Adaptive Conformal Arrays for Next-Generation Wireless Communications

0098547 virga无线通信系统数量的迅速增长要求系统的性能能力不断提高。必须追求创新的设计范式，使系统性能最大化。极大的关注已经给予了最大限度地提高通信协议的性能，而很少给予系统吞吐量可从“智能”阵列天线设计。自适应共形天线阵列是具有放置在任意位置的辐射元件的阵列，这些元件可以指向不同的方向。对基站和移动终端上的自适应共形天线的兴趣是由先前在室内无线信道和新型空时编码技术上的工作所激发的，这些工作表明，使用共形阵列提高了通信在多径传播效应和衰落下的可靠性，总的来说，提高了整个无线网络的整体服务质量。本提案解决了自适应共形阵列天线的仿真、设计和分析方法的发展，并提供了一个深入的研究来量化共形阵列的性能。其结果将是第四代无线系统及以后的新型阵列天线和设计工具。这项工作将集中在两个主要领域。第一个领域涉及开发新的模拟算法，以了解几种共形阵列配置的特定阵列权重如何影响发射或接收信号的空间分布。这项工作将包括开发有效的工具，以确定获得特定空间响应所需的最佳集阵列权重。本研究将利用先前天线建模工作的结果，将典型天线元件的实际设计（元件模式、增益和相位不平衡、相互耦合等）和实时处理资源的影响考虑在内。第二个领域涉及开发处理方法来确定共形阵列的时空特征。这将允许确定传入信号的到达角，并允许PI调整阵列权重，以最大化信噪比和无线信道的质量。拟议活动的智力和创造性方面包括推进用于无线通信的通用共形阵列天线的最新技术，实施考虑到共形天线阵列的多重设计标准的进化编程方法，量化基本特征设计公式以了解共形阵列天线的能力和局限性，并在共形阵列的设计中应用了定向元件，量化了在共形阵列中使用定向元件所获得的性能提升。其他活动包括研究共形阵列中散热器之间的相互耦合，以及开发新的自适应处理方法，专门用于共形阵列的到达角和到达时间估计。在适用的情况下，pi计划将本提案中的研究活动与无线网络项目中的工作相结合。这将产生比本提案所述的研究更广泛的影响。

0098547VirgaThe rapid explosion in the number of wireless communications systems demands an everincreasing system performance capacity. It is imperative that innovative design paradigms thatmaximize system performance be pursued. Significant attention has been given to maximizingperformance in the communications protocols, while less has been given to the systemthroughput available from "smart" array antenna design. Adaptive conformal antenna arrays arearrays with radiating elements that are placed in arbitrary locations and the elements may bedirected in different directions. The interest in adaptive conformal antennas at the base stationand on the mobile terminals is motivated by previous work reported on indoor wireless channelsand on novel space-time coding techniques that suggests the use of conformal arrays improvesthe reliability of the communications over multi-path propagation effects and fading, and ingeneral, improves the overall quality of service of the entire wireless network.This proposal addresses the development of simulation, design, and analysis approaches foradaptive conformal array antennas and provides an in-depth investigation to quantify theperformance capabilities available from conformal arrays. The result will be a new class of arrayantennas and design tools for fourth generation wireless systems and beyond. This work will befocused in two main areas. The first area involves developing novel simulation algorithms tounderstand how the particular array weights for several conformal array configurationsinfluences the spatial distribution of the transmitted or received signal. This work will includethe development efficient tools to determine the optimal set array weights necessary to obtain aspecified spatial response. The research will use the results of previous antenna modeling effortsto factor in the effects of realistic designs of typical antenna elements, (element patterns, gainand phase imbalance, and mutual coupling etc.) and real-time processing resources. The secondarea involves developing processing methods to determine space-time characteristics forconformal arrays. This will allow the determination of the angle-of-arrival of an incoming signaland will allow the PI's to adapt the array weights in order to maximize signal to noise ratio and quality of the wireless channel.The intellectual and creative aspects of the proposed activities include advancing thestate-of-the-art for general conformal array antennas for wireless communications, implementingevolutionary programming methods that take into account multi-design criteria for conformalantenna arrays, quantifying fundamental characteristic design formulas to understand thecapabilities and limitations of conformal array antennas, and utilizing directional elements in thedesign of conformal arrays and quantifying the performance enhancements obtained from the useof directional elements in conformal arrays. Other activities include investigating the mutualcoupling between radiators in conformal arrays, and developing novel adaptive processingmethods specifically for conformal arrays for angle-of-arrival and time-of-arrival estimation. ThePIs plan to interface with research activities in this proposal with work in a wireless networkingproject when applicable. This will have broader impact beyond the research described in thepresent proposal.