Patent · US Active

Multi-beam antenna with multi-device control unit

US8027703B2 · kind B2 · utility

7Cited by
5References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 11, 2009
Grant dateSep 27, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 17, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01Q21/08
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

RET antenna with a modular switching unit and a multi-device control unit con figured to be inserted into and removed from a receptacle in the antenna. The multi-device control unit works together with motors and position sensors located inside the antenna to allow a single controller located in the multi-device control unit to control multiple embedded electro-mechanical actuators, such as phase shifter control motors. The multi-device control unit includes lightning protection circuits, communications circuits, a motor controller, power control circuits and a motor position sensing circuit inside a small housing. These components are shared between all motors inside the antenna through the modular switching unit, which allows a single set of components within the multi-device control unit to replace redundant components deployed in prior RET antennas.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.