Networked Sensing with Software Defined Radios and Sparse Apertures

Date of Award

2019

Degree Name

M.S. in Electrical Engineering

Department

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Advisor/Chair

Advisor: Michael C. Wicks

Second Advisor

Advisor: Robert Penno

Third Advisor

Advisor: Guru Subramanyam

Abstract

Software Defined Radios (SDRs) have grown in popularity for both military as well as commercial applications. Specifically, the flexibility of using these devices in networked sensor environment is becoming ever more apparent especially in comparison to traditional radios. These networked sensor environments implemented through the use of SDRs are much more flexible in both applications as well as offer a significant cost benefit. SDRs are used to create a (Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output) MIMO antenna array used for beam-forming multiple sparsely distributed antennas. In order to create this beamforming capability, a calibration process is defined that allows multiple antennas the cohere their beams onto a singular location is space. Through the calibration process a networked environment was created to support the calibration process as well as define a client-server relationship between the end user and the system itself. Results indicate that beamforming is possible using SDRs and can produce results similar to a simulated environment.

Keywords

Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Beamforming, Radar, Software Defined Radio

Rights Statement

Copyright © 2019, author

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