Method and apparatus for improving noise discrimination in multiple sensor pairs

1. A method for improving noise discrimination in a system having a plurality of sensors each configured to generate an input signal representable by an input vector having a phase component and a magnitude component, the plurality of sensors arranged to have an on-axis direction, the method comprising:

generating an input electrical signal from each of the plurality of sensors;

processing the input electrical signals from the plurality of sensors, said processing including:

using the input electrical signals from a first pair of sensors to obtain a coarse vector phase difference corresponding to a coarse measurement of an angle of arrival of a signal input source relative to the on-axis direction;

using the input electrical signals from a second pair of sensors to obtain a fine vector phase difference corresponding to a fine measurement of the angle of arrival of the signal input source;

generating an attenuation factor as a function of the coarse and fine vector phase differences;

combining the input vectors corresponding the second pair of sensors to obtain an output vector;

attenuating the output vector by the attenuation factor;

generating an output electrical signal based on the attenuated output vector; and

applying sensitivity matching to accommodate device and/or signal mismatch in the system.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensitivity matching is based on a mathematical mean determination selected from the set of: arithmetic mean, geometric mean, harmonic mean and, a root-mean-square (rms), determinations.

3. A method for improving noise discrimination in a system having a plurality of sensors each configured to generate an input signal representable by an input vector having a phase component and a magnitude component, the plurality of sensors arranged to have an on-axis direction, the method comprising:

generating an input electrical signal from each of the plurality of sensors;

processing the input electrical signals from the plurality of sensors, said processing including:

using the input electrical signals from a first pair of sensors to obtain a coarse vector phase difference corresponding to a coarse measurement of an angle of arrival of a signal input source relative to the on-axis direction;

using the input electrical signals from a second pair of sensors to obtain a fine vector phase difference corresponding to a fine measurement of the angle of arrival of the signal input source;

generating an attenuation factor as a function of the coarse and fine vector phase differences;

summing the input vectors corresponding the second pair of sensors to obtain an output vector;

attenuating the output vector by the attenuation factor; and

generating an output electrical signal based on the attenuated output vector,

wherein the sensors are arranged in a three-dimensional array.

4. A method for improving noise discrimination in a system having a plurality of sensors each configured to generate an input signal representable by an input vector having a phase component and a magnitude component, the plurality of sensors arranged to have an on-axis direction, the method comprising:

generating an input electrical signal from each of the plurality of sensors;

processing the input electrical signals from the plurality of sensors, said processing including:

using the input electrical signals from a first pair of sensors to obtain a coarse vector chase difference corresponding to a coarse measurement of an angle of arrival of a signal input source relative to the on-axis direction;

using the input electrical signals from a second pair of sensors to obtain a fine vector phase difference corresponding to a fine measurement of the angle of arrival of the signal input source;

generating an attenuation factor as a function of the coarse and fine vector phase difference;

summing the input vectors corresponding the second pair of sensors to obtain an output vector;

attenuating the output vector by the attenuation factor; and

generating an output electrical signal based on the attenuated output vector,

wherein attenuating is conducted for phase difference values other than a selected phase difference value.

5. A method for improving noise discrimination in a system having a plurality of sensors each configured to generate an input signal representable by an input vector having a phase component and a magnitude component, the plurality of sensors arranged to have an on-axis direction, the method comprising:

generating an input electrical signal from each of the plurality of sensors;

processing the input electrical signals from the plurality of sensors, said processing including:

using the input electrical signals from a first pair of sensors to obtain a coarse vector phase difference corresponding to a coarse measurement of an angle of arrival of a signal input source relative to the on-axis direction;

using the input electrical signals from a second pair of sensors to obtain a fine vector phase difference corresponding to a fine measurement of the angle of arrival of the signal input source;

generating an attenuation factor as a function of the coarse and fine vector phase differences;

combining the input vectors corresponding the second pair of sensors to obtain an output vector;

attenuating the output vector by the attenuation factor; and

generating an output electrical signal based on the attenuated output vector,

wherein an attenuation factor of unity is applied for phase difference values of zero, and an attenuation factor of less than unity is applied for non-zero phase difference values.

6. A method for improving noise discrimination in a system having a plurality of sensors each configured to generate an input signal representable by an input vector having a phase component and a magnitude component, the plurality of sensors arranged to have an on-axis direction, the method comprising:

generating an input electrical signal from each of the plurality of sensors;

processing the input electrical signals from the plurality of sensors, said processing including:

using the input electrical signals from a first pair of sensors to obtain a coarse vector phase difference corresponding to a coarse measurement of an angle of arrival of a signal input source relative to the on-axis direction;

using the input electrical signals from a second pair of sensors to obtain a fine vector phase difference corresponding to a fine measurement of the angle of arrival of the signal input source;

generating an attenuation factor as a function of the coarse and fine vector chase differences;

combining the input vectors corresponding the second pair of sensors to obtain an output vector;

attenuating the output vector by the attenuation factor; and

generating an output electrical signal based on the attenuated output vector,

wherein a maximum attenuation factor value is applied for a selected phase difference value, and attenuation factors of less than the maximum attenuation factor value are applied for other phase difference values.

7. A method for improving noise discrimination in a system having a plurality of sensors each configured to generate an input signal representable by an input vector having a phase component and a magnitude component, the plurality of sensors arranged to have an on-axis direction, the method comprising:

generating an input electrical signal from each of the plurality of sensors;

processing the input electrical signals from the plurality of sensors, said processing including:

using the input electrical signals from a first pair of sensors to obtain a coarse vector phase difference corresponding to a coarse measurement of an angle of arrival of a signal input source relative to the on-axis direction;

using the input electrical signals from a second pair of sensors to obtain a fine vector phase difference corresponding to a fine measurement of the angle of arrival of the signal input source;

generating an attenuation factor as a function of the coarse and fine vector phase differences;

combining the input vectors corresponding the second pair of sensors to obtain an output vector;

attenuating the output vector by the attenuation factor; and

generating an output electrical signal based on the attenuated output vector,

wherein attenuation is conducted asymmetrically about a selected non-attenuation phase angle difference.

8. A device for improving noise discrimination comprising;

first and second pairs of sensors arranged to have an on-axis direction, each sensor configured to generate an input signal representable by an input vector having a phase component and a magnitude component; and

at least one circuit adapted to:

generate from the first pair of sensors a coarse vector phase difference corresponding to a coarse measurement of an angle of arrival of a signal input source relative to the on-axis direction;

generate from the second pair of sensors a fine vector phase difference corresponding to a fine measurement of the angle of arrival of the signal input source;

generate an input phase difference value from the coarse and fine vector phase differences;

enhance the input phase difference value as a function of the angle of arrival to generate an output phase difference value;

generate first and second output vectors having a phase difference based on the output phase difference value; and

combine the first and second output vectors.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein combining comprises summing.

10. The device of claim 8 , wherein combining comprises differencing.

11. The device of claim 8 , wherein the at least one circuit applies sensitivity matching to accommodate device and/or signal mismatch.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the sensitivity matching is based on a mathematical mean determination selected from the set of: arithmetic mean, geometric mean, harmonic mean and, a root-mean-square (rms), determinations.

13. A device from improving noise discrimination comprising;

first and second pairs of sensors arranged to have an on-axis direction, each sensor configured to generate an input signal representable by an input vector having a phase component and a magnitude component; and

at least one circuit adapted to:

generate from the first pair of sensors a coarse vector phase difference corresponding to a coarse measurement of an angle of arrival of a signal input source relative to the on-axis direction;

generate from the second pair of sensors a fine vector phase difference corresponding to a fine measurement of the angle of arrival of the signal input source;

generate an attenuation factor as a function the coarse and fine vector phase differences;

combine the input vectors corresponding to the second pair of sensors to obtain an output vector; and

attenuate the output vector by the attenuation factor.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein combining comprises summing.

15. The device of claim 13 , wherein combining comprises differencing.

16. The device of claim 13 , wherein the at least one circuit applies sensitivity matching to accommodate device and/or signal mismatch.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the sensitivity matching is based on a mathematical mean determination selected from the set of: arithmetic mean, geometric mean, harmonic mean and, a root-mean-square (rms), determinations.

18. The device of claim 13 , wherein the sensors are arranged in a one-dimensional array.

19. The device of claim 13 , wherein the sensors are arranged in a two-dimensional array.

20. The device of claim 13 , wherein the sensors are arranged in a three-dimensional array.