Robust Position-Only Null Steering in Linear Antenna Arrays via a Nature-Inspired Optimizer for Wireless Communication

The demand for hardware-efficient interference suppression algorithms is growing with the increasing density in wireless communication networks. In this paper, a robust position-only null steering method for linear antenna arrays is proposed based on Honey Formation Optimization with Single Component (HFOSC), a metaheuristic algorithm founded on the ripening process of honey in beehives. By optimizing only the element locations, the proposed method avoids the use of phase shifters and attenuators, thus reducing implementation complexity while maintaining flexibility in pattern control. A 30-element linear array with Chebyshev excitation is used to test the technique under representative interference scenarios such as single-null, multiple-null, and wide-sector nulling cases, as well as constrained practical designs. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed approach can realize strong interference suppression across different cases while maintaining the main-beam shape and acceptable sidelobe performance. In idealized discrete-interference cases, nulls below −90 dB are achieved, while in a practical constrained design with a minimum inter-element spacing of 0.5λ and a position resolution of 0.1λ, a null depth of −72.89 dB is still achieved, confirming the practical applicability of the method. Moreover, comparative results with GA, PSO, and DE over 100 independent runs illustrate that HFOSC achieves the lowest optimization cost and the smallest standard deviation, along with a favorable overall trade-off between beam preservation and null suppression, with statistically significant superiority in optimization performance. The proposed method does not require phase shifters and attenuators, providing a simple, hardware-friendly, and robust solution for adaptive interference cancellation in wireless communication systems.