Patent ID: 7339979

Claim:
A communication system that processes data-carrying signals, the system comprising: an array of antennas that is partitioned into subarrays; a plurality of subarray beamformers; a plurality of frequency converters that each couple a respective one of said subarray beamformers to a respective one of said subarrays and each alter the frequency of data-carrying signals associated with its respective subarray; and an array beamformer coupled to said subarray beamformers; wherein, each of said subarray beamformers is configured to process respective data-carrying signals to correspond to a subarray antenna beam of its respective subarray; and said array beamformer is configured to process respective data-carrying signals to correspond to an array antenna beam of said array; said data-carrying signals thereby processed progressively to reduce computational complexity of said system; and further including a delay associated with each of said subarray beamformers and positioned to provide at least one delay path for routing of respective data-carrying signals to thereby provide delayed data-carrying signals; wherein each subarray beamformer is configured to process said data-carrying signals and said delayed data-carrying signals to correspond to a respective antenna beam of said subarray; and wherein said data-carrying signals include symbols that have a symbol time duration and said delay provides a time delay that is selectable between a portion of a symbol time duration and a plurality of symbol time durations.