US005808583A Ulllted States Patent [19] [11] Patent Number: 5,808,583 Roberts [45] Date of Patent: Sep. 15, 1998 [54] SYSTEM FOR USING SUNSHINE AND 3,803,626 4/1974 Garrett .................................. .. 343/894 SHADOWS T0 LOCATE UNOBSTRUCTEI) 4,159,576 7/1979 Campbell ................................ .. 33/281 SATELLITE RECEPTION SITES AND FOR , , liewisewis e a .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... ggiEEEQTION 0F SIGNAL GATHERING 4,888,592 12/1989 Paik et al. .. 342/359 4,956,920 9/1990 KutZ ............................ .. 33/268 [76] Inventor: James M. Roberts, 3915 Carnavon 5’276’972 1 / 1994 S taney ..................................... .. 33 / 271 Way, Los Angeles, Calif. 90027 Primary Examiner—Gregory C. Issing [21] App1_ No; 405,267 Attorney, Agent, or Firm—FulWider Patton Lee & Utecht, LLP [22] Filed: Mar. 13, 1995 [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl.6 ..................................................... .. H01Q 3/00 [52] us. c1. ........................................... .. 342/359; 343/894 A new and improved system which facilitates the use of [58] Field Of Search ................................... .. 343/760, 894; Sunlight and Sun Shadows to Optimize Site Surveys and the 33/271, 273, 268, 1 T, 1 DD, 1 CC; 342/359 placement of satellite dish antennas and the like in order to provide unobstructive reception from a satellite transmitter [56] References Cited and, further, facilitate alignment of the dish relative to a satellite. U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 2,904,889 9/1959 France, 11 ............................... .. 33/268 6 Claims, 11 Drawing Sheets SELECT DESIRED DISH SITE TO BE TESTED SELECT DATE AND TIME OF DAY FOR SUN OBSERVATION FOR SELECTED SATELLITE OBSERVE POSITION OF SUN AND PRESENCE OF SHADOWS \ 22 NO SHADOWS ON FACE SHADOWS ON FACE OF DISH COOD SITE SITE INTERFERENCE SELECTION \ 24 EXISTS; SELECT NEW 25/ SITE AND RETEST OBSERVE SHADOW OF DISH FEED AND ALTER ELEVATION OF DISH RELATIVE TO THE SUN TO ACCOMPLISH DISH ALIGNMENT U.S. Patent Sep. 15,1998 Sheet 1 0f 11 5,808,583 3 I E N U.S. Patent Sep. 15,1998 Sheet 2 0f 11 5,808,583 SELECT DESIRED 015/1 SITE r0 BE \ 20 TESTED SELECT DATE AND TIME OF DAY FOR SUN OBSERVATION FOR SELECTED SATELLITE OBSERVE POSITION OF SUN AND PRESENCE OF SHADOWS NO SHADOWS ON FACE SHADOWS ON FACE OF DISH GOOD SITE SITE INTERFERENCE SELECTION EXISTS; SELECT NEW 25/ SITE AND RETEST OBSERVE SHADOW OF DISH FEED AND ALTER ELEVATION OF DISH RELATIVE TO THE SUN TO ACCOMPLISH DISH ALIGNMENT U.S. Patent Sep. 15,1998 Sheet 3 0f 11 5,808,583 FIG. 4A L05 ANGELES, CA: 35.9w 778.3’W (D55 IOI’W) @ 750.8342 d’! 46.421 1995 JAN | FEB | MAR |APR1L1 MA)’ | JUN£| Jum AUG | 55m 00m NW} 050 I25J0104I7 200(I HH‘_* wzbmmmmkummG JAN l FEB l MAR IAPRJLI MA)’ I JUNEI JULY] AUG I SEPTI oarI Nov! 050 U.S. Patent Sep. 15,1998 Sheet 4 0f 11 5,808,583 F/G. 45 LONDON: 57.5'N 0.7’W MSTRA 79.215) @ 755.9742 & 28.3’EL 1995 JAN | FEB | MAR |APRILI MAY |JUN£1JULY| AUG | SEPT] 0cr| NOV j 1250 4/ ll 04/4/ _ 0 M23.mmmmmwQG @msQ95% JAN 1 FEB l MAR lAPRILI MA)’ I JUNE] JUL)" AUG I SEPT! ocrl Movl DEC U.S. Patent Sep. 15,1998 Sheet 5 0f 11 5,808,583 FIG. 4C INDIANAPOLIS, IN: 39.8w 86.214’ (055 707W) @ 202.4"Az Jr 37.8‘EL 1995 JAN | FEB 1 MAR |APR1L| MAY | JUNE| JULY| AUG1SEPT| oar] Nov! 050 #63“$523MM35 4/4/7777]18552222 was“.mmmmwmmE mmssSim JAN I FEB I MAR IAPRJU MA)’ | JUNE] JULY] AUG 1 SEPT‘ oar! NOV I DEC U.S. Patent Sep. 15,1998 Sheet 6 0f 11 5,808,583 FIG. 40 MIAMI, EL: 25.8w 80.2"W (055 707W) @ 227.7742 J! 52.0'EL 1995 JAN 1 FEB | MAR |APR1L| MA)’ | JUNE| JULY| AUG ; SEPT] 0cr| NOV| 05c LOCALSTANDARDTIME a 8 EL/SUNSUN’SELDEGREESBIRD §"3§? OVERBIRD\‘ I\ JAN I FEB 1 MAR IAPRJLI MA)’ 1 JUNE' JULY] AUG I SEPTI ocrl NOV] DEC U.S. Patent Sep. 15, 1998 Sheet 8 0f 11 5,808,583 F/G. 4F DENVER ca- 39.8w 105.0'w (055 101W) @ 773.8342 6': 43.8'EL 1995 JAN 1 FEB | MAR1APR1L| MA)’ | JUN£| JULY; AUG | 55/17] 0cr| NOV| 1250 2 7/2 7 7/21 7/2 — w 20 @EmmxQ 4/ 0 JAN l FEB 1 MAR IAPRILI MA)’ [JUNE] JULY' AUG I SEPT! 00f! Movl DEC U.S. Patent Sep. 15, 1998 Sheet 9 0f 11 5,808,583 FIG. 46 BOSTON, MA.- 42.4w 71.1w (055 101W) @ 220.5‘A2 A 32.51% 1995 JAN 1 FEB | MAR |APR1L1 MAY 1 JUN£| JULY| AUG | 55m oar] NOV] 1150 JAN I FEB I MAR IAPRMI MA)’ IJUNEI JULY] AUG I s£PrI ocr I M0vI DEC 5,808,583 1 2 SYSTEM FOR USING SUNSHINE AND because of their vulnerability to de?ection toWard any ferris SHADOWS TO LOCATE UNOBSTRUCTED metal in their proximity and because of the need to alloW/ SATELLITE RECEPTION SITES AND FOR compensate for local variations in the earth’s magnetic ?eld. ORIENTATION OF SIGNAL GATHERING Sometimes sunshine/shadoWs are employed at local noon, as DEVICES an indication of True North/South. Subsequently, a compass or other horiZontal angle measuring device is employed to BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION determine the aZimuth direction to the satellite. In addition, it is important to acknoWledge the relation of Field of the Invention the sun’s position to the satellites is the prediction of spring This invention relates generally to a neW and improved 10 and fall occurrences When the sun is directly in line With the method and apparatus for optimizing satellite dish site satellites. At those times, the sun’s radiant energy tempo surveys, placement and alignment and, more particularly, to rarily interferes With reception of the satellite’s transmis a neW and improved method and apparatus of using sunshine sions. It is currently the practice to foreWarn oWners of and shadoWs for determining unobstructed satellite signal satellite reception systems of those impending solar inter reception and subsequent dish alignment Which is easy to 15 ference occurrences so that they Will not be concerned that use, reliable, accurate, versatile, economical and ef?cient. some fault has developed Within their electronics. These In recent years, it has been common practice to use limited, and only occasional, uses of knoWledge and/or satellite systems for communications, video entertainment prediction of time and sun position, relative to the satellites, are the extent of current practice. and the like. Geostationary satellites orbit the earth in such 20 a Way that their position in the sky appears to be constant. After the dish is placed in the selected site, it must be The satellite’s position is conventionally de?ned by the tWo oriented toWard the satellite transmitter. Again, this is dimensions of: (1) aZimuth (the angular number of degrees, accomplished using the currently accepted tWo dimensions measured in the local horiZontal plane, eastWard around of aZimuth and elevation. Currently, the practice is to set the dish as close as possible to one of these dimensions and then from 0/360 as North}; and (2) elevation (the angular number 25 of degrees, measured up from the local horiZon). Signals to move it through the other dimension in search of the from the satellites can be absorbed and/or de?ected by satellite’s signal. In vieW of the trouble using compasses, physical obstructions in the straight line betWeen the satellite most installers initially set the elevation dimension by and the potential reception sites. It is, therefore, necessary to measuring the slope of the dish, or by setting the elevation of the dish based upon marks on the dish support. Next, the choose sites for reception Which are free from obstructions 30 in the direction of the satellite. installer must sWeep the dish along a Wide range of aZimuths For simplicity of communication, the term “dish” Will be to ?nd the selected satellite. In addition, the use of electronic used to signify the full range of devices used to gather instrumentation is required in order to make the necessary signals from the satellite transmitters: focally re?ective adjustments to the dish antenna in order to maximiZe its effectiveness. Furthermore, using this prior art method surfaces commonly called “Dishes”; as Well as collective 35 funnels commonly called “Horns”; and, absorbative antenna requires efforts to make sure that the dish support is plumb, commonly called “Yagii”, “Flat Plates” or “Phased Arrays”. otherWise the marks on the dish support can be misleading Survey of acceptable site(s) for permanently located satellite and/or the elevation Will vary as the dish is moved through reception dishes involves considerations of these devices a range of aZimuths. Accordingly, those concerned With the site selection and being: visually/aesthetically unobtrusive; inaccessible to 40 vandals and/or thieves; as Well as the necessity shared With the optimiZation of dish antenna placement have long rec selection of parking or mooring sites for Recreational ogniZed the need for improvements in methods for optimiZ Vehicles carrying mobile Dishes, that the satellite dish must ing dish placement relative to a satellite transmitter Which have a clear and unobstructed line of sight relative to the are easy to use, accurate, reliable, versatile, economical and ef?cient. The present invention clearly ful?lls all these satellite transmitter in order to maximiZe the quality of 45 signal reception, i.e., to maximiZe the received signal level needs. and the signal to noise ratio. Failure to obtain unobstructed reception results in diminished picture and/or audio quality. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Currently, optimiZation of satellite dish placement to Brie?y, and in general terms, the present invention pro provide unobstructed reception from the satellite transmitter, vides a neW and improved system Which facilitates the use requires a great deal of effort and skill on the part of a dish of sunlight and sun shadoWs to optimiZe site surveys and the antenna installer in order to properly survey potential sites to placement of satellite dish antennas in order to provide select a site; and then to align the satellite dish relative to the unobstructed reception from a satellite transmitter and as a satellite transmitter.