Mixing of Technologies for Adaptive Beamforming Implementation

This paper describes the recent trends in the hardware implementation of smart antenna beamforming networks. Two receiver subsystems are developed and tested based on different beamforming concepts. One is a four-element array direct conversion receiver with digital beamforming and the other is an eight-element array heterodyne receiver with hybrid analog-digital beamforming. Experiments are conducted using these two systems for DOA estimation, beamshaping, demonstration of SDMA and BER measurements. The pros and cons of these two of beamforming implementations are discussed. It is concluded that the mixing of analog and digital beamforming technologies brings the maximum benefits to the system performance.

[1]  Arogyaswami Paulraj,et al.  Space-time processing for wireless communications , 1997 .

[2]  Seungwon Choi,et al.  Implementation of a Smart Antenna System on a General-Purpose Digital Signal Processor Utilizing a Linearized CGM , 1997, Digit. Signal Process..

[3]  S. Bellofiore,et al.  Smart antennas for wireless communications , 2001, IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society International Symposium. 2001 Digest. Held in conjunction with: USNC/URSI National Radio Science Meeting (Cat. No.01CH37229).

[4]  M. Viberg,et al.  Two decades of array signal processing research: the parametric approach , 1996, IEEE Signal Process. Mag..

[5]  V. K. Prasanna,et al.  Utilizing the power of high-performance computing , 1998 .

[6]  T. Ohira Adaptive array antenna beamforming architectures as viewed by a microwave circuit designer , 2000, 2000 Asia-Pacific Microwave Conference. Proceedings (Cat. No.00TH8522).

[7]  Z. Kostic,et al.  Digital signal processors in cellular radio communications , 1997, IEEE Commun. Mag..

[8]  L. C. Godara,et al.  Applications Of Antenna Arrays To Mobile Communications, Part I: Performance Improvement, Feasibility, And System Considerations , 1997, Proceedings of the IEEE.