Hybrid beam former

A wireless node, comprising:

• an antenna array comprising antenna elements;
• a plurality of block circuits, wherein each one of the plurality of block circuits is configured to receive a respective plurality of signals from another wireless node via a respective subset of the antenna elements of the antenna array, and each one of the plurality of block circuits comprises:
• a respective plurality of phase shifters configured to shift phases of the respective plurality of signals to obtain a respective plurality of phase-shifted signals;
• and
• a respective combiner configured to combine the respective plurality of phase-shifted signals into a respective combined signal;
• a plurality of time-delay elements configured to delay the combined signals to obtain a plurality of delayed combined signals;
• and
• a combiner configured to combine the plurality of delayed combined signals into a total combined signal.

A method for wireless communications, comprising:

• for each one of a plurality of subsets of antenna elements of an antenna array,
• receiving a respective plurality of signals from the respective one of the plurality of subsets of the antenna elements of the antenna array;
• shifting phases of the respective plurality of signals to obtain a respective plurality of phase-shifted signals;
• and
• combining the respective plurality of phase-shifted signals into a respective combined signal;
• delaying the combined signals to obtain a plurality of delayed combined signals;
• and
• combining the plurality of delayed combined signals into a total combined signal.