Airship antenna, airship and airship antenna control method

Abstract

The application provides an airship antenna, an airship and an airship antenna control method. The airship antenna comprises a guide rail assembly, a control device and at least one flexible film antenna device. The flexible film antenna is connected with the guide rail assembly in a movable manner along the guide rail assembly, and a driving assembly drives the flexible film antenna assembly to move along the guide rail assembly. The control device is used for controlling the driving assembly according to a position signal of the airship and / or a communication signal of a communication base station. The airship antenna provided by the application can be deformed synchronously with the airship skin, and the flexible film antenna device is closely attached to the skin, so that the flight resistance is greatly reduced, and the stability of the airship during long-time hovering is ensured. Moreover, the position of the flexible film antenna device is adjusted and optimized by the control device according to the position signal of the airship and / or the communication signal of the communication base station, so that the flexible film antenna device can be moved to a position with high signal receiving and emitting efficiency, and the flexibility and efficiency of signal transmission are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of airship technology, and in particular to an airship antenna, an airship, and an airship antenna control method. Background Technology

[0002] This section provides only background information relevant to this disclosure and is not necessarily prior art.

[0003] Currently, most stratospheric airships are inflatable flexible structures, which impose stringent requirements on the weight, size, and installation method of the equipment they carry, making it difficult to adapt to traditional antennas. Traditional airship antennas are often suspended from the top of the pod, which not only increases the weight of the airship and makes installation more difficult as the size increases, but also damages the aerodynamic performance of the airship, affecting flight efficiency and long-term hovering stability. Furthermore, they are prone to swaying in extreme environments such as high-altitude wind speeds, leading to unstable signal reception, and their high-altitude installation location also makes maintenance and replacement costs extremely high.

[0004] Flexible conformal antennas can conformally fit the outer surface of an airship, reducing the impact of antenna installation on the airship's aerodynamic layout and minimizing the space occupied by the antenna. They also offer advantages such as a larger scanning angle and more efficient integrated design, thereby increasing the radar's detection range. Due to the frequent dynamic changes in the operating environment, some flexible conformal designs currently integrate antennas onto the airship surface.

[0005] Considering that flexible conformal antennas may be subjected to excessive stress and stretched excessively, leading to damage, in scenarios such as airship attitude adjustment, air replenishment and deflation, and movement in high wind speed environments, flexible conformal antennas may be damaged.

[0006] While flexible conformal antennas can alter the signal propagation direction by changing the phase of antenna elements, the propagation direction still has certain limitations. Furthermore, the surface of an airship is a relatively large ellipsoid; when the integration scale is not large enough, fixed conformal antennas will have limitations in the range of signal reception and propagation in different directions, resulting in low signal transmission efficiency. If the integration area of ​​a flexible conformal antenna is too large, it will increase cost and installation and maintenance difficulty; if the area is too small, it will reduce the airship's signal reception and transmission efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The objective of this invention is to at least solve the problem of low signal reception and propagation efficiency in existing airship antennas. This objective is achieved through the following technical solution: A first aspect of the present invention provides an airship antenna, comprising: A guide rail assembly for mounting on the outer surface of the airship's hull and for conforming to the shape of the hull's outer surface; At least one flexible thin-film antenna device includes a flexible thin-film antenna and a driving component, wherein the flexible thin-film antenna is connected to the guide rail assembly in a manner movable along the guide rail assembly, and the driving component is used to drive the flexible thin-film antenna assembly to move along the guide rail assembly. A control device, electrically connected to the drive device, is used to control the drive assembly based on the position signal of the airship and / or the communication signal of the communication base station.

[0008] The airship antenna proposed in this invention features a guide rail assembly adapted to the outer surface of the airship hull, allowing it to deform synchronously with the airship skin. This, combined with the tight fit between the flexible thin-film antenna device and the skin, solves the problem of traditional suspended antennas disrupting the airship's aerodynamic layout, significantly reducing flight drag and ensuring the stability of the airship during extended hovering. Furthermore, the control device adjusts and optimizes the position of the flexible thin-film antenna device based on the airship's position signal and / or the communication signal from the communication base station, enabling the flexible thin-film antenna device to maneuver to positions with high signal reception and transmission efficiency, thus improving the flexibility and efficiency of signal transmission.

[0009] In addition, the airship antenna according to the present invention may also have the following additional technical features: In some embodiments of the present invention, the flexible thin-film antenna includes an antenna body, a substrate assembly, and a cable assembly. The antenna body is laid on the substrate assembly. There are two cable assemblies, which are respectively connected to the edges of opposite ends of the substrate assembly. The drive assembly includes two pulley sets, which are disposed on the two cable assemblies and connected to the guide rail assembly in a manner that allows them to move along the guide rail assembly.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present invention, the guide rail assembly includes a first guide rail and a second guide rail, both of which are arc-shaped structures. The first guide rail and the second guide rail are arranged parallel to each other. The flexible thin-film antenna is located between the first guide rail and the second guide rail. The two pulley groups are slidably connected to the first guide rail and the second guide rail, respectively.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present invention, the substrate assembly includes a substrate and a frame, the antenna body is laid on the substrate, the frame includes a plurality of arched beams, the plurality of arched beams are connected in sequence to form a ring structure, a plurality of arc-shaped notches are formed on the outer periphery of the frame, the inner periphery of the frame is connected to the edge of the substrate, and the cable assembly is connected to the connection point of two adjacent arched beams.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present invention, the cable assembly includes a main cable, a plurality of connecting cables, and a plurality of auxiliary cables. The main cable extends along the moving direction of the flexible thin-film antenna. The pulley group includes a plurality of pulleys spaced apart along the extending direction of the main cable. The opposite ends of the connecting cables are respectively connected to the pulleys and the main cable. The connection point between the main cable and the connecting cables is connected to one end of the auxiliary cables. The connection point between two adjacent arched beams is connected to the other end of the auxiliary cables.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present invention, the number of flexible thin-film antenna assemblies is two, the two flexible thin-film antenna assemblies are independent of each other, and both are capable of moving along the extension direction of the guide rail assembly.

[0014] A second aspect of the present invention provides an airship comprising: Hull; A pod, suspended from the bottom of the hull; An airship antenna is mounted on the outer surface of the hull, and the airship antenna is the airship antenna proposed in the first aspect of the present invention.

[0015] The second aspect of this invention proposes an airship with a flexible thin-film antenna device that fits snugly against the airship's skin and allows for adjustment of the signal receiving position. The airship antenna has a guide rail assembly adapted to the outer surface of the airship hull, allowing it to deform synchronously with the airship's skin. This, combined with the tight fit between the flexible thin-film antenna device and the skin, solves the problem of traditional suspended antennas disrupting the airship's aerodynamic layout, significantly reducing flight drag and ensuring the stability of the airship during extended hovering. Furthermore, a control device adjusts and optimizes the position of the flexible thin-film antenna device based on the airship's position signal and / or the communication signal from the communication base station, enabling the flexible thin-film antenna device to maneuver to a position with high signal reception and transmission efficiency, thus improving the flexibility and efficiency of signal transmission.

[0016] A third aspect of the present invention provides an airship antenna control method, implemented using an airship according to the second aspect of the present invention, the airship antenna control method comprising the following steps: Receive the real-time position signal of the airship and the communication signal of the airship's communication base station, the communication signal including the position signal and quantity signal of the communication base station; The driving component is controlled to move the flexible thin-film antenna device along the guide rail assembly based on the real-time position signal and the communication signal.

[0017] The airship antenna control method proposed in the third aspect of the present invention is implemented based on a flexible thin-film antenna device that is attached to the airship skin and can adjust the signal receiving position. The control device calculates the desired working position of the flexible thin-film antenna device according to the real-time position of the airship, the working altitude and the position of the communication base station. With the cooperative control of the drive device, the flexible thin-film antenna device can adjust its position on the guide rail assembly according to the real-time position of the airship, the working altitude and the position of the communication base station, and maneuver to the optimal signal receiving and transmitting position in real time, thereby improving the flexibility and efficiency of signal transmission.

[0018] In some embodiments of the present invention, the number of flexible thin-film antenna devices is two, and the step of controlling the driving component to move the airship antenna along the guide rail assembly according to the real-time position signal and the communication signal includes: Determine at least one desired operating position of the flexible thin-film antenna device based on the real-time position signal and the communication signal; Based on the fact that the number of desired working positions is one, the driving component is controlled to move the flexible thin-film antenna device along the guide rail assembly to the desired working position; Since the number of desired working positions is two, the driving components on the two flexible thin-film antenna devices are controlled to move the two flexible thin-film antenna devices to the two desired working positions respectively along the guide rail assembly.

[0019] In some embodiments of the present invention, the step of determining at least one desired operating position of the flexible thin-film antenna device based on the real-time position signal and the communication signal includes: A planar coordinate system with the geometric center of the airship as the origin is established based on the real-time position signal, the communication signal, and the effective range of the guide rail assembly. Calculate the azimuth angle of the base station relative to the airship based on the plane coordinate system; The beam direction of the flexible thin-film antenna device is matched according to the azimuth angle; The desired working position is determined based on the beam direction and the effective range of the guide rail assembly. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. In the drawings: Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of an airship according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of an airship antenna according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of a guide rail assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The attached figures are labeled as follows: 100. Hull; 200. Pod; 10. Guide rail assembly; 101. First guide rail; 102. Second guide rail; 11. Flexible thin-film antenna device; 111. Flexible thin-film antenna; 112. Drive assembly; 12. Substrate assembly; 13. Pulley block; 1. Antenna body; 2. Substrate; 3. Frame; 4. Main cable; 5. Connecting cable; 6. Secondary cable; 7. Pulley. Detailed Implementation

[0021] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0022] It should be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular exemplary embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “described” as used herein may also include the plural forms. The terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” and “having” are inclusive and therefore indicate the presence of the stated features, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not construed as requiring them to be performed in a particular order described or illustrated unless the order of performance is explicitly indicated. It should also be understood that additional or alternative steps may be used.

[0023] Although terms such as first, second, third, etc., may be used in this document to describe multiple elements, components, regions, layers, and / or segments, these elements, components, regions, layers, and / or segments should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be used only to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or segment from another. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, terms such as "first," "second," and other numerical terms used herein do not imply order or sequence. Therefore, the first element, component, region, layer, or segment discussed below may be referred to as the second element, component, region, layer, or segment without departing from the teachings of the exemplary embodiments.

[0024] For ease of description, spatial relative terms may be used in the text to describe the relationship of one element or feature relative to another element or feature, as shown in the figure. These relative terms include, for example, "inside," "outside," "middle," "outer," "below," "below," "above," "over," etc. Such spatial relative terms are intended to include different orientations of the device in use or operation, other than those depicted in the figure. For example, if the device in the figure is flipped, an element described as "below other elements or features" or "below other elements or features" would subsequently be oriented as "above other elements or features" or "above other elements or features." Therefore, the example term "below" can include both upper and lower orientations. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or in other directions), and the spatial relative descriptors used in the text will be interpreted accordingly.

[0025] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, a first aspect of the present invention provides an airship antenna, including a rail assembly 10, a control device, and at least one flexible thin-film antenna device 11. The rail assembly 10 is mounted on the outer surface of the airship hull 100 and is adapted to the shape of the outer surface of the hull 100. The flexible thin-film antenna device 11 includes a flexible thin-film antenna 111 and a drive assembly 112. The flexible thin-film antenna 111 is connected to the rail assembly 10 in a manner movable along the rail assembly 10, and the drive assembly 112 is used to drive the flexible thin-film antenna 111 assembly to move along the rail assembly 10. The control device is electrically connected to the drive assembly and is used to control the drive assembly 112 according to the airship's position signal and / or the communication signal of a communication base station.

[0026] As can be seen, the airship antenna proposed in this invention has a guide rail assembly 10 adapted to the outer surface of the airship hull 100, which can deform synchronously with the airship's skin. Combined with the tight fit between the flexible thin-film antenna device 11 and the skin, this solves the problem of traditional suspended antennas disrupting the airship's aerodynamic layout, significantly reducing flight drag and ensuring the stability of the airship during long-term hovering. Furthermore, the control device adjusts and optimizes the position of the flexible thin-film antenna device 11 based on the airship's position signal and / or the communication signal from the communication base station, enabling the flexible thin-film antenna device 11 to maneuver to a position with high signal reception and transmission efficiency, thus improving the flexibility and efficiency of signal transmission.

[0027] For example, the airship antenna is mounted on the outer surface of the rugby ball-shaped hull 100. The guide rail assembly 10 can be two or more guide rails arranged parallel to each other in the height direction of the hull 100. The shape of the guide rail assembly 10 is adapted to the outer surface of the hull 100, extending in an arc shape, and the guide rail assembly 10 can extend from the bow to the stern of the hull 100. In addition, a guide rail assembly 10 can be provided on both the left and right sides of the hull 100, and a flexible thin-film antenna device 11 that can move along the guide rail assembly 10 can be provided on both the left and right sides of the hull 10, so that the airship's signal receiving and transmitting capabilities are stronger.

[0028] The flexible thin-film antenna 111 of the flexible thin-film antenna device 11 can refer to existing technologies, specifically comprising a single-layer or multi-layer thin-film structure. The thin film can be made of flexible materials such as polyimide film or flexible PCB circuit board. Then, the antenna radiating element, feed network, and related components are formed on the flexible material to constitute the flexible thin-film antenna 111. The driving component 112 can be a pulley 7 connected to the flexible thin-film antenna 111 by a rope. The pulley 7 has a built-in motor and is embedded in the guide rail assembly 10, so that the control device can drive the flexible thin-film antenna 111 to move along the guide rail assembly 10 by controlling the motor in the pulley 7. The driving component 112 can also be a drive vehicle embedded in the guide rail assembly 10. The drive vehicle is driven by a motor to move along the guide rail assembly 10, and at the same time, it drives the flexible thin-film antenna 111 to move along the guide rail assembly 10 by a rope, thereby realizing the adjustable position of the flexible thin-film antenna 111.

[0029] The control device can be installed on the flexible thin-film antenna 111 or in the pod 200 of the airship. It communicates with the drive device via wireless signal transmission and can collect or receive the real-time position signal of the airship and the position signal of the base station. Based on the above signals, it controls the drive device to maneuver the flexible thin-film antenna 111 to the optimal signal position.

[0030] In some embodiments of the present invention, the flexible thin-film antenna 111 includes an antenna body 1, a substrate assembly 12, and a cable assembly. The antenna body 1 is laid on the substrate assembly 12. There are two cable assemblies, which are respectively connected to the edges of opposite ends of the substrate assembly 12. The drive assembly 112 includes two pulley sets 13, which are disposed on the two cable assemblies and connected to the guide rail assembly 10 in a manner that allows them to move along the guide rail assembly 10.

[0031] As can be seen, the antenna body 1 is reliably fixed and supported by the substrate assembly 12. Furthermore, the substrate assembly 12 is connected to the drive assembly 112 via a cable assembly. The flexibility of the cable assembly prevents damage to the flexible thin-film antenna 111 during changes in the airship's attitude. For example, in scenarios such as airship inflation / deflation or movement in high-wind-speed environments, the airship's dimensions may change, potentially causing deformation of the mobile flexible thin-film antenna 111. In this case, the cable assembly will experience some stretching or contraction, and the deformation is primarily borne by the cable assembly. Due to the supporting role of the substrate assembly 12, the deformation has minimal impact on the flexible thin-film antenna 111, maintaining good performance.

[0032] For example, the antenna body 1 can refer to existing technologies and specifically include a single-layer or multi-layer thin-film structure. The thin film can be made of flexible materials such as polyimide film or flexible PCB circuit board. Then, the antenna radiating element, feed network, and related components are formed on the flexible material to constitute the antenna body 1. In addition, the material of the antenna body 1 can be selected according to the expected cost, airship size, required degree of deformation, etc., such as carbon nanotubes, conductive thin films, conductive carbon fibers, and graphene. In addition, the antenna body 1 can use inkjet printing transfer process to obtain good flexibility. The substrate assembly 12 can be a rectangular structure to match the antenna body 1 arranged in a rectangular array.

[0033] In some embodiments of the present invention, the guide rail assembly 10 includes a first guide rail 101 and a second guide rail 102. Both the first guide rail 101 and the second guide rail 102 are arc-shaped structures. The first guide rail 101 and the second guide rail 102 are arranged in parallel. The flexible thin film antenna 111 is located between the first guide rail 101 and the second guide rail 102. Two pulley groups 13 are slidably connected to the first guide rail 101 and the second guide rail 102, respectively.

[0034] As can be seen, by arranging the first guide rail 101 and the second guide rail 102 vertically, the flexible thin film antenna 111 is located between the first guide rail 101 and the second guide rail 102 and moves along the extension direction of the guide rail assembly 10, making the movement of the flexible thin film antenna 111 more stable and reliable.

[0035] For example, the first guide rail 101 and the second guide rail 102 can be arc-shaped, extending from the bow to the tail of the airship. One first guide rail 101 and one second guide rail 102 can be installed on each of the left and right sides of the airship. Combined with multiple flexible thin-film antennas 111 arranged on the left and right sides, this improves signal reception and transmission performance. Furthermore, the specific connection method between the first guide rail 101 and the second guide rail 102 and the airship skin is flexibly set according to the skin material, generally choosing welding or bonding, ensuring good stability and durability of the guide rail assembly 10 when connected to the skin material. Moreover, the guide rail assembly 10 and the pulley group 13 have a locking and limiting function, ensuring that the pulley group 13 will not detach from the guide rail assembly 10 due to lateral loads when encountering strong high-altitude winds (stratospheric wind speeds can reach 20-30 m / s) or when adjusting the airship's attitude.

[0036] In some embodiments of the present invention, the substrate assembly 12 includes a substrate 2 and a frame 3. The antenna body 1 is laid on the substrate 2. The frame 3 includes multiple arched beams, which are connected in sequence to form a ring structure. Multiple arc-shaped notches are formed on the outer periphery of the frame 3. The inner periphery of the frame 3 is connected to the edge of the substrate 2. The cable assembly is connected to the connection point of two adjacent arched beams.

[0037] As can be seen, the edge of the substrate 2 is structurally reinforced by the frame 3 composed of arched beams, and multiple arc-shaped notches are formed on the outer periphery of the frame 3 to facilitate the connection between the cable assembly and the tip of the frame 3.

[0038] For example, the substrate 2 can be a multilayer structure stacked together, and the substrate 2 and the skeleton 3 are made of flexible materials with low dielectric loss and good surface adaptability.

[0039] In some embodiments of the present invention, the cable assembly includes a main cable 4, a plurality of connecting cables 5 and a plurality of auxiliary cables 6. The main cable 4 extends along the moving direction of the flexible thin-film antenna 111. The pulley group 13 includes a plurality of pulleys 7 spaced apart along the extending direction of the main cable 4. The opposite ends of the connecting cables 5 are respectively connected to the pulleys 7 and the main cable 4. One end of the auxiliary cable 6 is connected to the connection between the main cable 4 and the connecting cable 5, and the other end of the auxiliary cable 6 is connected to the connection between two adjacent arched beams.

[0040] As can be seen, the frame 3 is connected to the pulley system 13 via the flexible main cable 4, connecting cable 5, and auxiliary cable 6. This allows the airship's dimensions to change during scenarios such as attitude adjustment, air replenishment / de-airing, and movement in high-wind conditions. Because the main cable 4 is connected to the connecting cable 5, it will experience some stretching or contraction. Similarly, the auxiliary cable 6 will also experience some stretching or contraction. The substrate 2 and frame 3 are integrally molded and assembled, and the frame 3 is connected to the auxiliary cable 6. Therefore, when the auxiliary cable 6 experiences some stretching or contraction, the frame 3 will also undergo slight deformation. During this process, the deformation is mainly borne by the main and auxiliary cables 6. Due to the integrated design of the substrate 2 and frame 3, the deformation has minimal impact on the flexible thin-film antenna 111, maintaining good performance and preventing damage to the flexible thin-film antenna 111.

[0041] For example, the main cable 4 and the secondary cable 6 are elastic cables. The main cable 4 has low elasticity, approaching rigidity, and can be made of steel cable, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber, etc.; the secondary cable 6 has high elasticity and can be made of fiber-reinforced composite materials, Kevlar material, etc. The main cable 4 can extend along the moving direction of the flexible thin-film antenna 111 and has a wavy or multi-arched structure. The extension length of the main cable 4 is greater than the length of the substrate 2. One end of the secondary cable 6 is connected to the tip of the main cable 4, and the other end is connected to the connecting hole on the substrate 2. One end of the connecting cable 5 can be sleeved on the pulley block 13, and the other end can be tightened to the tip of the main cable 4.

[0042] In some embodiments of the present invention, there are two flexible thin-film antenna 111 components. The two flexible thin-film antenna 111 components are independent of each other and can both move along the extension direction of the guide rail assembly 10.

[0043] It can be seen that by setting two flexible thin-film antenna 111 components, the signal reception range of the flexible thin-film antenna 111 components is improved.

[0044] For example, the two flexible thin-film antenna 111 assemblies can move independently, and the position of the flexible thin-film antenna 111 assemblies on the guide rail assembly 10 can be adjusted according to the calculated desired working position. The two flexible thin-film antenna 111 assemblies can move towards each other to improve the single-point signal reception range, or move away from each other to separate, so as to receive transmitted signals at multiple locations.

[0045] The second aspect of the present invention provides an airship, including a hull 100, a pod 200 and an airship antenna, wherein the pod 200 is suspended at the bottom of the hull 100 and the airship antenna is mounted on the outer surface of the hull 100, and the airship antenna is the airship antenna proposed in the first aspect of the present invention.

[0046] As can be seen, the airship proposed in the second aspect of the present invention has a flexible thin-film antenna device 11 that fits snugly against the airship skin and can adjust its signal receiving position. The airship antenna has a guide rail assembly 10 adapted to the outer surface of the hull 100, which can deform synchronously with the airship skin. Combined with the tight fit between the flexible thin-film antenna device 11 and the skin, this solves the problem of traditional suspended antennas disrupting the aerodynamic layout of the airship, significantly reducing flight drag and ensuring the stability of the airship during long-term hovering. Furthermore, by using a control device to adjust and optimize the position of the flexible thin-film antenna device 11 based on the airship's position signal and / or the communication signal from the communication base station, the flexible thin-film antenna device 11 can be maneuvered to a position with high signal reception and transmission efficiency, improving the flexibility and efficiency of signal transmission.

[0047] A third aspect of the present invention provides an airship antenna control method, implemented using an airship according to the second aspect of the present invention. The airship antenna control method includes the following steps: It receives the airship's real-time position signal and the airship's communication base station's communication signal, which includes the communication base station's position signal and quantity signal. Based on real-time position signals and communication signals, the control drive component 112 drives the flexible thin-film antenna device 11 to move along the guide rail component 10.

[0048] As can be seen, the airship antenna control method proposed in the third aspect of the present invention is implemented based on a flexible thin-film antenna device 11 that is attached to the airship skin and can adjust the signal receiving position. The control device calculates the desired working position of the flexible thin-film antenna device 11 based on the real-time position of the airship, the working altitude, and the position of the communication base station. With the cooperative control of the drive device, the flexible thin-film antenna device 11 can adjust its position on the guide rail assembly 10 according to the real-time position of the airship, the working altitude, and the position of the communication base station, and maneuver to the optimal signal receiving and transmitting position in real time, thereby improving the flexibility and efficiency of signal transmission.

[0049] In some embodiments of the present invention, the number of flexible thin-film antenna devices 11 is two, and the step of controlling the drive component 112 to move the airship antenna along the guide rail component 10 according to the real-time position signal and communication signal includes: At least one desired operating position of the flexible thin-film antenna device 11 is determined based on real-time position signals and communication signals. Based on the desired number of working positions being one, the control drive component 112 drives the flexible thin film antenna device 11 to move along the guide rail assembly 10 to the desired working position. Since the desired number of working positions is two, the drive components 112 on the two flexible thin film antenna devices 11 are controlled so that the two flexible thin film antenna devices 11 are moved along the guide rail assembly 10 to the two desired working positions respectively.

[0050] It can be seen that by analyzing the real-time position signal of the airship and the position signal of the base station, the desired working position of the flexible thin film antenna device 11 can be determined. When there are two desired working positions, the two flexible thin film antenna devices 11 are controlled to reach the desired working positions respectively, so that the airship antenna can receive and transmit signals at multiple desired working positions, thereby improving the efficiency of signal reception and transmission.

[0051] In some embodiments of the present invention, the step of determining at least one desired operating position of the flexible thin-film antenna device 11 based on real-time position signals and communication signals includes: A planar coordinate system with the geometric center of the airship as the origin is established based on the real-time position signal, communication signal and the effective range of the guide rail assembly 10; Calculate the azimuth angle of the base station relative to the airship using a planar coordinate system; The beam direction of the flexible thin-film antenna device 11 is matched according to the azimuth angle; The desired working position is determined based on the beam direction and the effective range of the guide rail.

[0052] As can be seen, by establishing a planar coordinate system to determine the azimuth angle of the base station relative to the airship, the beam direction of the flexible thin-film antenna device 11 is determined based on the azimuth angle, and then the desired working position is determined by combining the effective range of the guide rail assembly 10. This ensures that the beam direction of the flexible thin-film antenna device 11 matches the azimuth angle of the base station when it is in the desired working position, thereby improving the signal reception and transmission efficiency of the flexible thin-film antenna device 11.

[0053] Understandably, when the airship is in a hovering state or performing a specific mission, the control unit in the airship pod 200 can calculate multiple optimal positions of the flexible thin-film antenna device 11 on the guide rail assembly 10 based on factors such as the airship's real-time position and the number and location of the airship's communication base stations. The specific steps of the airship antenna control method are as follows: Step 1: Establish a planar coordinate system. Using the geometric center of the airship as the origin, establish a local coordinate system. The y-axis points directly forward of the airship, and the x-axis points to the right of the airship and is perpendicular to the y-axis. Physical constraint: The optimal position must be within the effective range of the semi-elliptical ring-shaped guide rail assembly 10. Transform the real-time position of the airship, the position of the base station, and the effective range of the guide rail assembly 10 into this local coordinate system using latitude and longitude. The guide rail assembly 10 is equivalent to a semi-ellipse O.

[0054] Step 2: Calculate the optimal location of a single base station. Calculate the azimuth angle of the base station relative to the airship in the local coordinate system: Derive the spatial direction of the base station around the airship using the two-dimensional coordinate difference between the airship and the base station, and calculate the azimuth angle θ (-90° < θ < 90°); Match the antenna beam direction: The beam direction of the airship antenna must be consistent with the azimuth angle θ of the base station. Select the matching position on the guide rail assembly 10: Draw a ray l from the origin, with l making an angle θ with the positive x-axis; the intersection of l and the semi-ellipse O is the optimal position.

[0055] Step 3: Optimal Location Selection in Multi-Base Station Scenarios When multiple base stations exist, the control unit needs to consider both signal priority and coverage efficiency to select two optimal locations: sort by base station priority (e.g., task communication base station > backup base station > ordinary communication base station); for the top two core base stations, calculate their corresponding optimal locations (denoted as point A and point B) according to the method in Step 2; verify the validity of points A and B: ensure that points A and B are both within the effective range of the guide rail assembly 10.

[0056] Step 4: Determine the desired position. The distance d between the left tangent of the leftmost pulley 7 and the right tangent of the rightmost pulley 7 of the flexible thin-film antenna device 11. The number of optimal positions selected is m=2. Then, the desired position is determined by the distance s between the two optimal positions on the guide rail assembly 10 and the length d of the flexible thin-film antenna device 11. If s>d, the number of desired positions is n=2; if s≤d, the number of desired positions is n=1.

[0057] The above steps only consider the case where the azimuth angle θ is greater than -90° and less than 90°, i.e., the base stations are all on the right side of the airship. When the base station is located on the left side of the airship, the calculated desired position should be on the guide rail assembly 10 on the left side, and the flexible thin-film antenna device 11 on the left side of the airship should be maneuvered to the desired position.

[0058] The desired position of the flexible thin-film antenna device 11 on the guide rail assembly 10 may be a single position or a dual position. In the case of a single position, the airship transmits control signals to the pulley group 13 in real time. The pulleys 7 in the pulley group 13 are equipped with a cooperative controller, which converts the control signals into actual control quantities, driving the pulley group 13 to rotate and thus directionally move the flexible thin-film antenna device 11 to the desired position, achieving more efficient signal reception and transmission. In the case of a dual position, the airship transmits control signals to the pulley group 13 in real time. In this case, the pulleys 7 in the pulley group 13, through the equipped cooperative controller, convert the control signals into actual control quantities, driving the pulley group 13 to rotate and thus directionally move both parts of the flexible thin-film antenna device 11 to their desired positions. The two parts of the flexible thin-film antenna device 11 can be distributed to different positions on the airship surface via the pulley group 13, achieving efficient reception of signals from different directions.

[0059] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An airship antenna, characterized in that, include: A guide rail assembly for mounting on the outer surface of the airship's hull and for conforming to the shape of the hull's outer surface; At least one flexible thin-film antenna device includes a flexible thin-film antenna and a driving component, wherein the flexible thin-film antenna is connected to the guide rail assembly in a manner movable along the guide rail assembly, and the driving component is used to drive the flexible thin-film antenna assembly to move along the guide rail assembly. A control device, electrically connected to the drive device, is used to control the drive assembly based on the position signal of the airship and / or the communication signal of the communication base station.

2. The airship antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible thin-film antenna includes an antenna body, a substrate assembly, and a cable assembly. The antenna body is laid on the substrate assembly. There are two cable assemblies, which are respectively connected to the edges of opposite ends of the substrate assembly. The drive assembly includes two pulley sets, which are disposed on the two cable assemblies and connected to the guide rail assembly in a manner that allows them to move along the guide rail assembly.

3. The airship antenna according to claim 2, characterized in that, The guide rail assembly includes a first guide rail and a second guide rail, both of which are arc-shaped structures. The first guide rail and the second guide rail are arranged parallel to each other. The flexible thin-film antenna is located between the first guide rail and the second guide rail. The two pulley groups are slidably connected to the first guide rail and the second guide rail, respectively.

4. The airship antenna according to claim 2, characterized in that, The substrate assembly includes a substrate and a frame. The antenna body is laid on the substrate. The frame includes multiple arched beams that are connected in sequence to form a ring structure. Multiple arc-shaped notches are formed on the outer periphery of the frame. The inner periphery of the frame is connected to the edge of the substrate. The cable assembly is connected to the connection point of two adjacent arched beams.

5. The airship antenna according to claim 4, characterized in that, The cable assembly includes a main cable, multiple connecting cables, and multiple auxiliary cables. The main cable extends along the moving direction of the flexible thin-film antenna. The pulley system includes multiple pulleys spaced apart along the extending direction of the main cable. The opposite ends of the connecting cables are connected to the pulleys and the main cable, respectively. The connection point between the main cable and the connecting cable is connected to one end of the auxiliary cable. The connection point between two adjacent arched beams is connected to the other end of the auxiliary cable.

6. The airship antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The number of flexible thin-film antenna assemblies is two, and the two flexible thin-film antenna assemblies are independent of each other and can move along the extension direction of the guide rail assembly.

7. An airship, characterized in that, include: Hull; A pod, suspended from the bottom of the hull; An airship antenna is mounted on the outer surface of the hull, and the airship antenna is an airship antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. A method for controlling an airship antenna, implemented on the airship according to claim 7, characterized in that, The airship antenna control method includes the following steps: Receive the real-time position signal of the airship and the communication signal of the airship's communication base station, the communication signal including the position signal and quantity signal of the communication base station; The driving component is controlled to move the flexible thin-film antenna device along the guide rail assembly based on the real-time position signal and the communication signal.

9. The airship antenna control method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The number of flexible thin-film antenna devices is two, and the step of controlling the driving component to move the airship antenna along the guide rail assembly according to the real-time position signal and the communication signal includes: Determine at least one desired operating position of the flexible thin-film antenna device based on the real-time position signal and the communication signal; Based on the fact that the number of desired working positions is one, the driving component is controlled to move the flexible thin-film antenna device along the guide rail assembly to the desired working position; Since the number of desired working positions is two, the driving components on the two flexible thin-film antenna devices are controlled to move the two flexible thin-film antenna devices to the two desired working positions respectively along the guide rail assembly.

10. The airship antenna control method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The step of determining at least one desired operating position of the flexible thin-film antenna device based on the real-time position signal and the communication signal includes: A planar coordinate system with the geometric center of the airship as the origin is established based on the real-time position signal, the communication signal, and the effective range of the guide rail assembly. Calculate the azimuth angle of the base station relative to the airship based on the plane coordinate system; The beam direction of the flexible thin-film antenna device is matched according to the azimuth angle; The desired working position is determined based on the beam direction and the effective range of the guide rail assembly.

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