DSP Builder for Intel® FPGAs (Advanced Blockset): Handbook

ID 683337
Date 6/20/2022
Public

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7.7.14. Simple Nonadaptive 2D Beamformer

This design example demonstrates a simple nonadaptive 2D beamformer using vectors and single precision arithmetic. The parameters are the number of beams, angle, focus and intensity of each beam.

A beamformer is a key algorithm in radar and wireless and is a signal processing technique that sensor arrays use for directional signal transmission or reception. In transmission, a beamformer controls the phase and amplitude of the individual array elements to create constructive or destructive interference in the wavefront. In reception, information from different elements are combined such that the expected pattern of radiation is preferentially observed. A number of different algorithms exist. An efficient scheme combines multiple paths constructively.

The simulation calculates the phases in MATLAB code (as a reference), simulates the beamformer 2D design to calculate the phases in DSP Builder Advanced Blockset, compares the reference to the simulation results and plots the beam pattern.

The design example uses vectors of single precision floating-point numbers, with state-machine control from two for loops.

The model file is beamform_2d.mdl.