The use of adaptive digital beamforming techniques has, until recently, been largely restricted to high performance military radar systems. Recent advances in digital technology, however, have enabled the design of single chip digital beamforming networks. This, coupled with advances in digital signal processor technology, enables complete beamforming systems to be constructed at a lower cost, thus making the application of these techniques to commercial communications systems attractive. The design and development of such an adaptative digital beamforming network are described. The system is being developed as a proof of concept laboratory based demonstrator to enable the feasibility of adaptive digital beamforming techniques for communication systems to be determined. Ultimately, digital beamforming could be used in conjunction with large array antennas for communication satellite systems. This will enable the simultaneous steering of high gain antenna beams in the direction of gr...

Peer Reviewed