Self-steering arrays for mobile communications

This paper discusses various architectures for self-steering arrays. The research work performed involved examining the principle of phase conjugation engaged in active self-steering arrays; and the output of a mixer after frequency down conversion was investigated for possible RF leakage signal. This study, together with theoretical simulations of self-steering arrays modelled in Matlab, led to several modes of retrodirective responses ranging from the most idealistic through to predicting the performance of hardware induced degradations. In the first model, a self-steering array using isotropic antennas produced a uniform retrodirective trajectory as the antenna array was steered from -90° to +90°. In the second model, the integration of microstrip patch antennas caused uniform response roll-off as the antenna array was steered further away from the boresight. In the final model, the incorporation of a leakage signal and actual microstrip patch antenna far-field pattern produced further deterioration of the retrodirective signal.