Holistic design considerations for environmentally adaptive 60 GHz beamforming technology

Proliferation of all forms of smart devices has driven the demand for high-data-rate Wi-Fi in recent years. Utilizing wide bandwidth in high frequency is the most efficient way of guaranteeing the explosive data demands. In spite of the notable advancements of RF technologies at millimeter wave, the relatively high propagation loss remains problematic. The authors present efficient beamforming technology to mitigate this challenge. In this article, we first discuss the principles and major applications of beamforming technology. Afterward, we present the challenges for optimizing the efficiency of beamforming as well as the solutions to tackle them by proposing enhanced algorithms and advanced design architectures based on our hands-on experience and knowledge. Lastly, experimental results are discussed to deduce insight and vision of future Wi-Fi.