1. Digital Beamforming Implemented in Hardware
- Author
-
Dulieu, Nicole
- Subjects
- phased arrays, array signal processing, beamforming, digital beamforming, signal processing algorithms, computer architecture
- Abstract
Digital beamforming is a popular method used in modern communication systems. The ability to track and locate a transmitting signal adaptively is necessary in communication systems. Beamforming is one solution to this problem. Beamforming uses an array or matrix of isotropic antenna elements. This eliminates the need to create a physically larger antennas to achieve the same radiation pattern and gain of a phased array of antenna elements. Additionally, the antennas are electronically controlled allowing the radiation pattern and gain to adapt quickly. It is necessary to use a digital platform for beamforming because hardware can digitize analog signals efficiently. The research done in this paper starts with a system created in Matlab’s Simulink environment. This system has both software and hardware beamforming algorithms. The results from the two algorithms is verified in waveforms. The hardware beamforming system is converted to hardware description language (HDL) using Simulink’s HDL Coder application. The HDL files are used in a simulation environment using Cadence Incisive simulator to verify the beamforming results. The digital beamforming HDL project is implemented on different application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) technologies. Using Synopsys compiler suites the project is synthesized, placed and routed on the ASIC technologies. This paper will analyze the results from implementing a beamforming algorithm on digital hardware.
- Published
- 2024