Smart Antenna Analysis, Design, and Beamforming Using Curvilinear Array Configurations

Arizona State University, Scottsdale AZ

Investigators

Abstract

0355255 Balanis It is proposed to investigate the use of adaptive array antennas (i.e., smart antennas) to improve channel capacity and range in government and commercial wireless communication networks. This is accomplished by introducing an additional degree of freedom that of spatial diversity such as in SDMA, where multiple beams are formed in the same system, using antenna array theory, and direction of arrival and adaptive beamforming algorithms. While in the past rectilinear geometries of antenna array have been examined for integration in smart antenna systems, innovative designs of antenna arrays using curvilinear configurations, such as circular arrays, planar circular arrays and spherical arrays, will be investigated. These types of array configurations will allow, compared to rectilinear and planar geometries, wider field-of-view, as is usually required for wireless cellular and surveillance systems. In addition, curvilinear array designs offer a greater ability to compensate for mutual coupling effects by subdividing the array excitation into a series of symmetrical spatial components, and give the curvilinear geometries powerful advantages over those of rectilinear shapes. From a networking point of view, smart antennas may improve the performance of current channel access techniques for wireless communication networks, whose node configurations may be continuously changing in an ad-hoc manner, and may allow for the development of new protocols. By employing an appropriate array of antennas, it may be possible to develop protocols to control the multiple access interference in the spatial dimension, as opposed to time or frequency. Intellectual Merits. Smart antenna designs for wireless communication is a fairly new, exciting and revolutionary technology that has added extra dimensions and versatility in the improvement of capacity and range of communication systems. This is a very important and exciting new technology that will revolutionize, advance and expand wireless communication. The proposed research will introduce unique, creative and original antenna designs that will be used, in conjunction with adaptive beamforming algorithms, to synthesize antenna patterns with desired characteristics for smart antenna technology. The PI has already participated in research of smart antenna technology, and he, along with some of his colleagues, has published a number of refereed paper in archival journals. In addition, the PI has incorporated smart antenna technology in the curriculum of electrical engineering at Arizona State University and in short courses of antennas that he is teaching and training students, academics, and engineers and scientists from industry and government. In addition, the PI has written a new chapter on Smart Antennas that will be included in the third edition of his preeminent book on Antenna Theory that has national and international audience and adoption as a textbook and reference book. The PI is also presently serving as a Distinguished Lecturer of the IEEE Antennas Propagation Society and will be invited to visit and make presentations to national and international IEEE chapters. One of the topics of the PI's presentation is on Smart Antenna Technology. The results of this research project will also be incorporated in all of the above. Broader Impacts. There is already an intense interest in smart antenna technology for wireless communication. Although the smart antenna technology is basically in its infancy stages, it has not yet been integrated in many commercial systems. There have been few that were developed and deployed, i.e., by Metawave, Array Comm and Ascom AR&T. These communication systems, that integrated smart antenna technology, have introduced network system capacity gains from 50% to 94%. These are major improvements in network system efficiency. It is therefore essential that research in the advancement of this technology not only be continued but be accelerated. The development of unique smart antenna technology at academic institutions will also provide a linkage and technology transfer between academic research and industry. It will also educate and train future communication engineers who will be responsible for the development of third and future generation of advanced and higher capacity wireless communication systems which is very important in the continual advancement of the country's international competitiveness.