Low dimensional encoding broadband beamformer with reduced hardware arrays

A system comprising:

• a broadband transmitter comprising an array of beamforming transmitting elements, wherein the array of beamforming transmitting elements is configured to receive a plurality of signals corresponding to a number of transmitting elements to transmit a plane wave;
• a low-dimensional encoding broadband beamformer unit, the low-dimensional encoding broadband beamformer unit being coupled to the broadband transmitter, the low-dimensional encoding broadband beamformer unit comprising a plurality of beamforming modules, including a first beamforming module and a second beamforming module, wherein each beamforming module is configured to create a projection of the plane wave and includes a phase and magnitude varying elements to apply an effective complex weight associated with the projection, and wherein the set of the phase and magnitude varying elements are coupled to each transmitting element of the array of beamforming transmitting elements;
• and
• a plurality of digital-to-analog converters, each coupled to each beamforming module of the plurality of beamforming modules.

A method comprising:

• receiving a low-dimensional encoded broadband signal as a plane wave at a broadband array receiver comprising an array of beamforming receiving elements, wherein the array is configured to provide a plurality of input signals corresponding to the array of beamforming receiving elements;
• decoding the plurality input signals at a demodulation unit coupled to the broadband array receiver, the demodulation unit comprising a plurality of measurement modules, including a first measurement module and a second measurement module, each module is coupled to one or more receiving elements of the array, wherein the first measurement module and the second measurement module defines an aperture of the array at a respective first projection and second projection of the plane wave and includes a set of phase and magnitude varying elements configured to apply different effective complex weights to the input signals, wherein the complex weights at each measurement module are associated with a given projection of the plane wave as incident on the broadband array,
• combining outputs of a respective module of the plurality of measurement modules at a set of combiner units, wherein the set of combiner units, including a first combiner unit and a second combiner unit, is coupled to outputs of a respective module of the plurality of measurement modules, wherein the first combiner unit is coupled to outputs of the first measurement module and the second combiner unit is coupled to outputs of the second measurement module;
• and
• reconstructing, via a processor, a source signal based on the decoding.