Wireless localization using time difference of arrival in narrow-band multipath systems

The problem of estimating the location of a source is addressed based on the time difference of arrival (TDoA) of the first multipath component of the signal at different sensors with known locations. A maximum likelihood (ML) approach is adopted, followed by the presentation of some two-steps techniques. The TDoA estimation is carried out using a correlation technique and a super-resolution method - root multiple signal classification (MUSIC). The source is relatively narrowband and it operates over a wireless channel with a dense multipath environment following the COST-207 channel model. The performance of the source location techniques is evaluated in terms of the root mean square error (rMSE) of the transmitter's position for given placements of the sensors. A precision contourmap provides a graphic, two-dimensional representation of the source location accuracy as a function of the source location and the location of the sensors.