QV frequency band feed antenna system

Abstract

The utility model relates to a QV frequency range feed antenna system, comprising a QV frequency range feed antenna assembly comprising a QV antenna, an antenna joint and a connecting part connecting the QV antenna and the antenna joint, the antenna joint comprising an antenna rotating shaft; the motor assembly comprises a motor and a harmonic reducer, and the harmonic reducer is coupled between the QV frequency band feed antenna assembly and the motor; the Hall sensor is arranged at the joint of the antenna joint and the connecting part; the rotary transformer is arranged at one end of the motor; and a motor controller communicatively coupled with the Hall sensor and the resolver.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the field of spacecraft, and more particularly to a QV frequency band feeding antenna system. Background Art

[0002] Currently, in the aerospace industry, QV-band feed antennas serve as essential communications payloads for global multimedia satellites, fulfilling the critical mission of enabling information exchange between the Earth and the sky. The servo control system must possess high-precision pointing capabilities, rapid response, high reliability, and a long lifespan. Based on the satellite's orbit and the location of the ground gateway, the servo control system receives the calculated position angle required for pointing to the ground gateway from the payload management unit or the satellite operations computer. It then controls the antenna motor and its components to accurately track the target position in real time. Achieving these functions places extremely high demands on the accuracy and reliability of position detection. The servo control system utilizes appropriate position control strategies based on different position detection technologies to optimize controller performance.

[0003] In the aerospace field, the position detection of dual-offset-fed antennas in the QV band onboard satellites typically uses Hall sensors or photoelectric switches, combined with stepper motors to achieve open-loop position control of the rotating mechanism. While this method is simple in structure, it is prone to loss of synchronization, resulting in significant deviations in antenna pointing accuracy. Furthermore, the lack of real-time position feedback makes it difficult to promptly detect faults such as shaft jamming or hard limits. This not only increases operational risks but also poses a potential threat to the proper operation of other sensitive payloads onboard due to vibrations caused by impacts with hard limits.

[0004] To address the challenges of open-loop position control, current improvements involve adding a dual-channel resolver or high-precision grating encoder to the reducer. While this solution effectively addresses the drawbacks of open-loop control, dual-channel resolver encoders and grating encoders are often expensive and require complex decoding circuitry for aerospace applications. This cost burden is prohibitive in the increasingly competitive commercial aerospace sector.

[0005] Therefore, a low-cost, high-reliability QV band feed antenna system is needed in the art. Utility Model Content

[0006] The present invention is provided to provide a low-cost, high-reliability QV frequency band feeding antenna system.

[0007] The utility model provides a QV frequency band feeding antenna system, wherein the system includes: a QV frequency band feeding antenna assembly, including a QV antenna, an antenna joint and a connecting portion connecting the QV antenna and the antenna joint, wherein the antenna joint includes an antenna rotating shaft; a motor assembly, including a motor and a harmonic reducer, wherein the harmonic reducer is coupled between the QV frequency band feeding antenna assembly and the motor; a Hall sensor, arranged at the connection between the antenna joint and the connecting portion; a rotary transformer, arranged at one end of the motor away from the harmonic reducer; and a motor controller, communicatively coupled to the Hall sensor and the rotary transformer.

[0008] The system as described above, wherein the system further comprises: a connector, connected to the output shaft of the harmonic reducer and the antenna shaft of the QV band feeding antenna assembly respectively.

[0009] A system as described in any of the above items, wherein the connector includes a coupling or a expansion sleeve.

[0010] A system as described in any of the above items, wherein the motor controller includes a signal processing module, the signal processing module being communicatively coupled to the Hall sensor and the resolver, respectively.

[0011] The system as described in any of the above items, wherein the signal processing module includes: a resolver signal decoding circuit communicatively coupled to the resolver; and a Hall signal conditioning circuit communicatively coupled to the Hall sensor.

[0012] A system as described in any of the above items, wherein the motor controller further includes a main processing module and a backup processing module, and the main processing module and the backup processing module are connected in parallel between the signal processing module and the motor assembly.

[0013] The system as described in any of the above items, wherein the main processing module includes a main digital signal processor, a main level conversion chip and a main driver module, and the backup processing module includes a backup digital signal processor, a backup level conversion chip and a backup driver module.

[0014] A system as described in any of the above items, wherein the main digital signal processor includes a first control signal output terminal, the first control signal output terminal is connected to the main level conversion chip and the standby level conversion chip, and the standby digital signal processor includes a second control signal output terminal, the second control signal output terminal is connected to the standby level conversion chip and the main level conversion chip.

[0015] A system as described in any of the above items, wherein the first enable signal output terminal of the main digital signal processor is connected to the main level conversion chip and the standby level conversion chip, and the second enable signal output terminal of the standby digital signal processor is connected to the standby level conversion chip and the main level conversion chip.

[0016] The system as described in any one of the above items, wherein the main level conversion chip is connected to the main driving module, and the backup level conversion chip is connected to the backup driving module.

[0017] The QV band feeding antenna system according to the embodiment of the present utility model realizes a low-cost and high-reliability QV band feeding antenna system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 A schematic diagram illustrating a control assembly of a QV band feed antenna assembly for an internet communication satellite according to an embodiment is shown.

[0019] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a control component of a QV band feed antenna assembly for an internet communication satellite according to another embodiment is shown.

[0020] Figure 3 FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a QV band feed antenna system according to an embodiment.

[0021] Figure 4 A flow chart illustrating a method for controlling a QV band feed antenna assembly of an internet communication satellite according to an embodiment is shown.

[0022] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a process 500 for implementing a position memory function according to an embodiment is shown.

[0023] Figure 6 A flowchart of a process for determining the absolute zero position of the antenna rotation axis based on the result of fault detection according to an embodiment is shown.

[0024] Figure 7 A flow chart illustrating a process for controlling a QV band feed antenna assembly of an internet communication satellite according to another embodiment is shown.

[0025] Figure 8 FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a QV band feed antenna system according to an embodiment.

[0026] Figure 9 A schematic diagram showing a control flow of a motor for a QV band feeding antenna according to an embodiment is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0028] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth. However, it should be understood that embodiments of the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known circuits, structures, and techniques are not shown in detail to avoid obscuring the understanding of this description.

[0029] References in the specification to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," "an example embodiment," etc., indicate that the described embodiment may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment will necessarily include that particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Furthermore, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in conjunction with an embodiment, it is understood that it is within the knowledge of those skilled in the art to be able to affect such feature, structure, or characteristic in conjunction with other embodiments, whether or not explicitly described.

[0030] In the following description and claims, the terms "connected," "coupled," and "coupled," and their derivatives, may be used. It should be understood that these terms are not intended as synonyms for each other. Rather, in particular embodiments, "connected" may be used to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact with each other. "Coupled" and "coupled" may mean that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact. However, "coupled" and "coupled" may also mean that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, but still cooperate or interact with each other.

[0031] In this application, the term "QV band" refers to the combination of the Q and V bands, which generally cover the frequency range of 37 GHz to 51 GHz. This band has a wide bandwidth and high capacity, and is primarily used in satellite communications, microwave communications, and broadband access. The term "QV" antenna refers to an antenna used to transmit or receive electromagnetic waves in the QV band.

[0032] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a control assembly 100 of a QV band feed antenna assembly 300 for an internet communication satellite according to an embodiment. Figure 1 In the embodiment shown in the figure, the satellite may include a QV band feed antenna assembly 300 and a motor 200 for driving the QV band feed antenna assembly 300 to move. The QV band feed antenna assembly 300 may include a QV antenna, an antenna joint, and a connecting portion connecting the QV antenna and the antenna joint. The antenna joint may include an antenna shaft.

[0033] like Figure 1As shown, the control assembly 100 may include a Hall sensor 110. The Hall sensor 110 may be disposed at a connection (not shown) between the antenna joint and the connection portion of the QV band feed antenna assembly 300 to detect the absolute position of the antenna shaft of the QV band feed antenna assembly 300. As an example, the Hall sensor 110 may be a Hall switch sensor. The control assembly 100 may include a rotary transformer 120. The rotary transformer 120 may be disposed at one end of the motor 200 to detect the single-turn absolute position of the motor 200. Alternatively, the rotary transformer 120 may be a single-turn absolute position sensor mounted at one end of the motor 200 to detect the single-turn absolute position of the motor 200.

[0034] Control assembly 100 may also include a motor controller 130. Motor controller 130 may be communicatively coupled to Hall effect sensor 110 and resolver 120 to control the movement of motor 200. For example, motor controller 130 may be a stepper motor controller, and motor 200 may be a stepper motor. For example, motor controller 130 may indirectly determine the position of the antenna axis using the absolute position of the motor 200 over a single revolution detected by resolver 120 and the accumulated position over multiple revolutions.

[0035] Motor controller 130 can be configured to perform fault detection on each of Hall sensor 110 and resolver 120. For example, motor controller 130 can include built-in fault detection software that can determine whether Hall sensor 110 or resolver 120 is faulty based on signals received from these sensors. Motor controller 130 can be configured to determine the absolute zero position of the antenna axis based on the results of the fault detection. Fault detection results for Hall sensor 110 and resolver 120 fall into four categories: both Hall sensor 110 and resolver 120 are detected as normal; both Hall sensor 110 and resolver 120 are detected as abnormal; Hall sensor 110 is detected as normal and resolver 120 is detected as abnormal; and Hall sensor 110 is detected as abnormal and resolver 120 is detected as normal. These four categories correspond to four different modes for determining the absolute zero position. The motor controller 130 can be configured to selectively execute the position control mode of the QV band feed antenna assembly 300 based on the result of the fault detection. As an example, the position control mode may include an open-loop position control mode and a closed-loop position control mode. The motor controller 130 can be configured to selectively execute the position control mode (i.e., open-loop position control mode and closed-loop position control mode) of the QV band feed antenna assembly 300 based on the results of different fault detections. By adopting a heterogeneous position detection method combining the Hall sensor 110 with the rotary transformer 120, the open-loop position control mode and the closed-loop position control mode can be selectively adopted, and the multi-turn absolute position closed-loop feedback of the rotary transformer eliminates the risk of step loss of the traditional stepper motor, improves the continuous pointing tracking accuracy of the antenna (single-axis control accuracy ≤ 0.007°) and reliability, and at the same time, the Hall sensor and the rotary transformer are both ordinary aerospace-grade products, thereby reducing hardware costs.

[0036] Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a control assembly 100 of a QV band feed antenna assembly for an internet communication satellite according to another embodiment.

[0037] like Figure 2 As shown, the control assembly 100 may include a Hall sensor 110 and a rotary transformer 120. Figure 2In an embodiment, the Hall sensor 110 may be disposed at the connection between the antenna joint 310 and the connecting portion 320 of the QV band feed antenna assembly 300 to detect the absolute position of the antenna shaft of the QV band feed antenna assembly. As an example, the Hall sensor 110 may be a Hall switch sensor. By disposing the Hall sensor 110 at the connection between the antenna joint 310 and the connecting portion 320, the hidden dangers caused by slippage at the connection between the output shaft of the harmonic reducer 210 and the expansion sleeve of the antenna joint 310 can be eliminated. That is, since the Hall sensor 110 is disposed at the connection between the antenna joint 310 and the connecting portion 320, even if slippage occurs at the connection between the output shaft of the harmonic reducer 210 and the expansion sleeve of the antenna joint 310, the absolute zero position calibrated based on the Hall sensor 110 can still be corrected by relying on the signal of the Hall sensor 110.

[0038] The control assembly 100 may include a rotary transformer 120. The rotary transformer 120 may be provided at one end of the motor 200 for detecting the absolute position of a single turn of the motor 200. Figure 2 As shown, the rotary transformer 120 may be mounted at the left end of the motor. As an example, the rotary transformer 120 may be a single-turn absolute position sensor for detecting the single-turn absolute position of the motor 200.

[0039] The control assembly 100 may also include a motor controller 130. The motor controller 130 may be communicatively coupled to the Hall sensor 110 and the resolver 120 to control the movement of the motor 200. For example, the motor controller 130 may be a stepper motor controller, and the motor 200 may be a stepper motor. For example, the motor controller 130 may be able to indirectly determine the position of the antenna shaft through the absolute position of the motor 200 detected by the resolver 120 over a single turn and the accumulated position over multiple turns. The motor controller 130 may be configured to perform fault detection on the Hall sensor 110 and the resolver 120, respectively. For example, the motor controller 130 may include built-in fault detection software that can determine whether the Hall sensor 110 and the resolver 120 are faulty based on signals received from the Hall sensor 110 and the resolver 120. The motor controller 130 may be configured to determine the absolute zero position of the antenna shaft based on the results of the fault detection. There are four possible results for fault detection of the Hall sensor 110 and the resolver 120: the Hall sensor 110 and the resolver 120 are both detected as normal, the Hall sensor 110 and the resolver 120 are both detected as abnormal, the Hall sensor 110 is detected as normal and the resolver 120 is detected as abnormal, and the Hall sensor 110 is detected as abnormal and the resolver 120 is detected as normal. By way of example, these four conditions correspond to four different modes for determining the absolute zero position. The motor controller 130 can be configured to selectively execute a position control mode for the QV band feed antenna assembly 300 based on the fault detection result. By way of example, the position control mode can include an open-loop position control mode and a closed-loop position control mode. The motor controller 130 can be configured to selectively execute the position control mode (i.e., the open-loop position control mode and the closed-loop position control mode) for the QV band feed antenna assembly 300 based on different fault detection results. By adopting a heterogeneous position detection method combining the Hall sensor 110 and the rotary transformer 120, it is possible to selectively adopt an open-loop position control mode and a closed-loop position control mode. The multi-turn absolute position closed-loop feedback of the rotary transformer eliminates the risk of losing steps in traditional stepper motor components, and improves the continuous pointing tracking accuracy of the antenna (single-axis control accuracy ≤ 0.007°) and reliability. At the same time, the Hall sensor and the rotary transformer are both ordinary aerospace-grade products, which also reduces hardware costs.

[0040] In some embodiments, motor controller 130 may be configured to execute a closed-loop position control mode in response to a fault detection result indicating that resolver 120 is functioning properly. For example, after the absolute zero position of the antenna shaft is determined, if resolver 120 is functioning properly, motor controller 130 may execute a closed-loop position control mode based on a feedback signal from resolver 120.

[0041] In some embodiments, the motor controller 130 may be configured to, in response to a fault detection result indicating that the Hall sensor 110 is functioning properly, determine an absolute zero position based on the signal from the Hall sensor 110 and the signal from the resolver 120 in an open-loop position control mode. For example, when both the resolver 120 and the Hall sensor 110 are functioning properly, the antenna, after calibration, can determine a one-to-one correspondence between the absolute position determined by the resolver 120 at the motor end and the rising or falling edge of the Hall sensor 110. Therefore, the resolver 120 and the Hall sensor 110 can be used to perform joint detection in a non-contact hard limit environment, enabling rapid search for the absolute zero position and achieving closed-loop position control to eliminate the risk of the stepper motor losing steps. Among them, the antenna calibration process is as follows: after assembly is completed, the main axis and the secondary axis of the antenna are returned to the ideal absolute zero position through the joint detection of the rotary transformer 120 and the Hall sensor 110, and then the deviation of the main electric axis of the antenna from the theoretical zero position is determined by photography, and then the rotation angle deviation of the main axis and the secondary axis is calculated by inverse kinematics to correct the ideal absolute zero position value; generally, after repeated corrections two or three times, the electric axis zero position pointing deviation will reach within 0.02°. In other embodiments, the motor controller 130 can be configured to indicate that the Hall sensor 110 is malfunctioning in response to the result of the fault detection. In the open-loop position control mode, the absolute zero position is determined by the occurrence of a collision with the hard limit at the antenna joint and based on the signal of the rotary transformer 120. For example, the signal based on the rotary transformer 120 may involve the absolute position determined by the rotary transformer and the positional relationship between the absolute position and the hard limit. As an example, when the rotary transformer 120 functions normally and the Hall sensor 110 functions abnormally, the antenna can determine the positional relationship between the absolute position of the rotary transformer 120 at the motor end and the hard limit of the antenna joint after calibration. It can also quickly find the absolute zero position when contacting the hard limit. The software's built-in state observer can identify the hard limit through collision detection by detecting changes in the stepper motor phase voltage or the rotary transformer position. The motor then decelerates and slowly stops, and the absolute position of the rotary transformer is recorded and position compensation is added. At this time, the absolute position of the antenna shaft is confirmed, and the antenna enters the position closed-loop control mode. As another example, if a single-particle flip occurs in the rotary transformer signal decoding circuit in closed-loop control mode, the system will automatically determine and enter the open-loop position mode without interrupting the current antenna pointing task, thereby improving the robustness of the system.

[0042] In some embodiments, the motor controller 130 can also be configured to store the current absolute zero position and the current single-turn absolute position of the motor detected by the resolver 120 before powering off. In some embodiments, the motor controller 130 can also be configured to determine whether the single-turn absolute position of the motor detected by the resolver 120 matches the stored absolute position upon powering on during the next mission. If the determination indicates a match, the motor controller 130 can use the stored absolute zero position to restore the current position of the antenna shaft. For example, in closed-loop position control mode, after the current orbital mission ends, the motor controller 130 will retain the current absolute position of the antenna joint and the single-turn absolute position of the motor detected by the resolver before powering off. Upon powering on during the next mission, the motor controller 130 will determine whether to use the stored absolute position to quickly restore the position by comparing the stored single-turn absolute position of the motor detected by the resolver with the currently read real-time absolute position of the motor detected by the resolver. This approach can reduce the number of rotations required by the antenna motor and its components when searching for the zero position, thereby improving the overall service life of the antenna system.

[0043] In some embodiments, motor controller 130 may be configured to execute an open-loop fine-grained position control mode in response to a fault detection result indicating malfunction of resolver 120. For example, the open-loop fine-grained position control mode may be a conventional control method for stepper motors.

[0044] In some embodiments, the motor controller 130 may be configured to determine an absolute zero position based on the pulse width counts accumulated at the rising and falling edges of the Hall sensor 110 in response to a fault detection result indicating that the Hall sensor 110 is functioning properly. Specifically, the pulse width count may refer to a position count after the step angle of the stepper motor is fine-divided within the motor controller 130. As an example, when the Hall sensor 110 is functioning properly and the resolver 120 is malfunctioning, under open-loop position control, the rising and falling edge signals of the Hall sensor 110 are detected, and the number of pulse subdivisions accumulated by the stepper motor at the rising and falling edges is recorded to determine the absolute position of the antenna shaft. Specifically, under the fine-division control of the stepper motor, the motor step angle is subdivided into 4 / 32 / 64 / 128 / 256, etc., and the pulse width count corresponds one-to-one. When the motor controller 130 captures the rising edge of the Hall signal, it will accumulate and count the subdivided micro-step angles of the motor 200 until the falling edge of the Hall signal is triggered to end the counting, and the motor 200 stops rotating at the same time. Based on the count, the current relative position of the motor 200 to the middle of the Hall signal can be determined. In addition, the middle position of the Hall signal has been calibrated as the absolute position through photography, so the absolute position of the motor 200 and the antenna shaft can be determined through the two edges of the Hall signal (i.e., the rising edge and the falling edge).

[0045] In other embodiments, motor controller 130 may be configured to determine an absolute zero position based on a hard-limit collision control strategy in response to a fault detection result indicating malfunction of Hall effect sensor 110. For example, when both Hall effect sensor 110 and resolver 120 are malfunctioning, the antenna can be calibrated to determine whether the antenna shaft has reached the hard limit position through a timer delay or a state observer, and the position at that point is used as the initial absolute position.

[0046] In some embodiments, the motor controller 130 may further include a resolver signal decoding circuit 130b and a Hall signal conditioning circuit 130a, communicatively coupled to the resolver 120 and the Hall sensor 110, respectively. For example, the Hall signal conditioning circuit 130a primarily provides a trigger signal with rising and falling edges, primarily used to determine the absolute position of the antenna joint. In some embodiments, the resolver signal decoding circuit 130b can be configured to perform both hardware decoding and software decoding, with the hardware and software decoding serving as backups. In this way, the resolver signal decoding circuit 130b includes both hardware decoding and software decoding, with the hardware decoding serving as a backup, improving the reliability of position decoding. Hardware decoding is the primary function, while software decoding is the secondary function, thereby improving resolver position accuracy and reducing bit error rates. Furthermore, by enabling the Hall signal conditioning circuit 130a and the resolver signal decoding circuit 130b to cooperate and provide redundancy, the absolute zero position can be determined normally even if either circuit fails, thereby improving position detection reliability and system robustness.

[0047] Figure 3 FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a QV band feed antenna system 3000 according to an embodiment.

[0048] like Figure 3 As shown, the QV band feed antenna system 3000 may include a QV band feed antenna assembly 300, a motor 200, a harmonic reducer 210, and a control assembly 100. The motor 200 may be used to drive the QV band feed antenna assembly 300 to move. As an example, the motor 200 may be a stepper motor. The harmonic reducer 210 may be coupled between the QV band feed antenna assembly 300 and the motor 200. The control assembly 100 may be a reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The control assembly 100 described above will not be described in detail here.

[0049] In some embodiments, the QV band feed antenna system 3000 may further include a connector 220. The connector 220 is connected to the output shaft of the harmonic reducer 210 and the antenna shaft of the QV band feed antenna assembly 300. As an example, the connector 220 may be a coupling or a shrink sleeve. Figure 3As shown, the Hall sensor 110 can be set on the right side of the connector 220. Specifically, the Hall sensor 110 can be set at the connection between the antenna joint of the QV band feed antenna assembly 300 and the connection part connecting the QV antenna 340 and the antenna joint. Since the connector 220 is in the folded state of the antenna 340, there is a risk of slippage during the active phase of the rocket launch. Once slippage occurs, the calibrated absolute zero position will fail, causing the antenna pointing error to be large, and seriously causing the antenna to fail in orbit. By installing the Hall sensor 110 at the connection between the antenna joint and the connection part connecting the QV antenna 340 and the antenna joint, even if the connector slips, the absolute zero position calibrated based on the Hall sensor can still be corrected by relying on the Hall sensor signal.

[0050] Figure 4 A flow chart of a method 400 for controlling a QV band feed antenna assembly of an internet communication satellite according to an embodiment is shown. The QV band feed antenna assembly may be a combination of the above Figure 1-Figure 3 The QV band feed antenna assembly 100 described in will not be described again here for the sake of brevity.

[0051] like Figure 4 As shown, method 400 may include: Step 410, performing fault detection on the Hall sensor and the resolver. As an example, the motor controller may have built-in fault detection software, which may determine whether the Hall sensor and the resolver are faulty based on signals received from the Hall sensor and the resolver.

[0052] Method 400 may include: step 420, determining the absolute zero position of the antenna shaft based on the result of the fault detection. There are four situations in the results of the fault detection of the Hall sensor and the rotary transformer, namely: the Hall sensor and the rotary transformer are both detected as normal, the Hall sensor and the rotary transformer are both detected as abnormal, the Hall sensor is detected as normal and the rotary transformer is detected as abnormal, and the Hall sensor is detected as abnormal and the rotary transformer is detected as normal. As an example, the above four situations correspond to four different modes of determining the absolute zero position. The operation of step 420 will be referred to below. Figure 6 Described in further detail.

[0053] Method 400 may include: step 430, selectively executing the position control mode of the QV band feed antenna assembly based on the result of the fault detection. As an example, the position control mode may include an open-loop position control mode and a closed-loop position control mode. By adopting a heterogeneous position detection method combining a Hall sensor and a rotary transformer, it is possible to selectively adopt an open-loop position control mode and a closed-loop position control mode, and the multi-turn absolute position closed-loop feedback of the rotary transformer eliminates the risk of step loss of the traditional stepper motor, improves the continuous pointing tracking accuracy of the antenna (single-axis control accuracy ≤ 0.007°) and reliability, and at the same time, the Hall sensor and the rotary transformer are both ordinary aerospace-grade products, thereby reducing hardware costs.

[0054] In some embodiments, step 430 may further include: step 4302, in response to the result of the fault detection indicating that the rotary transformer is functioning normally, executing the closed-loop position control mode. As an example, after the absolute zero position of the antenna shaft is determined, if the rotary transformer is functioning normally, the motor controller may execute the closed-loop position control mode based on the feedback signal of the rotary transformer. In some embodiments, after entering the closed-loop position control mode (i.e., step 4302), the position memory function may be implemented by implementing some additional steps, which will be referred to below. Figure 5 Describe these steps in detail.

[0055] In some embodiments, step 430 may further include: step 4304, in response to the result of the fault detection indicating that the resolver is malfunctioning, executing an open-loop fine-division position control mode. As an example, the open-loop fine-division position control mode may be a conventional control method for a stepper motor.

[0056] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a process 500 for implementing a position memory function according to an embodiment is shown.

[0057] like Figure 5 As shown, when entering the closed-loop position control mode (i.e., executing Figure 4 After step 4302 (shown as step 4302), process 500 may proceed to block 510, where the current absolute zero position and the single-turn absolute position of the motor currently detected by the resolver are stored before power is turned off. Subsequently, process 500 may proceed to block 520, where, upon the next task power-on, a determination is made as to whether the single-turn absolute position of the motor detected by the resolver matches the stored single-turn absolute position of the motor. If so, process 500 may proceed to block 530, where, in response to the determination indicating a match, the stored absolute zero position is used to restore the current position of the antenna shaft. If not, process 500 terminates. By using the memorized position to quickly restore the current position of the antenna shaft, the number of rotations of the control assembly required to find the zero position is reduced, thereby increasing the overall service life of the antenna system.

[0058] Figure 6 FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a process 600 for determining the absolute zero position of the antenna shaft based on the result of fault detection according to an embodiment. It should be noted that the process 600 for determining the absolute zero position of the antenna shaft based on the result of fault detection corresponds to executing Figure 4 The operation process of step 420 of method 400.

[0059] like Figure 6 As shown, process 600 proceeds to block 630 based on the resolver being detected as normal at block 610 and the Hall sensor being detected as normal at block 620. At block 630, the absolute zero position is determined based on the Hall sensor signal and the resolver signal in the open-loop position control mode. As an example, when both the resolver and the Hall sensor function normally, the antenna can be calibrated to determine a one-to-one correspondence between the absolute position determined by the resolver at the motor end and the rising edge or falling edge of the Hall sensor. Therefore, the resolver and the Hall sensor can be used together for detection under non-contact hard limit conditions to quickly find the absolute zero position and implement closed-loop position control to eliminate the risk of the stepper motor losing steps. The antenna calibration process is as follows: after assembly, the main axis and sub-axis of the antenna are returned to the ideal absolute zero position through the joint detection of the rotary transformer and the Hall sensor, and then photographed to determine the deviation between the main electric axis of the antenna and the theoretical zero position. The rotation angle deviation of the main axis and sub-axis is calculated through inverse kinematics to correct the ideal absolute zero position value. Generally, after repeated corrections two or three times, the zero position pointing deviation of the electric axis will be within 0.02°.

[0060] Process 600 proceeds to block 640 based on the resolver being detected as normal at block 610 and the Hall sensor being detected as abnormal at block 620. At block 640, in an open-loop position control mode, an absolute zero position is determined based on a signal from the resolver upon collision with a hard limit at the antenna joint. For example, the signal based on the resolver may relate to the absolute position determined by the resolver and the positional relationship between the absolute position and the hard limit. As an example, when the resolver is functioning normally and the Hall sensor is functioning abnormally, the antenna can be calibrated to determine the positional relationship between the absolute position determined by the resolver at the motor end and the hard limit at the antenna joint. It can also quickly find the absolute zero position when contacting the hard limit. The software-built-in state observer can detect hard limits through collision detection by detecting changes in the stepper motor phase voltage or the resolver position. The motor then decelerates and slowly stops, and the resolver absolute position is recorded and position compensation is added. At this point, the absolute position of the antenna shaft is confirmed, and the antenna enters a closed-loop position control mode. As another example, if a single-event upset occurs in the resolver signal decoding circuit in closed-loop control mode, the system will automatically determine and enter open-loop position mode without interrupting the current antenna pointing task, thereby improving system robustness.

[0061] Process 600 proceeds to box 650 based on the detection of the rotary transformer as abnormal at box 610 and the detection of the Hall sensor as normal at box 620. At box 650, the absolute zero position is determined based on the pulse width counts at the rising and falling edges of the Hall sensor. Specifically, the pulse width count may refer to the position count after the step angle of the stepper motor is fine-divided within the motor controller. As an example, when the Hall sensor functions normally and the rotary transformer functions abnormally, under open-loop position control, the rising and falling edge signals of the Hall sensor are detected, and the number of pulse subdivisions accumulated by the stepper motor at the rising and falling edges is recorded to determine the absolute position of the antenna shaft. Specifically, under the fine-division control of the stepper motor, the motor step angle is subdivided into 4 / 32 / 64 / 128 / 256, etc., and the subdivision angle corresponds one-to-one to the pulse width count. When the motor controller 130 captures the rising edge of the Hall signal, it will accumulate and count the subdivided micro-step angles of the motor 200 until the falling edge of the Hall signal is triggered to end the counting, and the motor 200 stops rotating at the same time. Based on the count, the current relative position of the motor 200 to the middle of the Hall signal can be determined. In addition, the middle position of the Hall signal has been calibrated as the absolute position through photography, so the absolute position of the motor 200 and the antenna shaft can be determined through the two edges of the Hall signal (i.e., the rising edge and the falling edge).

[0062] Based on the resolver being detected as abnormal at block 610 and the Hall effect sensor being detected as normal at block 620, process 600 proceeds to block 660. At block 660, an absolute zero position is determined based on a hard limit collision control strategy. For example, if both the Hall effect sensor and resolver are malfunctioning, the antenna can be calibrated to determine whether the antenna shaft has reached the hard limit position through timer delays or a state observer, and the position at that point is used as the initial absolute position.

[0063] Figure 7 A flow chart illustrating a process 700 for controlling a QV band feed antenna assembly of an internet communications satellite is shown according to another embodiment.

[0064] Process 700 may begin by performing a fault detection on the resolver at block 610 and a fault detection on the Hall effect sensor at block 620. Subsequently, process 700 may execute four different homing modes based on the four fault detection results to determine the absolute zero position of the antenna axis. After the absolute zero position is determined, process 700 enters a position tracking mode.

[0065] Specifically, when the process 700 is detected as normal at box 610 and the Hall sensor is detected as normal at box 620, the process proceeds to box 630. At box 630, the absolute zero position is determined based on the signal of the Hall sensor and the signal of the resolver in the open-loop position control mode. As an example, when the resolver and the Hall sensor are both functioning normally, the antenna can be calibrated to determine the one-to-one correspondence between the absolute position determined by the resolver at the motor end and the rising edge or falling edge of the Hall sensor. Therefore, the resolver and the Hall sensor can be used for joint detection under non-contact hard limit conditions to quickly find the absolute zero position and implement closed-loop position control to eliminate the risk of the stepper motor losing step. The antenna calibration process is as follows: After assembly, the antenna's primary and secondary axes are aligned and returned to their ideal absolute zero position using a rotary transformer and Hall effect sensor. Photography is then used to determine the deviation between the antenna's primary electrical axis and the theoretical zero position. Inverse kinematics is then used to calculate the rotational angle deviation between the primary and secondary axes, correcting the ideal absolute zero position. After two or three iterations of these corrections, the deviation in electrical axis zero position is typically within 0.02°. After determining the absolute zero position at block 630, process 700 proceeds to block 4302, where closed-loop position control is implemented.

[0066] Process 700 proceeds to block 640 based on the resolver being detected as normal at block 610 and the Hall sensor being detected as abnormal at block 620. At block 640, in an open-loop position control mode, an absolute zero position is determined based on a signal from the resolver upon collision with a hard limit at the antenna joint. For example, the signal based on the resolver may relate to the absolute position determined by the resolver and the positional relationship between the absolute position and the hard limit. As an example, when the resolver functions normally and the Hall sensor functions abnormally, the antenna can be calibrated to determine the positional relationship between the absolute position determined by the resolver at the motor end and the hard limit at the antenna joint. It can also quickly find the absolute zero position when contacting the hard limit. The software-built-in state observer can detect hard limits through collision detection by detecting changes in the stepper motor phase voltage or the resolver position. The motor then decelerates and slowly stops, and the resolver absolute position is recorded and position compensation is added. At this point, the absolute position of the antenna shaft is confirmed, and the antenna enters a closed-loop position control mode. As another example, if a single event upset occurs in the resolver signal decoding circuit in closed-loop control mode, the system will automatically determine and enter open-loop position mode without interrupting the current antenna pointing task, thereby improving system robustness. After determining the absolute zero position at block 640, process 700 proceeds to block 4302, where closed-loop position control mode is executed. After entering closed-loop position control mode, process 700 can achieve reference Figure 5 The position memory function (block 500) described above is not described here for the sake of brevity.

[0067] Based on the detection of the rotary transformer as abnormal at box 610 and the detection of the Hall sensor as normal at box 620, process 700 proceeds to box 650. At box 650, the absolute zero position is determined based on the pulse width counts at the rising and falling edges of the Hall sensor. Specifically, the pulse width count may refer to the position count after the step angle of the stepper motor in the motor controller 130 is finely divided. As an example, when the Hall sensor functions normally and the rotary transformer functions abnormally, under open-loop position control, the rising and falling edge signals of the Hall sensor are detected, and the number of pulse subdivisions accumulated by the stepper motor at the rising and falling edges is recorded to determine the absolute position of the antenna shaft. Specifically, under the fine-division control of the stepper motor, the subdivision angle after the motor step angle is subdivided into 4 / 32 / 64 / 128 / 256, etc., corresponds one to one with the pulse width count. When the motor controller 130 captures the rising edge of the Hall signal, it will accumulate and count the subdivided micro-step angles of the motor 200 until the falling edge of the Hall signal is triggered to end the counting, and the motor 200 stops rotating at the same time. Based on the count, the current relative position of the motor 200 to the middle of the Hall signal can be determined. In addition, the middle position of the Hall signal has been calibrated as the absolute position through photography, so the absolute position of the motor 200 and the antenna shaft can be determined through the two edges of the Hall signal (i.e., the rising edge and the falling edge).

[0068] After absolute zero is determined at block 650 , process 700 proceeds to block 4304 where an open-loop fine-grained position control mode is executed.

[0069] Based on the resolver being detected as abnormal at block 610 and the Hall effect sensor being detected as normal at block 620, process 700 proceeds to block 660. At block 660, an absolute zero position is determined based on a hard limit collision control strategy. For example, if both the Hall effect sensor and resolver are malfunctioning, the antenna can be calibrated to determine whether the antenna shaft has reached the hard limit position through timer delays or a state observer, and this position is used as the initial absolute position. After determining the absolute zero position at block 660, process 700 proceeds to block 4304, where open-loop fine-grained position control mode is implemented.

[0070] Figure 8 FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a QV band feed antenna system 800 according to an embodiment.

[0071] like Figure 8As shown, system 800 may include a QV-band feed antenna assembly 810. QV-band feed antenna assembly 810 may include a QV antenna 811, an antenna joint 812, and a connection portion 813 connecting the QV antenna 811 and the antenna joint 812. Antenna joint 812 may include an antenna shaft. System 800 may include a motor assembly 820. Motor assembly 820 may include a motor 822 and a harmonic reducer 821. Harmonic reducer 821 is coupled between QV-band feed antenna assembly 810 and motor 822. For example, the output shaft of motor 822 is coupled to harmonic reducer 821. System 800 may include a Hall sensor 830 and a rotary transformer 840. Hall sensor 830 may be positioned at the junction of antenna joint 812 and connection portion 813. Positioning Hall sensor 830 at the junction of antenna joint 812 and connection portion 813 can eliminate the potential risk of slippage at the expansion sleeve connection between the output shaft of harmonic reducer 821 and the antenna joint 813. That is to say, since the Hall sensor 830 is arranged at the connection between the antenna joint 812 and the connecting portion 813, even if slippage occurs at the connection between the output shaft of the harmonic reducer 821 and the expansion sleeve of the antenna joint 812, the absolute zero position calibrated based on the Hall sensor 830 can still be corrected by relying on the signal of the Hall sensor 830. The rotary transformer 840 is arranged at one end of the motor 822. As an alternative, the rotary transformer 822 can be a single-turn absolute position sensor installed at one end of the motor 822 to detect the single-turn absolute position of the motor 822. The system 800 may include a motor controller 850, which may be communicatively coupled to the Hall sensor 830 and the rotary transformer 840. Specifically, the motor controller 850 may receive a Hall switch signal from the Hall sensor 830 and a resolver signal from the rotary transformer 840. By adopting a heterogeneous position detection method combining the Hall sensor 830 and the rotary transformer 840, it is possible to selectively adopt open-loop position control mode and closed-loop position control mode, and the multi-turn absolute position closed-loop feedback of the rotary transformer 822 eliminates the risk of losing steps of the traditional stepper motor, and improves the continuous pointing tracking accuracy of the antenna (single-axis control accuracy ≤ 0.007°) and reliability. At the same time, the Hall sensor 830 and the rotary transformer 822 are both ordinary aerospace-grade products, which also reduces hardware costs.

[0072] In some embodiments, motor 822 may include a stepper motor. In some embodiments, motor controller 850 may include a stepper motor controller. For example, stepper motor controller 850 may indirectly determine the position of the antenna shaft by using the absolute position of a single turn of stepper motor 822 detected by resolver 840 and by accumulating the position over multiple turns. In some embodiments, the Hall effect sensor may include a Hall effect switch sensor.

[0073] In some embodiments, the system 800 may further include a connector 860. The connector 860 may be connected to the output shaft of the harmonic reducer 821 and the antenna shaft of the QV band feed antenna assembly 810. For example, the connector 860 may include a coupling or a shrink sleeve.

[0074] In some embodiments, the motor controller 850 may include a signal processing module 851, which may include a resolver signal decoding circuit 851a and a Hall signal conditioning circuit 851b. As an example, the resolver signal decoding circuit 851 may be configured to perform hardware decoding and software decoding, wherein the hardware decoding and the software decoding serve as backups for each other. In this way, the resolver signal decoding circuit 851a includes both hardware decoding and software decoding functions. Since the hardware and software decoding serve as backups for each other, the reliability of position decoding is improved, with hardware decoding being the primary function and software decoding being the secondary function. This improves the accuracy of the position of the resolver 840 and reduces the bit error rate. In addition, by cooperating with the Hall signal conditioning circuit 851b and the resolver signal decoding circuit 851a, providing mutual redundancy, the absolute zero position can be normally determined whether or not one of the two circuits fails, thereby improving the reliability of position detection and the robustness of the system.

[0075] In some embodiments, resolver 840 and Hall sensor 310 can be communicatively coupled to resolver signal decoding circuit 851a and Hall signal conditioning circuit 851b, respectively. For example, resolver signal decoding circuit 851a can receive a feedback signal from resolver 840. Hall signal conditioning circuit 851b can receive a Hall switch signal from Hall sensor 830 (e.g., a Hall switch sensor).

[0076] In some embodiments, the motor controller 850 may include a main processing module 852 and a backup processing module 853. The main processing module 852 and the backup processing module 853 may be connected in parallel between the signal processing module 851 and the motor assembly 820.

[0077] In some embodiments, the main processing module 852 may include a main digital signal processor (DSP) 8521, a main level conversion chip 8523, and a main driving module 8522. The control signal (e.g., pulse width modulation (PWM)) signal output terminal and the enable signal output terminal of the main DSP 8521 may be connected to the main level conversion chip 8523, and the main level conversion chip 8523 may be connected to the main driving module 8522; and the standby processing module 853 may include a standby DSP 8531, a standby level conversion chip 8533, and a standby driving module 8532. The control signal output terminal and the enable signal output terminal of the standby DSP 8531 may be connected to the standby level conversion chip 8533, and the standby level conversion chip 8533 may be connected to the standby driving module 8532. Additionally, the main processing module 852 and the standby processing module 853 may further include relays.

[0078] In some embodiments, the control signal output and enable signal output of the master DSP 8521 can also be connected to the backup level shifter chip 8533. In some embodiments, the control signal output and enable signal output of the backup DSP 8531 can also be further connected to the master level shifter chip 8523. In this way, the master DSP 8521 and the backup DSP 8531, as well as the master driver module 8522 and the backup driver module 8532, provide cross-backup functionality, improving hardware system reliability.

[0079] like Figure 8 As shown, during normal operation of system 800, resolver 840 can provide the resolver signal as a feedback signal to resolver signal decoding circuit 851a. Hall sensor 830 can provide the Hall switch signal to Hall signal conditioning circuit 851b. Resolver signal decoding circuit 851a can decode the resolver signal into a digital signal carrying position information, and then transmit this digital signal to both the main DSP 8521 and the backup DSP 8531. The main DSP 8521 processes the digital signal carrying position information into a control signal. At the same time, the main DSP 8521 can convert the control signal into a control signal suitable for the main drive module 8522 by enabling the main level conversion chip 8523. The main drive module 8522 then outputs the control signal to control the opening or closing of the relay. When the relay is closed, the power signal is used to drive the motor. Optionally, the main DSP 8521 can convert the control signal into a control signal suitable for the standby drive module 8532 by enabling the standby level conversion chip 8533. The standby drive module 8532 then outputs a control signal to control the opening or closing of the relay. When the relay is closed, the motor is driven by the power signal.

[0080] The Hall signal conditioning circuit 851b processes the Hall switch signal into high- and low-level switching signals and transmits these signals simultaneously to the main DSP 8521 and the backup DSP 8531. The main DSP 8521 processes the high- and low-level switching signals carrying position information into control signals. Simultaneously, the main DSP 8521 can convert the control signals into control signals suitable for the main driver module 8522 by enabling the main level conversion chip 8523. The main driver module 8522 then outputs the control signals to control the opening or closing of the relay. When the relay is closed, the motor is driven by the power signal. Optionally, the main DSP 8521 can convert the control signals into control signals suitable for the backup driver module 8532 by enabling the backup level conversion chip 8533. The backup driver module 8532 then outputs the control signals to control the opening or closing of the relay. When the relay is closed, the motor is driven by the power signal.

[0081] In this way, by dividing the main DSP 8521, backup DSP 8531, and main driver module 8522, backup driver module 8532 into two primary and backup systems, the main DSP 8521 and backup DSP 8531 serve as cold backups. The main driver module 8522, backup driver module 8532 normally functions as cold backups. However, in exceptional circumstances, such as when the motor or antenna shaft system stalls or becomes stuck, they can be powered on and switched to an operational state. The main DSP 8521 and backup DSP 8531 send an enable signal, applying control signals to the motor pulse signals to the main driver module 8522, backup driver module 8532, instantly increasing the output torque of the motor and its components to break free from stalling or jamming. Furthermore, the cross-backup between the main DSP 8521, backup DSP 8531 and the main driver module 8522, backup driver module 8532 enhances hardware system reliability, preventing antenna performance from being impacted by single-point failures.

[0082] Figure 9 FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating a control process 900 for a motor of a QV band feeding antenna according to an embodiment.

[0083] like Figure 9 As shown, the electrode 200 adopts current loop vector control and voltage subdivision control strategies.

[0084] First, the reference position signal Pref, the reference velocity signal Vref, and the reference acceleration signal Aref are transmitted to the coordinate transformation and trajectory generator 920 via the communication interface 910. The coordinate transformation and trajectory generator 920 performs coordinate transformation on the reference position signal Pref, the reference velocity signal Vref, and the reference acceleration signal Aref to obtain the transformed reference position. The resolver signal decoding circuit 970 and the Hall signal conditioning circuit 960 are communicatively coupled to the resolver 120 and the Hall sensor 110, respectively. As an example, the Hall signal conditioning circuit 960 is primarily used to provide a trigger signal, which is divided into rising and falling edges and is primarily used to determine the absolute position of the antenna joint. In some embodiments, the resolver signal decoding circuit 970 can be configured to perform hardware decoding and software decoding, wherein the hardware decoding and software decoding serve as backup for each other. In this way, the resolver signal decoding circuit 970 includes both hardware decoding and software decoding functions, and the hardware and software decoding serve as backup for each other, improving the reliability of position decoding, with hardware decoding being primary and software decoding being secondary, thereby improving the accuracy of the resolver position and reducing the bit error rate. Furthermore, by enabling Hall signal conditioning circuit 960 and resolver signal decoding circuit 970 to work together and provide redundancy, absolute zero position determination can be performed regardless of whether either circuit fails, thereby improving position detection reliability and system robustness. The feedback signal from resolver 120 is decoded by resolver signal decoding circuit 970 to obtain the actual position, which is then subjected to position compensation 930. Hall signal conditioning circuit 960 receives the Hall signal from Hall sensor 110 and determines the absolute zero position via position detection module 950. Position tracking mode is then selected via open-loop or closed-loop control mode selector 940.

[0085] By employing both current loop vector control and voltage subdivision control strategies in motor 200, motor 200's rotation is smoothly controlled. Both open-loop and closed-loop position control methods are employed. Under closed-loop position control, current loop vector control is used, and resolver 120 accumulates multiple turns of absolute position for real-time feedback. This eliminates traditional subdivision control, ensuring position control accuracy is entirely guaranteed by the accuracy of resolver 120. Under open-loop position control, conventional voltage subdivision control is employed, prioritizing the prevention of motor 200 from stalling. The two control modes switch autonomously based on position detection, requiring no intervention from ground personnel.

[0086] The above describes in detail the preferred embodiments of the present invention. However, it should be understood that the present invention may adopt various embodiments and variations without departing from its broad spirit and scope. A person skilled in the art can make numerous modifications and variations based on the concepts of the present invention without inventive effort. Therefore, any technical solution that a person skilled in the art can arrive at based on the concepts of the present invention through logical analysis, reasoning, or limited experimentation on the basis of the prior art shall fall within the scope of protection defined by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A QV band feed antenna system, characterized in that: The system comprises: A QV band feed antenna assembly, comprising a QV antenna, an antenna joint, and a connecting portion connecting the QV antenna and the antenna joint, wherein the antenna joint comprises an antenna shaft; A motor assembly, comprising a motor and a harmonic reducer, wherein the harmonic reducer is coupled between the QV frequency band feed antenna assembly and the motor; a Hall sensor, disposed at the connection between the antenna joint and the connecting portion; a rotary transformer, disposed at one end of the motor away from the harmonic reducer; and A motor controller is communicatively coupled to the Hall sensor and the resolver.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein The system further comprises: A connector is connected to the output shaft of the harmonic reducer and the antenna shaft of the QV band feeding antenna assembly respectively.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein: The connector includes a coupling or a expansion sleeve.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The motor controller includes a signal processing module communicatively coupled to the Hall sensor and the resolver, respectively.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein: The signal processing module includes: a resolver signal decoding circuit communicatively coupled to the resolver; and A Hall signal conditioning circuit is communicatively coupled to the Hall sensor.

6. The system according to claim 4, wherein: The motor controller further includes a main processing module and a backup processing module. The main processing module and the backup processing module are connected in parallel between the signal processing module and the motor assembly.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein: The main processing module includes a main digital signal processor, a main level conversion chip and a main driving module, and the standby processing module includes a standby digital signal processor, a standby level conversion chip and a standby driving module.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein: The main digital signal processor includes a first control signal output terminal, the first control signal output terminal is connected to the main level conversion chip and the standby level conversion chip, and The standby digital signal processor includes a second control signal output terminal connected to the standby level conversion chip and the main level conversion chip.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein The first enable signal output terminal of the main digital signal processor is connected to the main level conversion chip and the standby level conversion chip, and The second enable signal output terminal of the standby digital signal processor is connected to the standby level conversion chip and the main level conversion chip.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein The main level conversion chip is connected to the main driver module, and The standby level conversion chip is connected to the standby driving module.

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