Factors Affecting the Performance of Adaptive Antenna Systems and Some Evaluation Techniques.
Abstract
The basic performance of an adaptive antenna system is influenced somewhat independently by two sub-systems: the antenna and the adaptive processor. Choice of the antenna type (multiple beam antenna or phased array) and the design of the adaptive processor (which is used to control the weighting at each antenna feed port) depends strongly on the specific requirement of a particular system. To date, much has been published on the ideal performance characteristics of adaptive nulling antenna systems. However, little has been published on the effects of hardware component imperfections on system performance. To characterize these effects is the purpose of this note. We present methods for categorizing, analyzing and measuring the effects of a few of the key components which are common to the majority of adaptive systems implemented to date. Some examples we will discuss are those effects due to antenna type, antenna tolerance errors, channel tracking errors, weighting circuits, hard-limiters, correlators and base-band components. We analyze these from the viewpoint of the degree of cancellation achievable by the adaptive processor and also their impact on loop dynamics (where appropriate). In order to illustrate the various effects, measured performance results obtained using an experimental Applebaum-Howell type adaptive processor will be presented. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 09, 1979
- Accession Number
- ADA081711
Entities
People
- Franklin W. Floyd
- Joseph T. Mayhan
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology