2D Angle Estimation Based on Block Spatial Smoothing Interpolation Method

For MIMO cascaded sparse planar array radar, the angle resolution and precision are not high enough and the sidelobe is high if use zero-padding. This paper proposed an angle estimation method based on block spatial smoothing interpolation. This method combines spatial smoothing and interpolation. Firstly, segment and smooth the antenna array. By solving the interpolation function to find the relationship of actual and expected flow pattern matrixes, we can realize the interpolation of the received signal and figure out the angle information. According to the simulation result, under a certain SNR, the elevation resolution can be improved for 2–3 times with suitable interpolation antenna number, compared to traditional method. Meanwhile, the main / sidelobe ratio is improved about 11dB. The reduction of the high sidelobe and gatelobe is also good.