High resolution DF with a single channel receiver

This paper presents a method for high resolution multiple source direction finding with an antenna array. Unlike previously developed algorithms, the proposed approach can achieve high resolution direction finding with only one receiver, thereby, offering significant hardware savings. The proposed approach requires the signal received by the antenna array to be pre-processed by a beamformer network where each of the beamformer output ports are sequentially sampled by a RF switch. As the power of each beamformer output port is a function of the array covariance matrix, we derive a Kronecker form that leads to an unique least squares estimates of the array covariance matrix using the power measured from all the beamformer output ports. With the array covariance matrix estimated, conventional high resolution DF algorithms can be applied to determine the direction of arrival estimation of the multiple sources impinging the antenna array.