Patent ID: 7212169
Filing Date: 2007-05-01
Classification: H01Q

Abstract:
1. A lens antenna apparatus comprising: a fixed base horizontally located in an installation position; a rotating base mounted on the fixed base rotatably on an azimuth axis; a hemispherical lens antenna mounted on the rotating base and having a radio reflector on which a hemispherical lens is placed, the hemispherical lens being formed by halving a spherical lens that focuses radio beams; a guide rail formed along an outer surface of the hemispherical lens and supported based on an elevation axis perpendicular to the azimuth axis, the azimuth axis passing through a center point of the hemispherical lens; a plurality of radiators arranged opposite to the hemispherical lens in given positions on the guide rail and each having an antenna element that forms radio beams focused by the hemispherical lens; an AZ-axis rotating mechanism which rotates the rotating base on the azimuth axis; an EL-axis rotating mechanism which rotates the guide rail on the elevation axis; and a radiator moving mechanism which moves the radiators along the guide rail with a fixed interval between the radiators, wherein a directivity of radio beams of the radiators is controlled by adjusting the AZ-axis rotating mechanism, the EL-axis rotating mechanism, and the radiator moving mechanism, the radiators communicate with respective communication satellites arranged on a stationary orbit, the radiators are directly fixed to the guide rail in directions of the communication satellites when the apparatus is initialized, and the radiator moving mechanism moves the guide rail in a circumferential direction.