Dual-band validation of on-site coding receiver using ultra-wideband antenna array at C, X and Ku-bands

Abstract

Ultra-wideband (UWB) transceivers with digital beamforming are essential for realizing cognitive and software defined radios. Concurrently, advances in digital technology and signal processing have drastically reduced digital beamforming complexity. For example, a new on-site coding receiver (OSCR) architecture was proposed to significantly reduce hardware requirement for digital beamforming using code division multiplexing (CDM). As a result, a single analog-to-digital converter (ADC) can be used for a group of antenna elements. Initial design and verification of the OSCR was done at L-band. But its functionality can be extended at higher frequency, including C, X and Ku-bands. In this paper, we present a 4-channel high frequency dual-band OSCR implementation and validation. Specifically, measurements are performed in the anechoic chamber using an UWB array operating at 4-18 GHz, to estimate the phase of incoming signals and for direction finding. It is verified that on-site coding has minimal or no phase error and degradation in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).