Angle Of Arrival Estimation Performance Research Articles

An Improved AoA Estimation Algorithm for BLE System in the Presence of Phase Noise

Location-based service (LBS) provides users with personalized experience. With the latest Bluetooth low energy (BLE) technology, switched antenna array and constant tone extension (CTE) are introduced enabling angle of arrival (AoA) estimation for improved positioning accuracy. However, phase noise may significantly degrade the AoA estimation performance. Such impairment and its mitigation method are not well discussed in existing literature. In this paper, we theoretically analyze the performance degradation of AoA estimation caused by phase noise in BLE system. Based on the specific antenna switching pattern, an improved multiple signal classification (MUSIC) algorithm is proposed. We further propose an expectation maximization MUSIC (EM-MUSIC) algorithm to improve the AoA estimation accuracy by estimating the phase noise with extended Kalman filter. Simulation results show that at typical SNR level, the proposed algorithm can reduce the estimation error by more than 55% compared with existing algorithms. The proposed EM-MUSIC algorithm can greatly improve the positioning accuracy and is ideal for LBS.

Multiple Angles of Arrival Estimation Using Broadband Signals and a Nonuniform Planar Array

As the requirements related to resolution or the data rate increase, most angle-of-arrival (AoA) estimation problems can be assumed to be under a broadband signal model. In this paper, AoA estimation using a nonuniform planar array (NUPA), which aims to resolve more signals and reduce mutual coupling, is considered under a broadband signal model. The analysis is conducted in both the space and frequency domains, and a broadband co-array is proposed to improve the performance of the AoA estimation. The broadband co-array is generated as follows: First, the received broadband signal is decomposed into several narrowband signals, and the samples from different frequency bins are transformed to space-domain samples to generate a virtual array. Then, the second-order statistics of the virtual array are used to generate the broadband co-array. The virtual array can decrease the number of element pairs with small interelement spacing to reduce mutual coupling in AoA estimations. With the help of the virtual array, the following broadband co-array can greatly increase the degrees of freedom, resulting in more resolvable signals and lower Cramer-Rao bounds of AoA estimation. An optimization method based on sparse recovery is proposed to locate the array. The simulation results confirm the AoA estimation performance achieved by the designed NUPA.

Leveraging Waveform Structure to Develop a Power Scalable AoA Estimation

In a mmWave mobile device, power consumption resulting from the high sampling rate is a primary concern for angle of arrival (AoA) estimation solutions. In this paper, we provide a power scalable solution for AoA estimation with structured waveforms in a narrowband channel. We design a set of pilot sequences that maintain orthogonality in sub-Nyquist sampling domains. We leverage the sequences’ structure to develop a variable rate decoupling algorithm to separate multiple sources at the receiver using partial knowledge about the pilots. The decoupling enables a feasible, low-complexity AoA estimation for digital architectures with flexible antenna array design. In this paper, we provide one such AoA estimation solution named ADELA for a linear antenna array design. Simulation results show that AoA estimation performance reaches the Cramer-Rao-Bounds (CRBs) for a range of SNRs. The proposed estimator with subsampling factors of 8 or less outperforms two examples of full rate virtual array AoA estimators for unknown waveforms: 2-level nested array and coprime filter bank estimators. Compared to these two examples of virtual array, our method offers an 8 times lower ADC power consumption, and a significantly lower computational complexity.

Cascade AOA Estimation Algorithm Based on Flexible Massive Antenna Array.

The Angle-of-Arrival (AOA) has a variety of applications in civilian and military wireless communication fields. Due to the rapid development of the location-based service (LBS) industry, the importance of the AOA estimation technique has increased. Although a large antenna array is necessary to estimate accurate AOA information of many signals, the computational complexity of conventional AOA estimation algorithms, such as Multiple Signal Classification (MUSIC), is dramatically increased. In this paper, we propose a cascade AOA estimation algorithm employing CAPON and Beamspace MUSIC, based on a flexible (on/off) antenna array. First, this approach roughly finds AOA groups, including several signal AOAs using CAPON, by applying some of the antenna elements. Then, it estimates each signal AOA in the estimated AOA groups using Beamspace MUSIC by applying the full size of the antenna array. In addition to extremely low computational complexity, the proposed algorithm also has similar estimation performance to that of MUSIC. In particular, the proposed cascade AOA estimation algorithm is highly efficient when employing a massive antenna array. Representative computer simulation examples are provided to illustrate the AOA estimation performance of the proposed technique.

Channel AoA estimation for massive MIMO systems using one-bit ADCs

Although massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) can enhance the overall system performance significantly, it could suffer from high cost and power consumption issues due to using a large number of radio frequency (RF) chains. Two different approaches are commonly exploited to overcome these issues. The first approach is using hybrid beamforming, which consists of analog and digital beamforming, to reduce the total number of RF chains. The second approach is adopting low-resolution analog-todigital converters (ADCs) for each RF chain. For both approaches, channel estimation becomes a difficult task. This paper addresses the problem of channel angle of arrival (AoA) estimation in massive MIMO using both hybrid beamforming and one-bit magnitudeaided (OMA) ADCs. An iterative algorithm is developed to estimate the channel AoA, and the appropriate threshold per iteration is analyzed. Numerical results show that the proposed technique can achieve sufficient AoA estimation performance with practical values of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).

Estimating Angle of Arrival (AOA) for Wideband Signal by Sensor Delay Line (SDL) and Tapped Delay Line (TDL) Processors

Angle of arrival (AOA) estimation for wideband signal becomes more necessary for modern communication systems like Global System for Mobile (GSM), satellite, military applications and spread spectrum (frequency hopping and direct sequence). Most of the researchers are focusing on how to cancel the effects of signal bandwidth on AOA estimation performance by using a transversal filter (tap delay line) (TDL). Most of the researchers were using two elements array antenna to study these effects. In this research, a general case of proposed (M) array elements is used. A transversal filter (TDL) in phase adaptive array antenna system is used to calculate the optimum number of taps required to compensate these effect. The proposed system uses a phase adaptive array antenna in conjunction with LMS algorithm to work an angle of arrival (AOA) estimator for wideband signals rather than interference canceller. An alternative solution to compensate for the effect of signal bandwidth is proposed by using sensor delay line (SDL) instead of fixed delay unit since it has variable time sampling in the time domain and not fixed time delay, depending on the angle of arrival of received signals. The proposed system has the ability to estimate two parameters for received signals simultaneously (the output Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) and AOA), unlike others systems which estimate AOA only. The comparison of the simulation results with Multiple Signal Classification (MUSIC) technique showed that the proposed system gives good results for estimating AOA and the output SNR for wideband signals. (SDL) processor shows better performance result than (TDL) processor. MUSIC technique with both (SDL) and (TDL) processors shows unacceptable results for estimating (AOA) for the wideband signal. 

Two-Dimensional AoD and AoA Acquisition for Wideband Millimeter-Wave Systems With Dual-Polarized MIMO

In this paper, a novel two-dimensional super-resolution angle-of-departure (AoD) and angle-of-arrival (AoA) estimation technique is proposed for wideband millimeter-wave multiple-input multiple-output systems with dual-polarized antenna elements. The key ingredient of the proposed method is the custom designed beam pairs, from which there exists an invertible function of the AoD/AoA. A new multi-layer reference signal structure is developed for the proposed method to facilitate angle estimation for wideband channels with dual-polarized antenna elements. To reduce feedback in closed-loop frequency division duplexing systems, a novel differential feedback strategy is proposed to feedback the estimated angle pairs. Numerical results demonstrate that good azimuth/elevation AoD and AoA estimation performance can be achieved under different levels of signal-to-noise ratio, channel conditions, and antenna array configurations.

A novel ULA-based geometry for improving AOA estimation

Due to relatively simple implementation, Uniform Linear Array (ULA) is a popular geometry for array signal processing. Despite this advantage, it does not have a uniform performance in all directions and Angle of Arrival (AOA) estimation performance degrades considerably in the angles close to endfire. In this article, a new configuration is proposed which can solve this problem. Proposed Array (PA) configuration adds two elements to the ULA in top and bottom of the array axis. By extending signal model of the ULA to the new proposed ULA-based array, AOA estimation performance has been compared in terms of angular accuracy and resolution threshold through two well-known AOA estimation algorithms, MUSIC and MVDR. In both algorithms, Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of the detected angles descends as the input Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) increases. Simulation results show that the proposed array geometry introduces uniform accurate performance and higher resolution in middle angles as well as border ones. The PA also presents less RMSE than the ULA in endfire directions. Therefore, the proposed array offers better performance for the border angles with almost the same array size and simplicity in both MUSIC and MVDR algorithms with respect to the conventional ULA. In addition, AOA estimation performance of the PA geometry is compared with two well-known 2D-array geometries: L-shape and V-shape, and acceptable results are obtained with equivalent or lower complexity.

Frequency-Domain AoA Estimation and Beamforming with Wideband Hybrid Arrays

High speed long range millimetre-wave (mm-wave) links can be achieved by using wideband hybrid antenna arrays of sub-arrays. Due to the array architecture difference, conventional wideband angle-of-arrival (AoA) estimation and beamforming techniques are not applicable to such wideband hybrid arrays. Targeted at point-to-point line-of-sight wireless transmission in the 70/80 GHz E bands, a unified frequency-domain AoA estimation and beamforming algorithm suitable for large scale wideband hybrid arrays of both interleaved and side-by-side sub-arrays is proposed in this paper. The AoA estimation performance is analyzed by deriving a recursive modified Cramer-Rao bound (MCRB). The effect of mutual coupling among antenna elements on the estimation performance is also considered for the hybrid array of side-by-side sub-arrays. The analytical results can be used to determine system parameters according to required system specifications. Simulation results show that the proposed AoA estimation algorithm is robust against practical impairments, and the frequency dependency of the array pattern is significantly reduced after digital beamforming. Simulated mean square errors of AoA estimation are also compared with the analytical bounds, showing that the derived recursive MCRB provides a meaningful indication to the AoA estimation performance.

코히어런트 입사파의 도래방향 추정을 위한 공간평균법의 개선에 관한 연구

The techniques of estimating angle of arrival(AOA) have played a key role for enhancement of wireless communications using array antennas. Among those techniques, the superresolution algorithms, such as MUSIC and ESPRIT, calculate the covariance matrix of the array output vectors which are observed at the array antennas, and then by using eigen-decomposition of the covariance matrix, they estimate AOAs of the received signals with high accuracy. However, superresolution algorithms based eigenvalue decomposition fails to estimate AOAs under multipath environments. Under multipath environments, it is difficult to estimate AOAs of the received signals due to coherency and high-correlation. To resolve coherent signals, the covariance matrix is calculated by using the conventional spatial smoothing technique, and then the techniques based on eigen-descomposition is applied. The result of the conventional spatial smoothing technique, however, is obtained at the cost of losing effective spatial aperture. Moreover, the conventional technique ignores any information in the cross-correlations of the array outputs the subarrays. As the result, the performance for AOA estimation is degraded. In this paper, we propose a new spatial smoothing technique, which consider the cross-correlation for subarrays. By computer simulation, the AOA estimation performance of the proposed method is compared with the conventional method and evaluated.