How is the Phased Array Partitioning Model supposed to be used?

I am modeling a 16x16 element phased array, although the size is not really important. My theoretical hardware has a phase shifter behind every element in the array, so I can fully steer the array.

Since I don't have a clear example to go by, my take is that in order to steer this array, I need to create a partitioned array, where each and every element is specified as an independent sub-array. To do this I am setting the SubarraySelection parameter to eye(256).

I see no other way to steer the array. I am also adding taper weights to the array, and the only way I can appear to do this is to specify each element as an independent sub-array.

Is this the correct approach, or am I making the problem unnecessarily complicated?

Answer 1

[Honglei Chen]

Hi Michael,

Since you have a phase shifter behind each element, there is really no need to go through ParitionedArray. Instead, you can use URA. The partitioned array is more for the usage of subarray modeling, where you don't really have access to each element's measurement.

Here is a small example showing how to steer the array:

% define array
ha = phased.URA(16)
c = 3e8; fc = 3e8;
% define steering vector
hstv = phased.SteeringVector('SensorArray',ha,'PropagationSpeed',c)
% use steering vector to steer the array to 30 degrees azimuth
plotResponse(ha,fc,c,'Format','polar','RespCut','3d','Weights',step(hstv,fc,30))

Note that this is for the plotting purpose. If you need to radiate or collect the signal, you can also specify the weights in Radiator and Collector.

I hope this clarifies the issue. Please let me know if you need any further detail.

[Michael Matuson]

That make much more sense. And really speeds things up. Thanks.

[ubaid haroon]

If I was to taper my elements here, how would this look? Also, what if this was a subarray and I wanted to apply tapering to it?