Bootstrapped, piecewise-asymptotic directivity pattern control mechanism setting weighting coefficients of phased array antenna

摘要

Weighting coefficients for a phased array antenna are iteratively refined to optimal values by a ‘bootstrapped’ process that starts with a coarse set of weighting coefficients, to which received signals are subjected, to produce a first set of signal estimates. These estimates and the received signals are iteratively processed a prescribed number of times to refine the weighting coefficients, such that the gain and/or nulls of antenna's directivity pattern will maximize the signal to noise ratio. Such improved functionality is particularly useful in association with the phased array antenna of a base station of a time division multiple access (TDMA) cellular communication system, where it is necessary to cancel interference from co-channel users located in cells adjacent to the cell containing a desired user and the base station.