A frequency invariant beamformer for channel parameter estimation in millimeter wave bands

Millimeter wave (mm-wave) bands offer vast amounts of unlicensed and unused spectrum that could potentially be utilized by future (5G) wireless systems. Accurate channel characterization at mm-wave bands is required for system design and performance analysis of future 5G communication systems. Knowledge of delay and angle of arrival (AoA) of the incoming multipath components are especially important for future applications at these frequencies. This paper discusses the use of a frequency invariant beamforming (FIB) technique with a uniform circular array (UCA) for the estimation of delay and AoA parameters at mm-wave bands. Simulations are performed for a multipath channel showing the advantages of the discussed frequency invariant techniques compared to traditional beamforming approaches.