     
     
       44. The computer-readable medium of claim 39, wherein execution of the instructions further comprises generating a positioner signal to reposition the antenna and to align the signal with a sidelobe of the antenna. 
     
     
       45. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to implement a method for main beam alignment verification, comprising:
 receiving measured power levels to form measured error responses at multiple antenna positions;   accessing data pertaining to one or more patterns associated with the antenna and including monopulse error responses for a main beam region and sidelobe regions of an antenna;   comparing the measured error responses with the data pertaining to one or more patterns associated with the antenna and including monopulse error responses for a main beam region and sidelobe regions of the antenna;   determining whether a direction of the signal is incident upon a main beam of the antenna based on the comparison; and   commanding the antenna to be repositioned based on whether the direction of the signal is incident upon the main beam of the antenna.   
     
     
       46. The computer-readable medium of claim 45, wherein execution of the instructions further comprises determining the monopulse error responses from data and tracking patterns of the antenna. 
     
     
       47. The computer-readable medium of claim 45, wherein execution of the instructions further comprises generating a positioner signal to reposition the antenna. 
     
     
       48. The computer-readable medium of claim 45, wherein execution of the instructions further comprises generating a positioner signal to reposition the antenna after a determination has been made that the signal is not incident upon the main beam. 
     
     
       49. The computer-readable medium of claim 45, wherein execution of the instructions further comprises generating a positioner signal to reposition the antenna and to align the signal with a sidelobe of the antenna.