Efficient adaptive array beamforming under steering errors

The authors present an efficient method for adaptive array beamforming with steering vector errors. One partitions the adaptive array beamformer into several subarrays with size N for each. Due to the fact that data vectors received by any two subarrays have the same envelope waveform except a difference in phase shift, the corresponding optimal adaptive weight vectors also differ only in a phase shift for these two subarrays. Therefore, one computes the optimal adaptive weight vector for one of these subarrays and copies it to the others. When steering errors exist, a robust algorithm is used in conjunction with the subarray beamforming technique to find the optimal adaptive weight vector. Simulation results show that the proposed method can cure the degradation effect due to steering errors as well as save computing cost.<>