Compressive Sensing Direction Finding Using Antenna Subarrays

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Solution Overview

Problem

Direction finding systems face challenges in increasing accuracy with larger array antennas, which require more resources and longer computation times due to the increased number of measurements and data to be analyzed.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of compressive sensing techniques to determine the angle of arrival of radiofrequency radiation, reducing the number of samples and measurements needed by forming subarrays of array elements, modulating phase properties, and using a measurement matrix to determine angle of arrival information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the size and number of elements in an array antenna are increased to increase the accuracy of direction finding estimations, then the measurement precision is improved, but the device complexity and computation time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedirection finding accuracyVSAvoidsystem architecture complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the large array antenna into multiple subarrays, each processed independently through compressive sensing. This segmentation allows the system to maintain high direction finding accuracy while reducing the overall system complexity by breaking down the processing of large datasets into manageable subarray computations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical signal processing approaches with compressive sensing mathematical techniques. By using random projection matrices and sparse signal reconstruction algorithms, the system achieves accurate direction finding without requiring complex hardware architectures or extensive data processing infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedirection finding accuracyVSAvoidcomputation time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies random projection matrices to the received signals before actual direction finding processing. This preliminary compression step reduces the dimensionality of the data while preserving the essential information needed for accurate angle of arrival estimation, significantly reducing subsequent computation time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms the signal processing approach by changing parameters from traditional full-dimension processing to compressed dimension processing. By using sparse signal representations and adjusting the compression ratio, the system maintains measurement precision while reducing computation time through parameter optimization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If the number of array elements is increased to improve direction finding accuracy, then the measurement precision is improved, but the quantity of data to be analyzed increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedirection finding accuracyVSAvoiddata volume

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential information from the received signals using random projection matrices. By taking out and retaining only the most relevant signal components needed for direction finding, the system reduces the quantity of data to be analyzed while maintaining the accuracy required for precise angle of arrival estimation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial processing to the received signals by using compressive sensing to process only a subset of the available data in an optimized manner. This partial action approach processes fewer data points than traditional methods while achieving comparable or superior direction finding accuracy through intelligent data selection and sparse reconstruction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS10768265B2Systems and methods for direction finding using compressive sensing

Publication Date: 2020.09.08 RAYTHEON CO

AI summary

A determination of an angle of arrival of radiofrequency (RF) radiation can be made using compressive sensing techniques to inform a receiver portion of a radar system using fewer measurements and samples of the received signal. A method for compressive sensing at an array antenna includes forming a plurality subarrays of array elements from the array antenna such that each subarray includes two or more array elements, capturing data at the plurality of subarrays of array elements, modulating phase properties of the data captured at each of the subarrays, combining the modulated data from each of the plurality of subarrays to form a measurement having phase and magnitude measurements corresponding to the combined modulated data and determining angle of arrival information for the data using the measurement matrix.