Direction of Arrival Estimation in the Presence of Noise Coupling in Antenna Arrays

The direction of arrival (DOA) estimation problem in the presence of signal and noise coupling in antenna arrays is addressed. In many applications, such as smart antenna, radar and navigation systems, the noise coupling between different antenna array elements is often neglected in the antenna modeling and thus, may significantly degrade the system performance. Utilizing the exact noise covariance matrix enables to achieve high-performance source localization by taking into account the colored properties of the array noise. The noise covariance matrix of the antenna array consists of both the external noise sources from sky, ground and interference, and the internal noise sources from amplifiers and loads. Computation of the internal noise covariance matrix is implemented using the theory of noisy linear networks combined with the method of moments (MoM). Based on this noise statistical analysis, a new four-port antenna element consisting of two orthogonal loops is proposed with enhanced source localization performance. The maximum likelihood (ML) estimator and the Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB) for DOA estimation in the presence of noise coupling is derived. Simulation results show that the noise coupling in antenna arrays may substantially alter the source localization performance. The performance of a mismatched ML estimator based on a model which ignores the noise coupling shows significant performance degradation due to noise coupling. These results demonstrate the importance of the noise coupling modeling in the DOA estimation algorithms.     

Direction finding in partly calibrated sensor arrays composed of multiple subarrays

We consider the direction-finding problem in partly calibrated arrays composed of several calibrated and identically oriented (but possibly nonidentical) subarrays that are displaced by unknown (and possibly time-varying) vector translations. A new search-free eigenstructure-based direction-finding approach is proposed for such class of sensor arrays. It is referred to as the rank-reduction (RARE) estimator and enjoys simple implementation that entails computing the eigendecomposition of the sample array covariance matrix and polynomial rooting. Closed-form expressions for the deterministic Cramer-Rao bounds (CRBs) on direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation for the considered class of sensor arrays are derived. Comparison of these expressions with simulation results show that the finite-sample performance of RARE algorithms in both time-invariant and time-varying array cases is close to the corresponding bounds. Moreover, comparisons of the derived CRBs with the well-known bounds for the fully calibrated time-invariant array case help to discover several interesting properties of DOA estimation in partly calibrated and time-varying arrays.     

Maximum-likelihood direction-of-arrival estimation in the presenceof unknown nonuniform noise

We consider the problem of estimating directions of arrival (DOAs) of multiple sources observed on the background of nonuniform white noise with an arbitrary diagonal covariance matrix. A new deterministic maximum likelihood (ML) DOA estimator is derived. Its implementation is based on an iterative procedure which includes a stepwise concentration of the log-likelihood (LL) function with respect to the signal and noise nuisance parameters and requires only a few iterations to converge. New closed-form expressions for the deterministic and stochastic direction estimation Cramer-Rao bounds (CRBs) are derived for the considered nonuniform model. Our expressions can be viewed as an extension of the well-known results by Stoica and Nehorai (1989, 1990) and Weiss and Friedlander (1993) to a more general noise model than the commonly used uniform one. In addition, these expressions extend the results obtained by Matveyev et al. (see Circuits, Syst., Signal Process., vol.18, p.479-87, 1999) to the multiple source case. Comparisons with the above-mentioned earlier results help to discover several interesting properties of DOA estimation in the nonuniform noise case. To compare the estimation performance of the proposed ML technique with the results of our CRB analysis and with the performance of conventional “uniform” ML, simulation results are presented. Additionally, we test our technique using experimental seismic array data. Our simulations and experimental results both validate essential performance improvements achieved by means of the approach proposed     

2D DOA and Frequency Estimation Method with One Vector-Sensor and Two Pressure Sensors Based on ESPRIT and Signal Power

We use one vector and two pressure sensors to form a sparse large aperture L-shape array for high performance two-dimensional (2D) direction of arrival (DOA) and frequency estimation. Because the number of sensors is small and there is only one vector sensor in the presented array, thus, the installation of sensors in the array is simpler and installation error is smaller, than the conventional array. Meanwhile, a high performance 2D DOA and frequency estimation method is presented. Firstly, utilizing single vector sensor and based on the ESPRIT, a group coarse 2D DOA and frequency parameters are obtained. Secondly, to restrain space noise or interference, a matrix filter is utilized to process the covariance matrix which comes from sensor array, so as to form a new covariance matrix which possesses high signal to noise ratio. Thirdly, utilizing the new covariance matrix and based on the ESPRIT again, accurate but ambiguity angles estimates are obtained. Fourthly, one signal power estimator and one optimization method are presented to solve the angle ambiguity and frequency ambiguity problems, respectively. The proposed method gains a high performance 2D DOA and frequency estimation results. Numerical simulations are performed to verify the feasibility of the proposed method.

     

Robust Capon-based direction-of-arrival estimators in partly calibrated sensor array

In this paper a problem of direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation in partly calibrated sensor arrays is considered. It is assumed that a sensor array consists of subarrays with full inner calibration and unknown intersubarray distortions. Capon-based methods are proposed for DOA estimation as suitable techniques have robustness to intersubarray distortions. These methods are an extension of robust Capon beamformer developed for partly calibrated array to the DOA estimation. The simulations validate efficiency of the proposed algorithms.     

非均匀噪声背景下混合信号DOA估计算法

针对非均匀噪声背景下非相关信源与相干信源并存时波达方向(DOA)估计问题，提出了基于迭代最小二乘和空间差分平滑的混合信号DOA估计算法。首先，该算法利用迭代最小二乘方法得到噪声协方差矩阵估计，然后对数据协方差矩阵进行“去噪”处理，利用子空间旋转不变技术实现非相关信源DOA估计；其次，基于空间差分法消除非相关信号并构造新矩阵进行前后向空间平滑，利用求根MUSIC算法估计相干信源DOA。相比于传统算法，该算法能估计更多的信源数，在低信噪比情况下DOA估计性能更优越。仿真实验结果验证了该算法的有效性。      

协方差矩阵稀疏表示在网格失配波达方向估计中的应用

该文利用了入射信号在空域的稀疏性,将波达方向（DOA）估计问题描述为在网格划分的空间协方差矩阵稀疏表示模型,并将其松弛为一个凸问题,从而提出了一种网格匹配下的交替迭代方法（AIEGM）。传统的基于稀疏重构的波达方向估计算法由于其模型的局限性,一旦入射角不在预先设定的离散化网格上,就会造成估计性能的急剧恶化。针对这个问题,该算法可以在离散化网格比较粗糙的前提下,通过交替迭代的方法求解一系列基追踪去噪（BPDN）问题,对于不在网格上的真实角度估计值进行修正,从而达到更精确的波达方向估计。仿真结果证明了AIEGM算法的有效性。      

Direction-of-arrival estimation in partly calibrated subarray-based sensor arrays

The problem of direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation in partly calibrated arrays is addressed. We assume that an array is composed of multiple well-calibrated subarrays of arbitrary known geometry, but there are imperfections between subarrays. We address the cases of unknown (or known with a certain error) intersubarray displacements, imperfect synchronization of subarrays in time, unknown propagation channel mismatches between subarrays, as well as combinations of these effects. A new subspace-based approach to DOA estimation is proposed, which is applicable to this general class of partly calibrated arrays. DOA identifiability issues for such arrays are discussed, and a relevant Cramer-Rao bound (CRB) is derived. Numerical examples illustrate the performance of the proposed estimators.     

互质阵中基于降维求根的波达角估计算法

该文提出互质阵中基于降维求根的波达角(DOA)估计算法。互质阵包含两个稀疏均匀线性子阵,拥有互质的阵元间距和阵元数目。该算法基于子阵间的互协方差,利用较长子阵中的旋转不变性扩展较短子阵的虚拟孔径。然后通过矩阵分块构造噪声子空间,并将来自两个子阵的2维参数估计问题降维为1维求根问题,获得自动配对的2维模糊参数估计。最后由这2维模糊参数可恢复出两组参数,根据互质性从两组参数估计的交集中可以获得无模糊的高分辨率DOA估计。相比互质阵中的联合多重信号分类(MUSIC)算法和联合旋转不变技术(ESPRIT)算法,该算法无需特征分解,复杂度低,但可获得更精确的DOA估计,处理更多的信源,并且对色噪声有更强的鲁棒性。多个仿真结果均验证了所提算法的有效性。     

UN-MUSIC and UN-CLE: an application of generalized correlationanalysis to the estimation of the direction of arrival of signals inunknown correlated noise

A new approach is proposed for the consistent estimation of the directions of arrival (DOA) of signals in an unknown spatially-correlated noise environment. The signal and noise model used is based on the assumption that the data are received by two arrays well separated so that their noise outputs are uncorrelated. The generalized correlation decomposition of the cross-correlation matrix between the two arrays is then introduced. Of particular interest is the canonical correlation decomposition. The analysis of the generalized correlation leads to various interesting geometric and asymptotic properties of the eigenspace structure. Two algorithms, UN-MUSIC and UN-CLE, are developed to estimate the DOA of signals in unknown spatially correlated noise based on the utilization of these properties. Computer simulations show that these methods are superior in performance compared to conventional methods. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the new methods are equally effective even when only one sensor array is employed     

基于极化敏感阵列均匀线阵的二维DOA估计

针对残缺电磁矢量传感器的极化敏感阵列多参数联合估计问题,该文提出一种基于正交偶极子的均匀线阵的2维波达方向(Direction-Of-Arrival, DOA)估计算法。首先,对极化敏感阵列的接收数据矢量的协方差矩阵进行特征分解,然后将信号子空间划分成4个子阵,根据旋转不变子空间(ESPRIT)算法分别求出其中1个子阵与其它3个子阵的相位差,再对不同子阵间的相位差进行配对,最后根据相位差求出信号的DOA估计和极化参数。由正交偶极子组成的均匀线阵使用极化MUSIC算法和传统ESPRIT算法无法进行2维DOA估计,该文提出的算法解决了这个问题,并且相较于极化MUISC算法降低了算法的复杂度。仿真结果验证了该文算法的有效性。     

Computationally efficient angle estimation for signals with knownwaveforms

This paper presents a large sample decoupled maximum likelihood (DEML) angle estimator for uncorrelated narrowband plane waves with known waveforms and unknown amplitudes arriving at a sensor array in the presence of unknown and arbitrary spatially colored noise. The DEML estimator decouples the multidimensional problem of the exact ML estimator to a set of 1-D problems and, hence, is computationally efficient. We shall derive the asymptotic statistical performance of the DEML estimator and compare the performance with its Cramer-Rao bound (CRB), i.e., the best possible performance for the class of asymptotically unbiased estimators. We will show that the DEML estimator is asymptotically statistically efficient for uncorrelated signals with known waveforms. We will also show that for moderately correlated signals with known waveforms, the DEML estimator is no longer a large sample maximum likelihood (ML) estimator, but the DEML estimator may still be used for angle estimation, and the performance degradation relative to the CRB is small. We shall show that the DEML estimator can also be used to estimate the arrival angles of desired signals with known waveforms in the presence of interfering or jamming signals by modeling the interfering or jamming signals as random processes with an unknown spatial covariance matrix. Finally, several numerical examples showing the performance of the DEML estimator are presented in this paper     

未知信源数目的DOA估计方法

针对信源数目未知情况下的DOA估计问题,该文提出了两种基于稀疏表示的DOA估计方法。一种是基于阵列协方差矩阵特征向量稀疏表示的DOA估计方法,首先证明了阵列协方差矩阵的最大特征向量是所有信号导向矢量的线性组合,然后利用阵列协方差矩阵的最大特征向量建立稀疏模型进行DOA估计;另一种是基于阵列协方差矩阵高阶幂稀疏表示的DOA估计方法,根据信号特征值大于噪声特征值的特性,通过对协方差矩阵的高阶幂逼近信号子空间,利用协方差矩阵的高阶幂的列向量建立DOA估计的稀疏模型进行DOA估计。理论分析和仿真实验验证,两种方法都不需要进行信号源数目的估计,具有较高的精度、较好的分辨力,对相干信号也具有优越的适应能力。     

A modified likelihood function approach to DOA estimation in thepresence of unknown spatially correlated Gaussian noise using a uniformlinear array

The problem of modified ML estimation of DOAs of multiple source signals incident on a uniform linear array (ULA) in the presence of unknown spatially correlated Gaussian noise is addressed here. Unlike previous work, the proposed method does not impose any structural constraints or parameterization of the signal and noise covariances. It is shown that the characterization suggested here provides a very convenient framework for obtaining an intuitively appealing estimate of the unknown noise covariance matrix via a suitable projection of the observed covariance matrix onto a subspace that is orthogonal complement of the so-called signal subspace. This leads to a formulation of an expression for a so-called modified likelihood function, which can be maximized to obtain the unknown DOAs. For the case of an arbitrary array geometry, this function has explicit dependence on the unknown noise covariance matrix. This explicit dependence can be avoided for the special case of a uniform linear array by using a simple polynomial characterization of the latter. A simple approximate version of this function is then developed that can be maximized via the-well-known IQML algorithm or its variants. An exact estimate based on the maximization of the modified likelihood function is obtained by using nonlinear optimization techniques where the approximate estimates are used for initialization. The proposed estimator is shown to outperform the MAP estimator of Reilly et al. (1992). Extensive simulations have been carried out to show the validity of the proposed algorithm and to compare it with some previous solutions     

DOA estimation in unknown colored noise using covariance differencing and sparse signal recovery

A direction-of-arrival （DOA） estimation algorithm is presented based on covariance differencing and sparse signal recovery, in which the desired signal is embedded in noise with unknown covariance. The key point of the algorithm is to eliminate the noise component by forming the difference of original and transformed covariance matrix, as well as cast the DOA estimation considered as a sparse signal recovery problem. Concerning accuracy and complexity of estimation, the authors take a vectorization operation on difference matrix, and further enforce sparsity by reweighted l1-norm penalty. We utilize data-validation to select the regularization parameter properly. Meanwhile, a kind of symmetric grid division and refinement strategy is introduced to make the proposed algorithm effective and also to mitigate the effects of limiting estimates to a grid of spatial locations. Compared with the covariance-differencing-based multiple signal classification （MUSIC） method, the proposed is of salient features, including increased resolution, improved robustness to colored noise, distinguishing the false peaks easily, but with no requiring of prior knowledge of the number of sources.     

空间非平稳噪声下的宽带DOA估计算法

投影子空间正交性测试(TOPS)法是利用子空间的正交性实现宽带信号DOA估计,而在空间非平稳噪声环境下子空间的正交性条件不再满足,尤其是在低信噪比或低快拍条件下子空间估计将出现较大误差,TOPS算法性能将急剧下降。针对该问题,提出了一种空间非平稳噪声下宽带DOA估计算法。该算法首先通过构造特殊对角矩阵将噪声从数据协方差矩阵中剔除,从而克服非平稳噪声对DOA估计的影响;然后利用平方TOPS法实现宽带信号DOA估计,消除了传统TOPS算法中的伪峰。该算法适用于空间非平稳噪声背景及低信噪比环境,提高了对角度相近目标的分辨性能;仿真实验表明了该算法的有效性。     

基于协方差矩阵重构的离网格DOA估计方法

针对稀疏表示模型中网格失配导致波达方向角(DOA)估计存在较大估计误差的问题,该文提出一种基于协方差矩阵重构的离网格(Off-Grid)DOA估计方法(OGCMR)。首先,将DOA与网格点之间偏移量包含进所构建接收数据空域离散稀疏表示模型;而后基于重构信号协方差矩阵建立关于DOA估计的稀疏表示凸优化问题;再构建采样协方差矩阵估计误差凸模型,并将此凸集显式包含进稀疏表示模型以改善稀疏信号重构性能;最后采用交替迭代方法求解所得联合优化问题以获得网格偏移参数及离网格DOA估计。数值仿真表明,与传统多重信号分类(MUSIC)、L1-SVD及基于稀疏和低秩恢复的稳健MVDR (SLRD-RMVDR)等估计算法相比,所提算法具有较好的角度分辨力以及较高的DOA估计精度。     

基于稀疏和低秩恢复的稳健DOA估计方法

该文针对有限次采样导致传统波达方向角(DOA)估计算法存在较大估计误差的问题,提出一种基于稀疏低秩分解(SLRD)的稳健DOA估计方法。首先,基于低秩矩阵分解方法,将接收信号协方差矩阵建模为低秩无噪协方差及稀疏噪声协方差矩阵之和;而后基于低秩恢复理论,构造关于信号和噪声协方差矩阵的凸优化问题;再者构建关于采样协方差矩阵估计误差的凸模型,并将此凸集显式包含进凸优化问题以改善信号协方差矩阵估计性能进而提高DOA估计精度及稳健性;最后基于所得最优无噪声协方差矩阵,利用最小方差无畸变响应(MVDR)方法实现DOA估计。此外,基于采样协方差矩阵估计误差服从渐进正态分布的统计特性,该文推导了一种误差参数因子选取准则以较好重构无噪声协方差矩阵。数值仿真表明,与传统常规波束形成(CBF)、最小方差无畸变响应(MVDR)、传统多重信号分类(MUSIC)及基于稀疏低秩分解的增强拉格朗日乘子(SLD-ALM)算法相比,有限次采样条件下所提算法具有较高DOA估计精度及较好稳健性能。     

基于贝叶斯压缩感知的子空间拟合离格DOA估计

针对传统的基于稀疏贝叶斯学习（Sparse Bayesian Learning,SBL）的波达方向估计算法对噪声鲁棒性不高的问题,提出了一种基于SBL的子空间拟合离格波达方向(Direction of Arrival,DOA)估计方法。首先对接收数据的协方差矩阵进行特征分解,获得信号的加权子空间,构造等价信号的稀疏表示模型并利用贝叶斯学习算法进行参数求解。同时对于网格划分带来的建模误差问题,采用了离格贝叶斯推导（Sparse Bayesian Inference,SBI）算法进行求解,利用期望最大化算法迭代更新相应的参数。仿真结果表明,相对于传统的DOA方法,该方法具有更好的估计精度。     

Maximum-likelihood bearing estimation with partly calibrated arraysin spatially correlated noise fields

The problem of using a partly calibrated array for maximum likelihood (ML) bearing estimation of possibly coherent signals buried in unknown correlated noise fields is shown to admit a neat solution under fairly general conditions. More exactly, this paper assumes that the array contains some calibrated sensors, whose number is only required to be larger than the number of signals impinging on the array, and also that the noise in the calibrated sensors is uncorrelated with the noise in the other sensors. These two noise vectors, however, may have arbitrary spatial autocovariance matrices. Under these assumptions the many nuisance parameters (viz., the elements of the signal and noise covariance matrices and the transfer and location characteristics of the uncalibrated sensors) can be eliminated from the likelihood function, leaving a significantly simplified concentrated likelihood whose maximum yields the ML bearing estimates. The ML estimator introduced in this paper, and referred to as MLE, is shown to be asymptotically equivalent to a recently proposed subspace-based bearing estimator called UNCLE and rederived herein by a much simpler approach than in the original work. A statistical analysis derives the asymptotic distribution of the MLE and UNCLE estimates, and proves that they are asymptotically equivalent and statistically efficient. In a simulation study, the MLE and UNCLE methods are found to possess very similar finite-sample properties as well. As UNCLE is computationally more efficient, it may be the preferred technique in a given application