BASIC PRINCIPLES

•The diagram of following Fig. shows the principal system elements of a

“smart” antenna system.
•The smart antenna consists of the sensor array, the pattern forming
network, and the adaptive processor:
i. Sensor Array: The sensor array consists of N sensors designed to receive (and
transmit) signals. The physical arrangement of the array (linear, circular, etc.) can be
chosen arbitrarily, depending on the required specifications. However, it places
fundamental limitations on the capability of the smart antenna.
ii. Pattern forming Network: The output of each of the N sensor elements is fed into
the pattern forming network, where the outputs are processed by linear time-
variant (LTV) filters. These filters determine the directional pattern of the smart
antenna. The outputs of the LTV filters are then summed to form the overall output
y(t). The complex weights of the LTV filters are determined by the adaptive
processor.
iii. Adaptive Processor: The adaptive processor determines the complex weights of the
pattern forming network. The signals and known system properties used to compute
the weights include the following:
• The signals received by the sensor array, i.e., xn (t), n = 1, 2, . . . , N.
• The output of the smart antenna, i.e., y(t).
• The spatial structure of the sensor array.
• The temporal structure of the received signal.
• Feedback signals from the mobiles.
• Network topology.
 Example
• In the example, we consider a uniform linear array (ULA) consisting of two identical omnidirectional
sensors as shown in following Fig. . We assume that a signal s(t) is generated by a source in the far-
field of the “smart” antenna. The impinging signal on the sensor array is approximately a uniform
plane wave. With respect to sensor 1, sensor 2 experiences a time delay of

• (1)

where d is the spacing between the two elements and υ0 the wave speed. Similarly, knowing d and
measuring τ, the angle θs of the direction of arrival is found using

(2)
If s(t) is a narrowband signal with carrier frequency fc , then the time delay τ corresponds to a
phase shift of
(3)
where λc is the wavelength corresponding to the carrier frequency, i.e., λ c = υ0 fc
• Clearly, for an incoming signal from a direction perpendicular to the array normal (θs = 0), both the
time delay and phase shift between the two sensors are zero.
• Now, let us assume that an interfering signal n(t) with the same carrier frequency fc
impinges on the array. As an example, the directions of s(t) and n(t) are set to 0◦ and 30◦,
We denote the complex sensor weights as w1 = w1,1 + jw1,2 and w2 = w 2,1 + jw2,2 , respectively.
Thus, the array output due to s(t) is given by
Ys(t) = s (t) [(w1,1 + jw1,2 ) + (w2,1 + jw2,2 )] = s (t) [(w 1,1 + w2,1 ) + j (w1,2 + w2,2 )] . (4)
• According to (3), for interelement spacing d = λ/2 and θs = 30◦, sensor 2 exhibits a phase lag of
ψ = π/2 with respect to sensor 1. Thus, the array output due to n(t) is given by
Yn(t) = n(t) [(w1,1 + jw1,2 ) + exp(−j π/2) (w2,1 + jw2,2 )] = n(t) [(w1,1 + w2,2 ) + j (w1,2 − w2,1 )] . (5)
• The goal of the “smart” antenna is to cancel out completely the interfering signal n(t) and fully
recover the desireed signal s(t). To achieve this objective, using (4) and (5), it is necessary that
• w1,1 + w2,1 = 1 (6-a)
• w1,2 + w2,2 = 0 (6-b)
• w1,1 + w2,2 = 0 (6-c)
• w1,2 − w2,1 = 0. (6-d)
• Solution of (4.6) yields
• For every array antenna, its steering vector can be defined. The
steering vector contains the responses of all elements of the array to
a source with a single frequency component of unit power.
• Since the array response is different in different directions, a steering
vector is associated with each directional source. The array geometry
defines the uniqueness of this association. For an array of identical
elements, each component of this vector has unit magnitude. The
phase of its nth component is equal to the phase difference between
signals induced on the nth element and the reference element due to
the source associated with the steering vector. The reference
element usually is set to have zero phase. This vector is also known
as the space vector since each component of this vector denotes the
phase delay caused by the spatial position of the corresponding
element of the array. It is also referred to as the array response
vector, as it measures the response of the array due to the source
under consideration.
• For example, the steering vector of an N-element ULA with spacing (7) d

between adjacent elements, as shown in following Fig.is given by

• Once the steering vector for an array antenna is derived, its radiation
pattern is formed by applying to each entry of the steering vector the
excitation, in amplitude and phase, of the corresponding antenna
element.
• The normalized radiation pattern of an N-element ULA of
omnidirectional elements with inter-element spacing d is given in dB by
2

(8)

where w is the N-dimensional vector consisting of the complex weights

of the antenna elements.
• The following Fig., shows the normalized radiation patter for a two-
element antenna array without any weighting in the pattern forming
network.
• The following Fig., shows the normalized radiation pattern for
a two-element antenna array when the weights of previous
example are applied in the pattern forming network.
• It is seen that now a null is placed exactly at an azimuth of
30◦, the direction of the interferer.
• By this simple example, we see how the complex weights of
an array of antenna elements can be adjusted such that to
completely null the interfering signal n(t) and the output to be
equal to the desired signal s(t).
• This model can be easily expanded in the case of a ULA with N
elements. Such an array, can recover the desired signal s(t)
and fully cancel out N − 1 interfering signals.
• This flexibility of an N-element array to be able to fix the
pattern at N − 1 places is known as the degree of freedom of
the array
 MATLAB Code For plot The normalized
clear all
M=2;
radiation pattern
a=[1];
%W=[1 1].';
W=[0.5+0.5j 0.5-0.5j].';
for k=1:360;
th(k)=-pi+pi*k/180;
clear a
a=[1];
for jj=2:M
a = [a exp(-1j*jj*.5*pi*sin(th(k)))];
end
Gr(k)=(abs(W.'*a.'))^2;
end
G=10*log10(Gr/(W'*W)^2);
figure;
plot(th*180/pi,G,'k')
grid on
xlabel('Angle')
ylabel('|G(\theta)| (dB)')
axis([-180 180 -80 5])