Patent ID: 7324046
Filing Date: 2008-01-29
Classification: H01Q

Abstract:
1. A communication system comprising: a two-axis gimbals control system adapted to adjust an antenna pointing direction relative to a gimbals azimuth axis and a gimbals elevation axis; and an antenna mounted to the two-axis gimbals control system along the gimbals elevation axis, wherein the antenna is adapted to provide a third axis of control of the antenna pointing direction by generating an electronically steered beam, at electronically steered angles that are calculated based on azimuth angles and elevation angles commanded to the two-axis gimbals control system, and to adjust the antenna pointing direction relative to a cross-elevation axis that is perpendicular to the gimbals elevation axis, and wherein the antenna is adapted to adjust the antenna pointing direction using the two-axis gimbals control system when the antenna pointing direction is outside of a keyhole regions and wherein the antenna is adapted to perform electronic beam steering to adjust the antenna pointing direction when an elevation angle is within a keyhole region.