An adaptive generalized sidelobe canceller with derivative constraints

An adaptive broad-band beamforming structure is presented which employs a gradient-based weight adjustment algorithm to minimize output variance subject to a set of linear constraints on broadband directional derivatives in the desired look direction. A generalized sidelobe-cancelling structure is employed in which a nonadaptive (conventional) beamformer operates in parallel with an adaptive beamformer. The conventional portion has a broad-band beampattern which adheres to the specified constraints while the adaptive path is a cascade of a fixed signal blocking matrix and a set of tapped-delay line filters. Blocking is employed to ensure that all incident waveforms which meet the specified constraints do not reach the tapped-delay lines. As a result, an unconstrained least mean square (LMS) power minimization algorithm is employed to adapt the delay line weights. It is shown that with the addition of the directional derivative constraints, the beamformer quiescent bcampattern becomes a function of the location of the phase center used to specify the constraints. A design criterion for choosing this location is suggested and simulation experiments which illustrate the performance of this new adaptive beamformer are presented.