Eliminating Reference Loop Phase Shift in Adaptive Arrays

Adaptive array processors utilizing the Widrow LMS algroithm with an internally generated reference signal have been shown to be subject to weight cycling caused by phase shift in the reference extracting loop. Adaptive compensation schemes that eliminate the reference loop phase shift are suggested here. Two such schemes are proposed. They differ in the amount of hardware complexity needed as well as in the rate at which each one eliminates the phase shift. Computer calculations are used to compare the rates of convergence of the two schemes.     

Interference Canceler Array with Reference Generating Loop

Adaptive arrays utilizing an internally generated reference signal to drive least mean square (LMS) weight determining loops have experienced difficulty arising from phase shifts induced by the reference generating circuits. The phenomenon observed is that the expected value of the weights oscillate in the steady state modulating the incoming signal. A scheme is reported which avoids this problem. It differs from earlier methods in that the reference generator has no infinite limiter so that the amplitude of the reference is not constant and in that one element is left unweighted. Alternative schemes were considered wherein the reference signal is drawn from all the array elements or from the weighted elements only. Only the latter is fully reported here, and is found superior. It is shown that in the presence of a desired signal and independent element noise, the processing scheme proposed produces weights whose expected values converge to a constant nonoscillatory state provided certain mild constraints are satisfied. In particular, if a cos ? ? 1, a being the gain and ? the phase shift of the filter in the reference generator, the weights converge. In addition, the steady state signal-to-noise power ratio (SNR) is determined. It is found that with a cos ? close to unity the SNR is that of an (N-1) element array coherently combined, where N is the number of elements. The SNR falls off with departures of a and ? from 1 and 0, respectively, but not drastically.     

Steered Beam and LMS Interference Canceler Comparison

The performance of two kinds of interference cancelers is compared, namely, a constrained steered beam interference canceler (CSBIC) and a least mean square interference canceler (LMSIC). For simplicity, this is done for a two-element array. In our comparison we use the array output desired signal-to-interference power ratio (SIR) and the desired signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). These power ratios are obtained for the CSBIC and LMSIC under two sets of conditions: 1) The error in the assumed angle of incidence for the CSBIC is small, and the LMSIC operates in a codetracking mode. 2) The error in the assumed angle of incidence for the CSBIC is large, and the LMSIC operates in a code-acquisition mode. Comparison of the corresponding power ratios obtained under these two sets of conditions then establishes the condition under which it is more desirable to use a CBSIC as compared with an LMSIC.     

An Adaptive Interference Canceling Array Utilizing Hybrid Techniques

The steady state properties of an adaptive array utilizing prior knowledge of both approximate signal arrival direction and signal characteristics are presented. The method combines the features of a directionally constrained array and an array with a self-generated reference signal. Explicit results are obtained for output signal, interference, and noise powers assuming a single interferer is present. The inclusion of a self-generated reference circuit is shown to reduce the sensitivity to pointing error typical of arrays utilizing a zero order directional constraint, the improvement being a consequence of the reduction of the desired signal component fed back to the sidelobe canceling circuit. A relationship between the degree of sensitivity reduction and the quality of the reference signal is developed. Results of computations of signal to interference plus noise ratios for a 7-element 10-wavelength nonuniformly spaced array as a function of pointing error are presented. These results show the behavior with one interferer inside and outside the beamwidth of the quiescent array and with multiple interferers for various degrees of perfection of the reference generating circuit. In all cases the computations confirm that the otherwise severe effects of small pointing errors are substantially reduced.     

Interference in Frequency-Locked Doppler Tracking Loops

The effects of interference on frequency-locked Doppler tracking loops are investigated. Conditions for jump from locking on the desired signal to locking on the interfering signal are established. Parasitic frequency modulation of the desired signal results when the other signal interferes with it. The index of this parasitic modulation as a function of the interference-to-desired signal amplitude ratio is computed. Both critical amplitude ratio and critical parasitic modulation index at the occurrence of jump are derived. Comparing frequency-locked loops with phase-locked loops with phase-locked loops in the presence of interference shows the former performs better for most cases of practical importance in Doppler tracking systems.