Abstract:
An alignment device provides position information for an antenna coupled to an extendable tower. The alignment device can provide position data including pitch data, roll data, and azimuth data. The position data can be collected at multiple times, and reported to a remote computing device. The position data can be reported as the raw measured data, a delta between two sets of position data, or other data. The alignment device may be solar powered and include a transceiver client for communicating with a remote computing device via a transceiver server.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application is claims the priority benefit of U.S. provisional patent application 61/419,513, filed Dec. 3, 2010, and titled “Wireless Solar Compass Antenna Alignment System”, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Narrow band antennas are used to communicate with a broad array of systems. The communication requires that the narrow band antennas be directed towards the particular system. The direction may be set by performing a bore sight operation on the antenna to direct the antenna communication waves towards the system intended to receive the antenna signal. 
         [0003]    Narrow band antennas should be directed towards a system for communication to occur. Therefore, it is important that the line of communication be as free as possible from interference and objects that obstruct the signal. Obstruction of the signal distortion in the antenna signal and prevent proper communication between the antenna and the system in communication with the antenna. 
         [0004]    What is needed is an improved system for positioning an antenna with minimal signal obstruction. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present technology provides an alignment device for providing position information for an antenna coupled to an extendable tower. The alignment device can provide position data including pitch data, roll data, and azimuth data. The position data can be collected at multiple times, and reported to a remote computing device. The position data can be reported as the raw measured data, a delta between two sets of position data, or other data. The alignment device may be solar powered and include a transceiver client for communicating with a remote computing device via a transceiver server. 
         [0006]    In an embodiment, a method for determining an alignment may include receiving a first set of position data over a wireless connection from an alignment device coupled to a structure. The first set of position data may be associated with an alignment of a portion of the structure which is not within reach of a user. The structure may be configured to be extendable such that a portion of the structure having the alignment device extends to a position out of reach of the user. The position data may be provided to a user through an interface. 
         [0007]    In an embodiment, a system for determining a structure alignment may include an independent power source, a digital compass, a transceiver and a housing. The digital compass receives power from the independent power source and may be configured to provide position data associated with the position of the system. The transceiver receives power from the independent power source and may be configured to transmit the position data to a remote computing device. The housing contains the digital compass and the transceiver and may be attached to an extendable structure. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary extendable structure having an alignment device. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary alignment device. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  illustrates a block diagram of exemplary computing device modules for processing information from an alignment device. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  illustrates an exemplary method for providing position data. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  illustrates another exemplary method for providing position data. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  illustrates an exemplary interface for providing position data. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  illustrates an exemplary system for implementing a computing device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary extendable structure having an alignment device. The extendable structure  100  of  FIG. 1  includes an extendable structure  110 , an antenna  120  and an alignment device  130 . The extendable structure may be a tower or any other structure that may be extendable. The structure may be extendable by a controller which may be operated by a user, manually by a user, or in some other manner. In some embodiments, the structure  110  may be implemented by an unextendable structure. 
         [0016]    The antenna  120  may be mounted to a portion of the extendable structure, such as an end that is extended vertically away from the ground. When extended, the structure may position the antenna to communicate with a system while avoiding obstructions such as trees and buildings. 
         [0017]    In some embodiments, the device mounted to the structure may be any device (in place of or in addition to antenna device  120 ) that may be oriented as a result of a bore sight operation. For example, the mounted device may be a rifle, laser sight, or some other device. For purposes of discussion, the alignment device  130  will be discussed below in the context of an antenna mounted to an extendable tower structure, though this is not intended to limit the scope of the device mounted to the extendable structure or the structure itself. 
         [0018]    Alignment device  130  may be used to determine and transmit position information for the antenna device  120 . The alignment device may be mounted to antenna  120  or an extendable tower  110  and communicate position regarding the position of the alignment device. The position information may be used to configure communication between a remote system and an antenna associated with the position information. The position information may also be used to communicate changes in position of the alignment device—and corresponding antenna—as the structure  110  is extended or retracted. The alignment device may provide position information to a remote computing device via wireless or a wired connection. 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary alignment device  210 . Alignment device  210  may include solar panel  211 , charge controller  212 , power source  213 , compass  214 , and transceiver  215 . The alignment device may include a non-metallic enclosure or housing for encasing the charge controller, power source, compass, and transceiver. The alignment device  210  may be coupled to antenna  225 , which may be coupled to tower structure  220 . Alignment device  210  may be coupled to tower structure  220  directly. 
         [0020]    In operation, solar panel  211  generates power based on received solar energy (sunlight). Solar panel  211  may utilize any appropriate photovoltaic cell, such as one or more single crystal silicon super cells. An exemplary panel may be 3/16 inches thick and provide 18 volts at 1 amp. An exemplary panel may provide 18 watts of power. Solar panel  211  may provide power to charge controller  212 . 
         [0021]    Charge controller  212  may receive power from solar panel  211  and charge power source  213 . Charge controller  212  may be implemented with any suitable charge controller, such as for example Morningstar&#39;s “Sunguard” solar charge controller. Power source  213  may include a battery or other power source. When implemented as a battery, the power source  213  may be a 12 Volt battery having a 9 AH capacity. An exemplary battery for use with the present invention may include an MK-Powered ESP-12 volt battery. Power source  213  provides power to transceiver client  215  and compass  214 . 
         [0022]    Transceiver client  215  receives power from power source  213  and communicates with compass  214 . Transceiver client  215  may receive position data from compass  214  and may transmit instructions, configuration data, and other data to compass  214 . Transceiver client  215  may transmit and receive data with a remote transceiver, such as transceiver server  230 . For example, transceiver client  215  may receive position data from compass  214  and transmit the data to transceiver server  230 . Transceiver client  215  may also receive a compass configuration instruction transmitted by transceiver  230 , and transmit the compass instruction to compass  214 . Transceiver client  215  may be implemented by a Laird Technologies CL2510 wireless serial transceiver. 
         [0023]    Compass  214  may generate position data based on the orientation of the compass component and transmit the position data to transceiver client  215 . The position data is eventually provided to a user, for example through an interface provided by computing device  240 . The position data may periodically provide updates on the position of the compass, which may be associated with the antenna or structure portion that the compass  214  is attached to. The position data may include one or more of roll, pitch, and azimuth. Roll data may indicate the compass position in the context of a side moving up or down with respect to a flat plane—rotation along a longitudinal axis. Pitch may indicate the compass position in the context of a dip or rise in the front or back of the compass—rotation along a latitudinal axis. Azimuth may indicate the direction the compass is pointing. 
         [0024]    Transceiver server  230  may communicate with transceiver client  215  and computing device  240 . Transceiver  230  may communicate with computing device  240  via a wireless or a wired connection, such as an RS232 connection. Similar to transceiver client  215 , transceiver server  230  may be implemented by a Laird Technologies CL2510 wireless serial transceiver. 
         [0025]    Computing device  240  may receive position data from transceiver server  230 . The data may be generated by compass  214  and transmitted to computing device  240  via the transceiver client-server pair. Computing device may receive the position data and display the data to a user to dynamically indicate the position of compass  214  and corresponding alignment device  210 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 3  illustrates a block diagram of exemplary computing device modules for processing information from an alignment device. The modules may be implemented by software programs stored in memory of computing device  240  and may be used to perform the functionality described herein with respect to receiving and displaying position data. Computing device  240  may include transceiver module  320  and compass data module  310 . Transceiver module  320  may be stored in memory and executed by a processor on computing device  240  to configure a connection with transceiver  230 . 
         [0027]    Compass data module  310  may be stored in memory and executed by a processor on computing device  240  to receive and manage display of position data. The position data may be displayed in a dashboard interface, a scrolling interface, or in some other manner. Each of the display mechanisms may be controlled by compass data module  310 . 
         [0028]    The alignment device of the present invention may be used in several ways. For example, the alignment device can be used to provide position data for a device, such as an antenna, whether a bore sight operation is performed or not.  FIGS. 4-5  describe methods for using an alignment device both with and without performing a bore sight operation. 
         [0029]      FIG. 4  illustrates an exemplary method for providing position data. The method of  FIG. 4  is an example of use of position of data without performing a bore sight operation on the antenna to which to the alignment device is associated with. First, an alignment device is coupled to an extendable structure at step  410 . The extendable structure may be an extendable tower which includes an antenna. The extendable structure and alignment device may then be extended at step  420 . 
         [0030]    Position data may be received from an alignment device at step  430 . The position data may include roll, pitch and azimuth data, and may be received dynamically from a compass within the alignment device via a transceiver client and server. The position data may be provided to a user at step  440 . The data may be provided via display in an interface, an electronic message to a remote device, or in some other manner. An operation may be performed based on the position data at step  450 . The operation may include adjusting the extendable tower by extending or retracting the tower, configuring a system in communication with the antenna based on the position data, or some other operation. 
         [0031]      FIG. 5  illustrates another exemplary method for providing position data. The method of  FIG. 5  is an example of use of position of data that includes performing a bore sight operation on the antenna to which to the alignment device is associated with. First, the alignment device is coupled to a structure attachment which is mounted to the extendable structure at step  510 . The structure attachment may include an antenna. A bore sight operation may be performed on the antenna at step  520 . The bore sight operation may position the antenna to be most useful to the system in communication with the antenna. A first set of position data is received from the alignment device at step  530 . The first set of position data may relate to the position of the antenna after the bore sight operation. 
         [0032]    The structure is extended at step  540 . A second set of position data may be received from the alignment device at step  550 . The second set of position data may reflect the alignment device position after the structure supporting the antenna has been extended. A position data delta is determined at step  560 . The delta is the difference between the first set of position data and the second set of position data. For example, the delta may be the difference in each of roll, pitch, and azimuth. The delta of the position data sets is then provided at step  570 . The delta may be provided to a user of computing device  240  via a graphical interface, may be communicated to a remote system, or stored in memory. 
         [0033]      FIG. 6  illustrates an exemplary interface for providing position data. In some embodiments, the interface  600  of  FIG. 6  may be provided by compass data module  310 . Interface  600  provides a dashboard of position data communicated by compass module  214 . The dashboard may be updated dynamically, periodically, or based on events such movement of the extendable tower on which the alignment device is coupled. 
         [0034]    Display  600  provides information for roll, pitch, and azimuth. The roll position data is provided as a measure of rotation along a longitudinal axis in units of degrees. The scale illustrated in display  600  ranges from minus ninety degrees to plus ninety degrees. The display may provide roll data in analog or digital format. 
         [0035]    The pitch position data is provided as a scale from a positive number to a negative number. The pitch position data may be presented via analog or digital form. The azimuth position data may indicate a direction in which the alignment device is pointing. The azimuth position data may be presented via analog or digital form. 
         [0036]      FIG. 7  illustrates an exemplary system for implementing a computing device. System  700  of  FIG. 7  may be implemented in the contexts of the likes of computing device  240 . The computing system  700  of  FIG. 7  includes one or more processors  710  and memory  715 . Main memory  715  stores, in part, instructions and data for execution by processor  710 . Main memory  715  can store the executable code when in operation. The system  700  of  FIG. 7  further includes a mass storage device  720 , portable storage medium drive(s)  725 , output devices  730 , user input devices  735 , a graphics display  740 , and peripheral devices  745 . 
         [0037]    The components shown in  FIG. 7  are depicted as being connected via a single bus  750 . However, the components may be connected through one or more data transport means. For example, processor unit  710  and main memory  715  may be connected via a local microprocessor bus, and the mass storage device  720 , peripheral device(s)  745 , portable storage device  725 , and display system  740  may be connected via one or more input/output (I/O) buses. 
         [0038]    Mass storage device  720 , which may be implemented with a magnetic disk drive or an optical disk drive, is a non-volatile storage device for storing data and instructions for use by processor unit  710 . Mass storage device  720  can store the system software for implementing embodiments of the present invention for purposes of loading that software into main memory  715 . 
         [0039]    Portable storage device  725  operates in conjunction with a portable non-volatile storage medium, such as a floppy disk, compact disk or Digital video disc, to input and output data and code to and from the computer system  700  of  FIG. 7 . The system software for implementing embodiments of the present invention may be stored on such a portable medium and input to the computer system  700  via the portable storage device  725 . 
         [0040]    Input devices  735  provide a portion of a user interface. Input devices  735  may include an alpha-numeric keypad, such as a keyboard, for inputting alpha-numeric and other information, or a pointing device, such as a mouse, a trackball, stylus, or cursor direction keys. Additionally, the system  700  as shown in  FIG. 7  includes output devices  730 . Examples of suitable output devices include speakers, printers, network interfaces, and monitors. 
         [0041]    Display system  740  may include a liquid crystal display (LCD) or other suitable display device. Display system  740  receives textual and graphical information, and processes the information for output to the display device. 
         [0042]    Peripherals  745  may include any type of computer support device to add additional functionality to the computer system. For example, peripheral device(s)  745  may include a modem or a router. 
         [0043]    The components contained in the computer system  700  of  FIG. 7  are those typically found in computer systems that may be suitable for use with embodiments of the present invention and are intended to represent a broad category of such computer components that are well known in the art. Thus, the computer system  700  of  FIG. 7  can be a personal computer, hand held computing device, telephone, mobile computing device, workstation, server, minicomputer, mainframe computer, or any other computing device. The computer can also include different bus configurations, networked platforms, multi-processor platforms, etc. Various operating systems can be used including Unix, Linux, Windows, Macintosh OS, Palm OS, and other suitable operating systems. 
         [0044]    The invention has been described herein in terms of several preferred embodiments. Other embodiments of the invention, including alternatives, modifications, permutations and equivalents of the embodiments described herein, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification, study of the drawings, and practice of the invention. The embodiments and preferred features described above should be considered exemplary, with the invention being defined by the appended claims, which therefore include all such alternatives, modifications, permutations and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention