Increasing Utilization of Redundant Virtual Array for DOA Estimation Based on Coprime Array

Abstract

In this paper, we initiated a method to estimate the direction of arrival (DOA) of far-field, narrowband, and incoherent targets using coprime array. First, we proposed a coprime array structure and analysed the distribution of difference coarray (DCA). The degrees of freedom (DOF) of the proposed coprime array became clearer by referring to the DCA conception. However, previous algorithm only uses the continuous virtual array, which causes the virtual array elements in the repeated position being abandoned. Therefore, the paper analyses the distribution of virtual array based on DCA conception and averages the receiving signal on these redundant virtual array elements to increase the utilization of receiving data. As a result, the algorithm has high precision in parameter estimation. Simulation results have shown the superiority of the proposed algorithm.