Patent ID: 6249247
Filing Date: 2001-06-19
Classification: H01Q

Abstract:
An antenna direction control apparatus for rotating a calling party antenna toward a direction of a called party antenna, comprising: a calling party antenna for transmitting signals to a called party antenna and receiving signals from the called party antenna; a magnetic sensor attached to the calling party antenna for measuring the geomagnetic field and producing a corresponding output; a motor for rotating the calling party antenna; a magnetic sensor circuit for converting the output of the magnetic sensor into an electric signal which varies corresponding to changes in the measured geomagnetic field in accordance with the direction of the calling party antenna; a processor for determining the current direction of the calling party antenna based on an output of the magnetic sensor circuit and for outputting a control signal for setting the calling party antenna in the direction of the called party antenna; a motor power source for driving the motor; control means receptive of the control signal output by the processor for controlling the rotation of the calling party antenna; and input means for inputting a called party name; wherein the processor includes means for converting the called party name into positional information of the called party antenna, and means for calculating the control signal for rotation of the calling party antenna using spherical trigonometry based on the positional information III the called party antenna and the position of the calling party antenna.