Non-uniform Antenna Loading Effect on Embedded Element Patterns and Application to Fault Detection

TL;DR

This paper introduces an iterative algorithm to transform embedded element patterns from uniform to non-uniform antenna loadings, enabling stable impedance fault detection using minimal measurements even in noisy conditions.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel iterative method for converting embedded element patterns between uniform and non-uniform loadings, improving fault detection stability and measurement efficiency.

Findings

Effective inverting EEP transformations with minimal measurements

Robust against measurement noise and fading effects

Guidelines for optimal measurement setup

Abstract

A new, iterative algorithm is presented to calculate the Embedded Element Pattern (EEP) tranformation from a set of patterns computed for a uniform antenna port loading (scaled identinty matrix) to a set of those computed for a non-uniform one (arbitrary diagonal matrix). This method proves particularly useful when inverting the computations to derive the non-uniform entries of the arbitrary load, given the minimum number of EEPs necessary, which disposes of the redundancy of other matrix-based computations and leads to numerically stable impedance fault calculation. As the EEPs are envisioned to be obtained primarily through measurement, our method is also tested with the inclusion of various noise components and its convergence is evaluated, suggesting the minimum SNR and fading level of the measurement apparatus, as well as the optimal choice of reference antenna to minimise the estimation error.