A beamforming method for cylindrical array based on the array decomposition approach

In this paper we present an approach to decompose a cylindrical array beamformer into subsets of line array conventional beamformers and a circular arc array optimum beamformer. The advantages of the proposed method are lower computational complexity and simpler realization relative to the full array optimum beamformer and better performance against noise and interferences relative to the conventional beamformer. The proposed method is implemented using several popular optimum beamformers for the circular arc array, and the performance of these beamformers is compared with the conventional beamformer for a mismatch in the signal direction of arrival. Simulation results concluded that the performance of optimum beamformers is better than conventional beamformer and the proposed method is an effective technique for practical cylindrical array beamforming.