Method and apparatus for estimating direction of arrival using generation of virtual received signals based on uniform linear array antenna

摘要

Disclosed are an improved direction of arrival (DOA) estimation method and apparatus which employ a linear prediction extension technique, thereby having excellent resolution even with a small number of antennas. In an ULA antenna in which N actual antennas are spaced apart by an equal interval d in a row, a conversion matrix indicating the relationship between received signals received from i^th to (N-2+i)^th antennas and a received signal received from an (N-1+i)^th antenna is obtained. The obtained conversion matrix is multiplied by values corresponding to received signals received from (i+1)^th to (N-1+i)^th antennas to generate a virtual received signal received from a new virtual antenna corresponding to an (N+i)^th antenna. As incrementing, by one, the number i of signals received from the virtual antenna, obtaining the conversion matrix and generating the virtual received signal are repeated until the number i reaches a preset number M. By using a preset number M of virtual received signals and signals directly received from an N number of actual antennas together, a DOA estimation algorithm such as the Bartlett algorithm is performed to calculate a DOA. Because the DOA estimation method and apparatus can be used even when antenna intervals are narrow, a grating lobe is not generated while maintaining a high resolution. It is not required to set an initial sector. The number of virtual antennas can be increased three times or more than the number of actual antennas.