US 12,216,215 B2
Antenna alignment apparatus
Raleigh Benton Stelle, IV, Indianapolis, IN (US); and Thomas Sevilla, Miramar, FL (US)
Assigned to Viavi Solutions Inc., Chandler, AZ (US)
Filed by Viavi Solutions Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Oct. 13, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/500,521.
Prior Publication US 2023/0109841 A1, Apr. 13, 2023
Int. Cl. H01Q 3/04 (2006.01); G01C 17/28 (2006.01); G01S 19/26 (2010.01); G01V 3/40 (2006.01)
CPC G01S 19/26 (2013.01) [G01C 17/28 (2013.01); H01Q 3/04 (2013.01); G01V 3/40 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An antenna alignment apparatus configured to be coupled to an antenna, the apparatus comprising:
one or more magnetic field sensors configured to measure earth's magnetic fields at corresponding locations of the one or more magnetic field sensors;
a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver configured to receive a signal from a GNSS satellite, the GNSS receiver configured to calculate its geolocation based on the received signal;
a processor configured to:
receive the measured earth's magnetic field from each of the one or more magnetic field sensors;
determine an azimuth of the antenna that the apparatus is coupled to, based on the measured earth's magnetic field by at least one magnetic field sensor of the one or more magnetic field sensors; and
determine the azimuth of the antenna based on the geolocation in tandem with determining the azimuth based on the measured earth's magnetic field.