Real-Time Implementation of DoA Estimation Using Embedded ARM Processor in RFSoC for 5G Communication Systems

This paper presents the implementation of the direction of arrival (DoA) estimation in the processing system of RFSoC for real-time applications. The multiple signal classification (MUSIC) algorithm is a high-resolution and more accurate DoA estimation algorithm. However, the complexity is very high due to complex operations like eigenvalue decomposition and spectrum peak search. Implementing such a complex algorithm in hardware is challenging for real-time applications. The radio frequency system on chip (RFSoC) is suitable for implementing complex algorithms more efficiently in which FPGA, multi-core ARM processors and RF data converters are present in a single chip. Some of the challenges in implementing complex algorithms in RFSoC are achieving minimum resource utilization, high precision, and automatic synchronization of data converters. In this work, the MUSIC algorithm is implemented in an embedded ARM processor of RFSoC, which will not require any resources and provides high accuracy by using floating-point data types. To validate the design, DoA measurement is performed in an anechoic chamber by receiving LTE signals through a lx4 antenna array from different directions.