Twenty-Five Years of Advances in Beamforming: From convex and nonconvex optimization to learning techniques

Abstract

eamforming is a signal processing technique to steer, shape, and focus an electromagnetic (EM) wave using an array of sensors toward a desired direction. It has been used in many engineering applications, such as radar, sonar, acoustics, astronomy, seismology, medical imaging, and communications. With the advent of multiantenna technologies in, say, radar and communication, there has been a great interest in designing beamformers by exploiting convex or nonconvex optimization methods. Recently, machine learning (ML) is also leveraged for obtaining attractive solutions to more complex beamforming scenarios. This article captures the evolution of beamforming in the last 25 years from convex to nonconvex optimization and optimization to learning approaches. It provides a glimpse into these important signal processing algorithms for a variety of transmit-receive architectures, propagation zones, propagation paths, and multidisciplinary applications.

Recent Advances of 5G Technology Based on Patch Antenna: A Literature Review

“…Since its creation, beamforming for patch antennas has undergone a considerable number of improvements. Some of these include the ability to form beams that are self-adjusting and capable of adapting to any shape [42]. Furthermore, using dielectric materials with higher values like ROGER 3003 in combination with microstrip patch antenna arrays can lead to compact size as well as high gain which makes them suitable for communication applications beyond 5G [43].…”

Novel thinning computation approach for phased only rectangular array pattern synthesis

“…In recent years, many articles have been devoted to the study of phased arrays [13,14,15,16,17,18,24]. Pattern synthesis and beamforming have also been studied by researchers extensively [19,21,22,23,25,26,27,28,29,30,31]. However, these methods have not investigated how to thin the phased array.…”

Discussion and Demonstration of RF-MEMS Attenuators Design Concepts and Modules for Advanced Beamforming in the Beyond-5G and 6G Scenario—Part 2

“…In fact, in both base stations and small cells [10], the use of such phased-array antenna systems is meant to improve the communications by means of beamforming, which consists in the modification of the radiation pattern of the whole antenna system. Beamforming is operated by varying the amplitude and the phase of the signal fed to each radiating element of the phased array [11]. While phase shifters are crucial to control the orientation of the radiation pattern, attenuators are crucial to the control of its shape [12].…”