On the performance of linear least-squares estimation in wireless positioning systems

A common technique for wireless positioning is to estimate time-of-arrivals (TOAs) of signals traveling between a target node and a number of reference nodes, and then to determine the position of the target node based on those TOA parameters. In determining the position of the target node from TOA parameters, linear or nonlinear least-squares (LS) estimation techniques can be employed. Although the linear LS techniques are suboptimal in general, they facilitate low-complexity position estimation. In this paper, performance of various linear LS techniques are compared, and suboptimality of the linear approach is quantified in terms of the Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB). Simulations are performed to compare the performance of the linear LS approaches versus the CRLBs for linear and nonlinear techniques. ©2008 IEEE

Emitter Location Finding using Particle Swarm Optimization

Using several spatially separated receivers, nowadays positioning techniques, which are implemented to determine the location of the transmitter, are often required for several important disciplines such as military, security, medical, and commercial applications. In this study, localization is carried out by particle swarm optimization using time difference of arrival. In order to increase the positioning accuracy, time difference of arrival averaging based two new methods are proposed. Results are compared with classical algorithms and Cramer-Rao lower bound which is the theoretical limit of the estimation error

Space-Time diversity for NLOS mitigation in TDOA-based positioning systems

This paper studies the potential impact of using space-Time information in the mitigation of the Non-LineOf-Sight condition in mobile subscriber's positioning systems. First of all, this work discusses the positioning problem based on measures of Time Differences Of Arrival departing from a more exact characterization of the signal statistics and including some geometrical restrictions to achieve an improved accurate. Furthermore, a novel approach that integrates signal propagation characteristics to information provided by a suitable timing estimation model based on Cramer Rao Bound for a Rayleigh-fading channel, when antenna arrays are used at the receiver and when a set ofchannel vector estimates are available, has been introduced to study the positive benefits of space-Time diversity. These approaches are evaluated within a realistic simulation scenario.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version