Data Science Day @ Columbia University

Wireless MIMO communication systems significantly improve data rate and data reliability with the spatial selectivity provided by multiple antennas and digital signal processing. However, the RF/analog circuits and data-converters in receivers are exposed to spatial interference due to the lack of spatial selectivity in analog domain.     In this wireless demonstrator, an 8-element spatio-spectral-filtering MIMO receiver array uses a 2×4 antenna array to detect a weak desired signal in the presence of a stronger spatially-distinct in-band blocker. 45 simultaneous beams in a 5×9 array are formed digitally. An image shows 45 pixels, the brightness of each indicates the received signal strength on a corresponding beam.     Without RF/analog spatial rejection, the receiver array outputs are saturated by the strong blocker. The desired signals cannot be detected on the image. With RF/analog spatial rejection, receiver saturation is prevented. The blocker disappears in the image and the desired weak signal can be clearly detected.