Time differences of arrival estimation of mixed interference signals using blind source separation based on wireless sensor networks

Abstract

The estimation of the time differences of arrival (TDOAs) is significant in passive source localisation systems. The TDOA estimation accuracy may directly affect the source location performance. For co-frequency interference environments, the authors address the problem of the passive blind estimation of time-delays for uncorrelated interference source signals based on wireless sensor networks. The received mixtures at the sensors are modelled as unknown linear combinations of the differently delayed versions of the communication signal and the interference signal. Blind source separation and secondary interference signal extracting are both introduced in the proposed method. The interference signals in the mixed receiving signals of all the sensors are extracted effectively and the effect of the mixed communication signals can be significantly reduced. Simulations show that the proposed method has a more accurate performance compared to other TDOA estimation methods, and is therefore valid and practical in the TDOA localisation systems.