Computer-aided experimental studies for adaptive beamforming algorithms and array processing in engineering education

Abstract

Smart antenna and digital antenna systems are considered as a crucial technology for current and future communication systems supporting 5G/6G and nonterrestrial-networks communications. Based on the information of the received signal/s, smart antenna systems toward the radiation pattern to the desired direction/s. This technique is known as adaptive beamforming. The theories and the applications of adaptive beamforming are taught in engineering educational courses. This paper proposes a set of real-time interactive experiments for adaptive beamforming algorithms in antenna array processing subject. The proposed experiments can be performed with the computer-aided experimental studies tool prepared in the MATLAB® environment. The users can easily make comparisons and can perform trade-offs between different types of adaptive beamforming algorithms, scenarios, and antenna architecture. This is used as a teaching tool for a graduate course on adaptive beamforming algorithms.