Patent ID: 6034634
Filing Date: 2000-03-07
Classification: H01Q,H04B

Abstract:
An antenna for communication with at least two nodes comprising:an azimuth turntable mounted for rotational motion in either direction about a central axis;an elevation table mounted upon said azimuth turntable for arcuate movement about a transverse axis which is perpendicular to said central axis, said upper surface of said table containing a plurality of antenna elements to form a phased array antenna in which the scan plane of said phased array lies in a plane which is substantially parallel to said transverse axis;means for rotating said azimuth turntable about said central axis and arcuately moving said elevation table about said transverse axis until said phased array antenna elements mounted upon said elevation table are positioned so that two of said nodes with which said antenna is to communicate lie within the scan plane of said antenna elements; andmeans for electronically scanning the beam of the phased array antenna elements mounted upon said elevation table to be selectively directed to either one or the other of said two nodes.