Patent ID: 6476764
Filing Date: 2002-11-05
Classification: G01S

Abstract:
A method for determining pointing of a satellite terminal antenna, wherein said satellite terminal antenna is adapted to receive a signal from at least one satellite within a communications network, identify a satellite position area in which said satellite is expected to be present, and divide said satellite position area into a plurality of regions, said method comprising:determining a plurality of first measurement values corresponding to a respective one of said regions, each representing a magnitude of a signal received from said satellite by said satellite terminal antenna when said satellite terminal antenna is pointing toward a first location; determining at least one second measurement value corresponding to a respective one of said regions and representing a magnitude of a second signal received by said satellite terminal antenna from said satellite; comparing said at least one of said measurement values to said first measurement value corresponding to said region to which said second measurement value corresponds; and issuing an alarm signal when a result of the comparison indicates that said at least one second measurement value differs from said first measurement value by more than a pre-determined amount.