Detection of the number of sources based on power estimation

A new approach to detect the number of source in array signal processing fields is proposed in this paper. The procedure of this approach is based on the assumption that there are as many as the maximum potential number of sources relative to the sensors number. The excess DOAs are obtained by the DOA estimation algorithm. The power of sources along the estimated DOA can be gained respectively. By employing the estimated power values, the number of sources can be determined. Simulation results show that the detection algorithm of the number of sources is more efficient than conventional methods, and can be applied in different situations.