Floating Antenna Orientation Control for Wave-Stable IoT Links
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing IoT terminal antennas on water bodies face directional instability due to wave-induced shaking, leading to fluctuating signal reception, and existing three-axis gimbal configurations are complex and power-consuming.
Innovation Solution
A wireless communication device with a rod-shaped antenna supported by a rotatable support about a single orthogonal axis, controlled by an actuator and sensor to maintain alignment with the direction of minimal inclination relative to water waves, using a floating body and control device to manage antenna direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a three-axis turret configuration is used to track and stabilize the antenna, then the antenna direction stability is improved, but the device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential stabilization function needed for antenna direction control, implementing a simplified single-axis or dual-axis gimbal mechanism instead of a complete three-axis turret system. This selective extraction maintains adequate stability while removing unnecessary complexity and power consumption associated with full three-axis tracking capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies stabilization mechanisms only to the specific degrees of freedom that are critical for maintaining antenna directivity toward the target. Rather than stabilizing all three axes uniformly, the system focuses control resources on the most impactful rotational axes, optimizing the stability-to-complexity ratio.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a three-axis turret configuration is used to track and stabilize the antenna, then the antenna direction stability is improved, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the power-intensive third axis from the stabilization system, retaining only the essential one or two axes that provide sufficient stability for the application. This extraction significantly reduces power consumption while maintaining adequate antenna direction control for IoT communication scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial stabilization action by controlling fewer axes than a complete three-axis system, providing just enough stability to maintain communication link quality without the excessive power consumption of full three-axis active stabilization.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the antenna is mounted on a floating body, then the device can operate on water surfaces, but the antenna inclination changes due to wave shaking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic stabilization system using gimbal mechanisms with actuators that actively adjust the antenna orientation in real-time to compensate for wave-induced movements. The system continuously adapts to changing sea conditions, maintaining stable directivity despite the floating body's motion on water surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs feedback control mechanisms where sensors detect the floating body's inclination and position, and this information is fed back to actuators that adjust the antenna orientation accordingly. This closed-loop control system maintains stable antenna direction by continuously counteracting the effects of wave shaking.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication device includes an antenna, a support portion, an actuator, a floating body, a sensor, and a control device. The antenna has a rod-shaped element. The instruction unit supports the antenna rotatably about a rotation axis orthogonal to an extending direction of the element. The actuator rotates the antenna about the rotation axis. The floating body supports the support portion and floats on water. The sensor measures a physical quantity related to inclination of the support portion. The control device includes a measurement value acquisition unit and a rotation control unit. The measurement value acquisition unit acquires a measurement value of the sensor. The rotation control unit drives the actuator on the basis of the measurement value to match a direction in which a change in the inclination is smallest with an extending direction of the antenna.