Communication system using geographic position data

An acoustic communication system comprising:

• a first transceiver having a directional antenna array, the directional antenna array having a first geographical position;
• a second transceiver on a mobile unit having an antenna array, the antenna array being movable relative to the directional antenna array;
• a spatially multiplexed communication link between the first and second transceivers formed by a communication signal between the antenna arrays;
• a positioning system on the mobile unit that detects a geographical position of the mobile antenna arrays, the position of the mobile antenna array being communicated from the mobile transceiver to the first transceiver over the communication link;
• an adaptive programmable beamformer circuit in the first transceiver that modifies the signal in response to the relative motion of the antenna arrays, the adaptive programmable beamformer circuit having a single integrated chip having a plurality of complex multipliers, a plurality of down conversion circuits and a plurality of finite impulse response (FIR) filters programmable with respect to a plurality of weights and a steering circuit that adjusts the plurality of weights to the programmable beamformer circuit;
• and
• a nulling module coupled to the beamformer that suppresses interference to the signal.

A method for operating an acoustic communication system comprising:

• operating a first transceiver at a first unit and having a first processor and a first directional antenna array;
• operating a second transceiver on a mobile unit having a second processor and a second antenna array;
• determining the physical location of the second antenna array relative to the first antenna array;
• forming a spatially multiplexed communication link between the first and second transceivers, the link including a communication beam between the first antenna array and the second antenna array;
• and
• in an adaptive programmable beamformer integrated circuit chip in the first transceiver, responding to the physical location of the second antenna array, by using a plurality of complex multipliers, a plurality of down conversion circuits and shaping the communication beam using a plurality of programmable finite impulse response (FIR) filters with respect to a plurality of weights and steering the beam to be directed between the first antenna array and the second antenna array using the programmable beamformer circuit.

A method of operating an acoustic communication system comprising:

• operating a first transceiver having a first directional antenna, the first directional antenna having a fixed geographical position;
• operating a mobile transceiver on a mobile unit having a second directional antenna, the second antenna being movable relative to the first directional antenna;
• forming a spatially multiplexed communication link between the first and mobile transceivers by a communication signal between the antennas;
• in a positioning system on the mobile unit, detecting the geographical position of the mobile antenna, the position of the mobile antenna being communicated to the first transceiver over the communication link;
• and
• in a first adaptive programmable beamformer integrated circuit chip in the first transceiver and a second programmable beamformer integrated circuit chip in the mobile transceiver, modifying the signal in response to the relative motion of the antennas by using a plurality of complex multipliers, a plurality of down conversion circuits and shaping the communication signal using a plurality of finite impulse response (FIR) filters programmable with respect to a plurality of weights, and steering a beamformed signal.

A beamforming circuit for an acoustic communication system comprising:

• a plurality of sampling circuits for receiving communication signals;
• a plurality of programmable finite impulse response (FIR) filters, each FIR filter being connected to a sampling circuit;
• a summing circuit that sums filtered signals from the plurality of FIR filters;
• and
• a directional communication signal formed from the summed signals.