Linear Smart Array Antenna Configurations for a Transceiver in a Multi-Signal Environment

Abstract

Future smart antenna technology requires multielement, adaptive array antennas to be placed on very small cell phone units. Small adaptive array antennas require heavy signal processing if the statistical techniques are used to maximize radiation in the desired direction and to null the beam in the direction of interfering signals. In terms of weight, battery energy and computational memory and time required it is imperative to minimize computational time, memory required and weight of the hardware to be used for adaptive beamforming in smart antennas. In this paper is presented a three-element antenna that uses analytically solved weight computation. No statistical or number crunching techniques are used. Moreover, it is shown that the antenna elements behind which two signal processing units are placed are critical. The placement of the weight processing signal processing units is critical for obtaining simultaneous beam maximizing towards the desired direction and nulling towards the interferer direction.