Multiple Source Angle of Arrival Estimation Through Phase Interferometry

The evaluation of the Angle of Arrival (AoA) of a received signal is a basic tool for many RF location systems. This brief introduces a new technique for estimating the AoA via a phase interferometric approach when multiple sources are present. After briefly recalling some widespread algorithms and methods, the proposed technique is described from a mathematical point of view. This brief also reports the results of an experimental campaign, along with a comparison of the results with those obtained using the Estimation of Signal Parameters via Rotational Invariant Techniques (ESPRIT) and Root MUltiple SIgnal Classification (RMUSIC) algorithms. The experiments demonstrate that the proposed approach gives accurate results with low computational complexity, thus being eligible for direct implementation in digital custom hardware.