Patent ID: 7898489

Claim:
Device for adjusting the beam direction of a beam radiated from a stationary array of antenna elements, wherein at least two antenna element feed points are coupled to a common signal source via a feed line structure having a source connection terminal to be connected to said source and at least two feed connection terminals to be connected to said antenna element feed points, said feed line structure being at a distance from and in parallel to a fixed ground plane on at least one side of said feed line structure, wherein a movable element is located adjacent to said feed line structure so as to change the signal phase of signal components being transferred between said source connection terminal and the respective feed connection terminals, said movable element being movable for effecting a controlled phase shift of said signal components so as to adjust said beam direction, wherein said device is provided with detection means for detecting the absolute position of the movable element, wherein said movable element is provided with a reading scale, and wherein an optical reading device is mounted on the exterior of the device to scan the reading scale through one or more openings in the device.