Beam pointing fine tuning for vehicle-based antennas

Abstract

A vehicle communication system includes a controller configured to be communicatively coupled to one or more antennas. The controller is also configured to adjust a beam during a period of time to be oriented at a plurality of pointing angles, and detect a plurality of sets of signal data for a received signal, where each set of signal data is detected at a different one of the pointing angles. The controller is further configured to identify a particular pointing angle based on the plurality of sets of signal data, reorient another beam from the given pointing angle to the particular pointing angle, and transmit or receive data, via the other beam while the other beam is oriented at the particular pointing angle, between a particular external node and at least one internal node.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle communication system comprising:
 one or more antennas that are disposed on the vehicle and that are configured to implement a plurality of beams, including: (i) a first beam configured to be oriented at a given pointing angle to establish a link with one or more external nodes that are external to and not disposed on the vehicle, wherein the one or more antennas are configured to transmit or receive, via the first beam, data between one or more internal nodes disposed on the vehicle and the one or more external nodes; and (ii) a second beam distinct from the first beam; and   a controller configured to be communicatively coupled to the one or more antennas, wherein the controller is configured to:
 (i) adjust the second beam during a period of time to be oriented at a plurality of pointing angles; 
 (ii) detect a plurality of sets of signal data for a received signal, wherein each set of signal data is detected at a different one of the plurality of pointing angles; 
 (iii) identify a particular pointing angle based on the plurality of sets of signal data; 
 (iv) reorient the first beam from the given pointing angle to the particular pointing angle; and 
 (v) transmit or receive data, via the first beam while the first beam is oriented at the particular pointing angle, between a particular external node and at least one of the one or more internal nodes. 
   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 obtain a plurality of values for a signal parameter for the received signal, including obtaining each value of the plurality of values from a different one of the plurality of sets of signal data, wherein each value of the plurality of values corresponds to a different one of the plurality of pointing angles.   
     
     
         3 . The vehicle communication system of  claim 2 , wherein the signal parameter is a first parameter when the first beam is a transit beam and wherein the signal parameter is a second parameter, distinct from the first parameter, when the first beam is a receive beam. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle communication system of  claim 2 , wherein the signal parameter is the same parameter regardless of whether the first beam is a transmit beam or a receive beam. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicle communication system of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the signal parameter is a first parameter when the pointing angles of the plurality of pointing angles are within a first range; and   the signal parameter is a second parameter distinct from the first parameter when the pointing angles of the plurality of pointing angles are within a second range distinct from the first range.   
     
     
         6 . The vehicle communication system of  claim 2 , wherein the signal parameter is an index and wherein each of the plurality of values is calculated based on values of both a signal strength parameter and a signal-to-nose ratio (SNR) parameter. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle communication system of  claim 2 , wherein the signal parameter is a signal strength parameter. 
     
     
         8 . The vehicle communication system of  claim 2 , wherein the signal parameter is a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), a signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR), a reference signal received power (RSRP), or a reference signal received quality (RSRQ). 
     
     
         9 . The vehicle communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more antennas include a first antenna implementing the first beam and a second antenna implementing the second beam. 
     
     
         10 . The vehicle communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more antennas includes a first antenna implementing both the first beam and the second beam. 
     
     
         11 . The vehicle communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the pointing angle is an elevation angle. 
     
     
         12 . The vehicle communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is an aircraft. 
     
     
         13 . The vehicle communication system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the one or more external nodes include a first external node and a second external node each enabling connection to a ground-based network;   the particular external node is the second external node; and   the controller is further configured to:
 prior to adjusting the second beam to be oriented at the plurality of pointing angles, communicate with the ground-based network via a third beam by which connection is established between the one or more antennas on the vehicle and the first external node; and 
 after reorienting the first beam to the particular pointing angle, stop communicating with the ground-based network via the third beam and to start communicating with the ground-based network via the first beam by way of transmitting or receiving the data, via the first beam, between the second external node and the last least one of the one or more internal nodes. 
   
     
     
         14 . The vehicle communication system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 adjusting the second beam during the period of time to be oriented at the plurality of pointing angles is a part of a fine-tuning function;   the controller is further configured to use the second beam for handover measurements; and   the controller is configured implement both the fine-tuning function and the handover measurements via the second beam using multiplexing techniques.   
     
     
         15 . A method for adjusting beam pointing angles, the method comprising:
 implementing, via one or more antennas disposed on a vehicle, a first beam at a given pointing angle to establish a link with one or more external nodes that are external to and not disposed on the vehicle, wherein the one or more antennas are configured to transmit or receive, via the first beam, data between one or more internal nodes disposed on the vehicle and the one or more external nodes;   implementing, via the one or more antennas, a second beam distinct from the first beam;   adjusting the second beam during a period of time to be oriented at a plurality of pointing angles;   detecting a plurality of sets of signal data for a received signal, wherein each set of signal data is detected at a different one of the plurality of pointing angles;   identifying a particular pointing angle based on the plurality of sets of signal data;   reorienting the first beam from the given pointing angle to the particular pointing angle; and   transmitting or receiving data, via the first beam while the first beam is oriented at the particular pointing angle, between a particular external node and at least one of the one or more internal nodes.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 obtaining a plurality of values for a signal parameter for the received signal, including obtaining each value of the plurality of values from a different one of the plurality of sets of signal data, wherein each value of the plurality of values corresponds to a different one of the plurality of pointing angles.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the signal parameter is a first parameter when the first beam is a transit beam and wherein the signal parameter is a second parameter, distinct from the first parameter, when the first beam is a receive beam. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the signal parameter is the same parameter regardless of whether the first beam is a transmit beam or a receive beam. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the signal parameter is a first parameter when the pointing angles of the plurality of pointing angles are within a first range; and   the signal parameter is a second parameter distinct from the first parameter when the pointing angles of the plurality of pointing angles are within a second range distinct from the first range.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the one or more external nodes include a first external node and a second external node each enabling connection to a ground-based network;   the particular external node is the second external node; and   the method further comprises:
 prior to adjusting the second beam to be oriented at the plurality of pointing angles, communicating with the ground-based network via a third beam by which connection is established between the one or more antennas on the vehicle and the first external node; and 
 after reorienting the first beam to the particular pointing angle, stopping communicating with the ground-based network via the third beam and start communicating with the ground-based network via the first beam by way of transmitting or receiving the data, via the first beam, between the second external node and the last least one of the one or more internal nodes.