Practical Implementation Challenges in MIMO Beamforming and Its Applications

Adaptive beamforming is a crucial signal processing technique used in 5G and beyond to mitigate path losses and improve energy and spectral efficiency by transmitting and receiving signals directionally. The MIMO beamforming systems contain multiple power amplifiers (PAs), which consume substantial power and require efficient linearization to enhance energy efficiency and reduce nonlinear distortions. However, implementing beamforming and PA linearization in real time introduces significant challenges, including calibration, synchronization, and hardware constraints. This article presents the practical challenges of implementing beamforming and digital predistortion (DPD) algorithms in hardware platforms and measurement processes. This article also discusses advanced techniques for linearizing PAs and overcoming measurement-related issues in beamforming systems.