A unified detection framework for distributed active and passive RF sensing

This work considers centralized detection in distributed RF sensor networks. We present a comparative analysis of GLRT detection in active and passive networks including active multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar (AMR), passive MIMO radar (PMR), and passive source localization (PSL). Our results demonstrate that PMR generalizes AMR and PSL in that PMR detection sensitivity may approximate that of AMR or PSL depending on the average direct-path-to-noise ratio (DNR). At high DNR, PMR sensitivity equals AMR sensitivity. At low DNR, PMR sensitivity approximates PSL sensitivity. At intermediate DNRs, PMR sensitivity transitions from PSL to AMR sensitivity with increasing DNR. Thus, PMR may be regarded as the link between AMR and PSL sensor networks that unifies them within a common theoretical framework.