Direct spatial antenna modulation

This body of work seeks to define Direct Spatial Antenna Modulation (DSAM) as a new and unique approach to data symbol modulation and phased array control by comparing and contrasting the technique to conventional approaches. A rigorous development of the theoretical and practical implications of the DSAM technique as a general approach are presented. The theoretical development of several DSAM examples are included. Implementation and measurement results for several prototypes based on DSAM principles are analyzed. The work concludes with a summary of the impact of the present DSAM developments and a proposal for additional investigation. Results are included that show equivalent measured bit error rate performance for DSAM as compared to conventional modulation for both two-state and four-state phase modulation. Measured beam control accuracy of a DSAM phased array is included, along with several other example DSAM phased array analyses. Supported by an analysis linking a DSAM technique with complete complex-plane modulation control, the DSAM concept is applied to a commercial antenna and an experiment demonstrates wideband phase control. Analytical and simulation results demonstrate joint beamforming and modulation in a DSAM array. Several implications of the results of the investigation are important to consider: 1. The DSAM approach represents a new way to treat the conventional relationship between modulation and antennas, and has been demonstrated through a significant number and variety of analyses, simulations, and experiments. 2. The DSAM approach takes direct advantage of inherent antenna radiating properties to perform conventionally non-antenna functions; the approach is in this way both enabled and limited. 3. The DSAM approach has been shown in several examples to offer beneficial engineering performance trade-offs with respect to architecture options, as well as important performance parameters such as power consumption, breadth of frequency response, accuracy, and signal loss.