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 contour-map provides a graphic, two-dimensional representation of the source location accuracy as a function of the source location and the location of the sensors.