Patent ID: 6281839
Filing Date: 2001-08-28
Classification: H01Q

Abstract:
A method for two way communication between a first station and a second station each said station including a receiving device and a transmitting device for receiving and transmitting electromagnetic communication signals, the first station having an array antenna for transmitting and receiving the electromagnetic communication signals to and from the second station, the array antenna having a direction of optimum transmission or direction of electric boresight of transmission being substantially constant in relation to a physical boresight axis of the antenna or an axis perpendicular to a plane mainly including said array antenna, and said array antenna being coupled to the receiving device and transmitting device of the first station by an electrical feeding device,whereby one or more signals are transmitted from the first station to the second station, and the direction of the physical boresight axis of the antenna of the first station is controlled, said method comprisingelectrically changing or switching a direction of improved reception or electric boresight of reception of the antenna of the first station in one or more directions displaced from the direction of the physical boresight axis by changing electric characteristics of said feeding device,monitoring, during said switching of the direction of improved reception or electric boresight of reception, one or more signals carrying information representing variations in receiving signal strength of one or more signals transmitted from the second station and received by the first station during said switching, andmechanically moving the antenna in response to the results of said monitoring of the signal strength information signal(s) thereby changing the direction of the physical boresight axis so as to reduce or minimize pointing errors of the antenna in relation to the second station and increase or maximize the strength of signals received by the first station from the second station and/or vice versa.