Adaptive multibeam antenna array

An adaptive multibeam antenna array is considered which will enhance the advantages of a plain one. By providing simultaneous reception of signals from different directions and their sequential processing. The optimization of the array control for maximum interference suppression in the radiation pattern is emphasized. The optimum control is sought with respect to the signal-to-interference power ratio as a genaralized criterion. Sampled useful signals and transmission coefficients are found to be complex-conjugate quantities, assuming compatible formation of beams, so that synphasal equiamplitude addition of signals from all array element is attainable by unique settings of the weight factors. Calculations are simplified by letting the useful signal power in the 1-th beam be approximately equal to the k-th weight factor, before optimizing the weight vector for maximum signal-to-interference ratio. A narrowband interference described by power P and vector V of signal distribution over the array is considered as an example, to demonstrate the algorithm of synthesis. The algorithm, using the Butler matrix, was executed experimentally on a computer for a linear equidistant antenna array of 32 elements with compatible formation of beams.