Patent ID: 7508875

Claim:
A correlation matrix estimation system, usable with an array of radiating elements arranged to provide a set of received signals, comprising: a signal unit arranged to provide sequences of perturbation signals, including odd symmetry sequences and even symmetry sequences; a beamformer unit coupled to said array and to said signal unit and arranged to modify representations of said received signals, in response to control signals based on values of at least one odd symmetry sequence of said perturbation signals and a plurality of weighting signals, to provide an adaptive output signal; a weighting signal unit coupled to said beamformer and signal units, responsive to a representation of said adaptive output signal and at least one odd symmetry sequence of said perturbation signals, and arranged to provide said plurality of weighting signals for use by said beamformer unit; and a matrix extractor unit coupled to said beamformer and signal units and arranged to process a representation of said adaptive output signal, with use of at least one even symmetry sequence of said perturbation signals, to provide signals representative of a correlation matrix usable for direction finding purposes.