Improving Accuracy in Ultra-Wideband Indoor Position Tracking through Noise Modeling and Augmentation

The goal of this research is to improve the precision in tracking of an ultra-wideband (UWB) based Local Positioning System (LPS). This work is motivated by the approach taken to improve the accuracies in the Global Positioning System (GPS), through noise modeling and augmentation. Since UWB indoor position tracking is accomplished using methods similar to that of the GPS, the same two general approaches can be used to improve accuracy. Trilateration calculations are affected by errors in distance measurements from the set of fixed points to the object of interest. When these errors are systemic, each distinct set of fixed points can be said to exhibit a unique set noise. For UWB indoor position tracking, the set of fixed points is a set of sensors measuring the distance to a tracked tag. In this work we develop a noise model for this sensor set noise, along with a particle filter that uses our set noise model. To the author\u27s knowledge, this noise has not been identified and modeled for an LPS. We test our methods on a commercially available UWB system in a real world setting. From the results we observe approximately 15% improvement in accuracy over raw UWB measurements. The UWB system is an example of an aided sensor since it requires a person to carry a device which continuously broadcasts its identity to determine its location. Therefore the location of each user is uniquely known even when there are multiple users present. However, it suffers from limited precision as compared to some unaided sensors such as a camera which typically are placed line of sight (LOS). An unaided system does not require active participation from people. Therefore it has more difficulty in uniquely identifying the location of each person when there are a large number of people present in the tracking area. Therefore we develop a generalized fusion framework to combine measurements from aided and unaided systems to improve the tracking precision of the aided system and solve data association issues in the unaided system. The framework uses a Kalman filter to fuse measurements from multiple sensors. We test our approach on two unaided sensor systems: Light Detection And Ranging (LADAR) and a camera system. Our study investigates the impact of increasing the number of people in an indoor environment on the accuracies using a proposed fusion framework. From the results we observed that depending on the type of unaided sensor system used for augmentation, the improvement in precision ranged from 6-25% for up to 3 people

Improved multiple input multiple output blind equalization algorithms for medical implant communication

Medical implant sensor that is used to monitor the human physiology signals is helpful to improve the quality of life and prevent severe result from the chronic diseases. In order to achieve this, the wireless implant communication link that delivers the monitored signal to a multiple antennas external device is an essential portion. However, the existing conventional narrow band Medical Implant Communications System (MICS) has low data rate because of the bandlimited channel is allocated. To improve the data rate in the radio frequency communication, ultra-wide band technology has been proposed. However, the ultra-wide band technology is relatively new and requires living human to be the test subject in order to validate the technology performance. In this condition, the test on the new technology can rise ethical challenge. As a solution, we improve the data rate in the conventional narrow band MICS. The improvement of data rate on the narrow band implies the information bandwidth is larger than the allocated channel bandwidth, and therefore the high frequency components of the information can loss. In this case, the signal suffers the intersymbol-interference (ISI). Instead of that, the multiple antennas external device can receive the signal from other transmitting implant sensor which has the same operating frequency. As a result, the signal is further hampered by co-channel interference (CCI). To recover the signal from the ISI and CCI, multiple-input multiple output (MIMO) blind equalization that has source separation ability can be exploited. Cross-Correlation Constant Modulus Algorithm (CC-CMA) is the conventional MIMO blind equalization algorithm that can suppress ISI and CCI and able to perform source separation. However, CC-CMA has only been analyzed and simulated in the modulation of Phase Shift Keying (PSK). The performance of CC-CMA in multi-modulus modulation scheme such as 4-Pulse-amplitude modulation (PAM) and 16-Quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), which has higher data rate than PSK, has not been analyzed. Therefore, our work is to analysis and optimize CC-CMA on the multi-modulus modulation scheme. From our analysis, we found that the cost function of CC-CMA is biased cost function. Instead of that, from our simulation, CC-CMA introduces an unexpected shrinking effect whereby the amplitudes of the equalizer outputs have been reduced, especially in multi-modulus modulation scheme. This shrinking effect is not severe in PSK because the decision of a PSK symbol is based on phase, but not amplitude. Unfortunately, this is severe in multi-modulus modulation scheme. To overcome this shrinking effect in multi-modulus modulation scheme, we propose Cross-Independent Constant Modulus Algorithm (CI-CMA). Based on the convergence analysis, we identify the new optimum dispersion value and mixing parameter in CI-CMA. From the simulation results, we confirm that CI-CMA is able to perform equalization and source separation in the multi-modulus modulation scheme. In order to improve the steady state performance of CI-CMA, we perform the steady state mean square error (MSE) analysis of CI-CMA using the energy preservation theorem that was developed by Mai and Sayed in 2001, and our result is more accurate than the previous work. From our analysis, only the reduction in adaptation step size can reduce the steady state MSE, but it is well known that the MSE is indeed a tradeoff with the speed of convergence. Therefore without sacrificing convergence speed, our last effort is to propose hybrid algorithms. The hybrid algorithms are done by combining a new adaptive constant modulus algorithm (ACMA), a decision directed algorithm and a cross-correlation function. From the simulation results, we found that the hybrid algorithms can show low steady state error and thereby improve the reliability of the communication link. The main achievement of this thesis is the discovery of new dispersion value through the convergence analysis

Improved multiple input multiple output blind equalization algorithms for medical implant communication

Medical implant sensor that is used to monitor the human physiology signals is helpful to improve the quality of life and prevent severe result from the chronic diseases. In order to achieve this, the wireless implant communication link that delivers the monitored signal to a multiple antennas external device is an essential portion. However, the existing conventional narrow band Medical Implant Communications System (MICS) has low data rate because of the bandlimited channel is allocated. To improve the data rate in the radio frequency communication, ultra-wide band technology has been proposed. However, the ultra-wide band technology is relatively new and requires living human to be the test subject in order to validate the technology performance. In this condition, the test on the new technology can rise ethical challenge. As a solution, we improve the data rate in the conventional narrow band MICS. The improvement of data rate on the narrow band implies the information bandwidth is larger than the allocated channel bandwidth, and therefore the high frequency components of the information can loss. In this case, the signal suffers the intersymbol-interference (ISI). Instead of that, the multiple antennas external device can receive the signal from other transmitting implant sensor which has the same operating frequency. As a result, the signal is further hampered by co-channel interference (CCI). To recover the signal from the ISI and CCI, multiple-input multiple output (MIMO) blind equalization that has source separation ability can be exploited. Cross-Correlation Constant Modulus Algorithm (CC-CMA) is the conventional MIMO blind equalization algorithm that can suppress ISI and CCI and able to perform source separation. However, CC-CMA has only been analyzed and simulated in the modulation of Phase Shift Keying (PSK). The performance of CC-CMA in multi-modulus modulation scheme such as 4-Pulse-amplitude modulation (PAM) and 16-Quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), which has higher data rate than PSK, has not been analyzed. Therefore, our work is to analysis and optimize CC-CMA on the multi-modulus modulation scheme. From our analysis, we found that the cost function of CC-CMA is biased cost function. Instead of that, from our simulation, CC-CMA introduces an unexpected shrinking effect whereby the amplitudes of the equalizer outputs have been reduced, especially in multi-modulus modulation scheme. This shrinking effect is not severe in PSK because the decision of a PSK symbol is based on phase, but not amplitude. Unfortunately, this is severe in multi-modulus modulation scheme. To overcome this shrinking effect in multi-modulus modulation scheme, we propose Cross-Independent Constant Modulus Algorithm (CI-CMA). Based on the convergence analysis, we identify the new optimum dispersion value and mixing parameter in CI-CMA. From the simulation results, we confirm that CI-CMA is able to perform equalization and source separation in the multi-modulus modulation scheme. In order to improve the steady state performance of CI-CMA, we perform the steady state mean square error (MSE) analysis of CI-CMA using the energy preservation theorem that was developed by Mai and Sayed in 2001, and our result is more accurate than the previous work. From our analysis, only the reduction in adaptation step size can reduce the steady state MSE, but it is well known that the MSE is indeed a tradeoff with the speed of convergence. Therefore without sacrificing convergence speed, our last effort is to propose hybrid algorithms. The hybrid algorithms are done by combining a new adaptive constant modulus algorithm (ACMA), a decision directed algorithm and a cross-correlation function. From the simulation results, we found that the hybrid algorithms can show low steady state error and thereby improve the reliability of the communication link. The main achievement of this thesis is the discovery of new dispersion value through the convergence analysis

On the Support of Massive Machine-to-Machine Traffic in Heterogeneous Networks and Fifth-Generation Cellular Networks

The widespread availability of many emerging services enabled by the Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm passes through the capability to provide long-range connectivity to a massive number of things, overcoming the well-known issues of ad-hoc, short-range networks. This scenario entails a lot of challenges, ranging from the concerns about the radio access network efficiency to the threats about the security of IoT networks. In this thesis, we will focus on wireless communication standards for long-range IoT as well as on fundamental research outcomes about IoT networks. After investigating how Machine-Type Communication (MTC) is supported nowadays, we will provide innovative solutions that i) satisfy the requirements in terms of scalability and latency, ii) employ a combination of licensed and license-free frequency bands, and iii) assure energy-efficiency and security