Direction finding using ESPRIT with interpolated arrays

The technique of interpolated arrays is applied to ESPRIT-type direction finding methods. The resulting method uses sensor arrays with an arbitrary configuration, thus eliminating the basic restrictive requirement of ESPRIT for two (or more) identical arrays. This approach allows for resolving D+1, while the original ESPRIT method requires at least 2D sensors. Moreover, it is shown that while ESPRIT performs poorly for signals propagating in parallel (or close to parallel) with the array displacement vector, the advocated technique does not exhibit such weakness. Finally, using two subarrays, ESPRIT cannot resolve azimuth and elevation even when the sensors are not collinear. However, the interpolated ESPRIT procedure resolves azimuth and elevation using only a single array. The performance of the original ESPRIT when the sensor locations are perturbed is also discussed and illustrated numerically. >