Elevation Angle Estimation for Satellite Terminal Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of non-geostationary satellite communications systems face challenges in accurately positioning user terminals to ensure an unobstructed view of the sky in all azimuthal directions, particularly due to the need for an elevation angle of up to 45 degrees, which is difficult to achieve without professional assistance and often results in errors and dropout periods.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a camera device and a display device that captures and displays a real-time image of the sky, with a wide-angle lens and image processing electronics to estimate the elevation angle of surrounding objects, allowing users to position the terminal correctly by superimposing an elevation limit circle on the image, ensuring an unobstructed view.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users visually estimate the elevation angle to position user terminals, then the positioning process is simple and requires no specialized equipment, but the positioning accuracy deteriorates with errors of up to 10 degrees
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a camera as an intermediary tool between the user and the sky view. The camera captures images of the sky and surrounding objects, and image processing algorithms automatically calculate elevation angles and generate guidance markings. This intermediary system eliminates the need for users to visually estimate angles while maintaining operational simplicity, resolving the contradiction between ease of use and measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual visual estimation with an automated optical and computational system. Instead of relying on human visual judgment, the system uses a camera to capture images, processes them computationally to determine elevation angles, and displays graphical markings. This substitution of mechanical/computational methods for human visual estimation achieves both precision and ease of operation.
2Measurement precision
If surveying equipment is used to estimate elevation angles, then positioning accuracy improves, but the system complexity and cost increase due to specialized skill requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a camera to create a visual copy (image) of the sky and surrounding environment. This image copy is then processed to extract elevation angle information and generate guidance markings. By working with a copied visual representation rather than direct physical measurement equipment, the system achieves surveying-level accuracy while maintaining simplicity and eliminating the need for specialized surveying instruments or trained personnel.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes complex mechanical surveying equipment with a camera-based optical system and computational image processing. This replacement eliminates the need for specialized surveying instruments, tripods, theodolites, or trained surveyors, while achieving comparable or superior measurement precision through automated digital image analysis.
3Productivity
If users position terminals without accurate elevation angle estimation, then installation time is reduced, but service reliability deteriorates due to dropout periods from obstructed sky views
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by capturing images and calculating elevation angles during the installation phase itself. The system provides real-time guidance markings that enable users to correctly position the terminal before service activation. This preliminary accurate positioning prevents future connectivity issues and dropout periods, maintaining both installation speed and service reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by displaying graphical markings (elevation limit circles and object position indicators) that show users whether their terminal positioning is correct. This immediate visual feedback allows users to adjust the terminal position during installation to ensure adequate sky view, thereby guaranteeing service reliability without sacrificing installation speed through trial-and-error methods.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system and a method for estimating the elevation angle of one or more objects surrounding a user terminal include a camera device for capturing an image of the sky and a display device for displaying the image of the sky captured by the camera device. One of the camera device and the display device generates an elevation limit marking in the image of the sky displayed by the display device. The elevation limit marking in the image of the sky defines an elevation angle above a horizon of the earth that all the one or more objects in a field of view of the camera device must remain below so that the user terminal has an unobstructed view of the sky in all azimuthal directions.