Analog-Domain Suppression of Strong Interference Using Hybrid Antenna Array

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Signal Processing
• Wireless Communications

Background:

• Increasing wireless applications and cell densification exacerbate radio frequency interference.
• Existing interference mitigation methods are often problem-specific and require system cooperation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a versatile and effective solution for counteracting severe interference in wireless systems.
• To reduce the power consumption and quantization requirements of analog-to-digital converters.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing a hybrid array of analog subarrays for interference suppression in the analog domain.
• Designing a real-time algorithm employing constant-modulus phase shifters to steer nulls towards interference.
• Developing a two-stage method for accurate estimation of interference directions.

Main Results:

• Achieved over 65 dB of suppression for three spatially resolvable interference signals with random directions.
• Demonstrated applicability to most wireless systems without requiring training signals or inter-system coordination.

Conclusions:

• The proposed analog domain interference suppression technique offers a versatile and efficient solution.
• Significant interference reduction is achievable with reduced analog-to-digital converter complexity and power consumption.