Target localisation techniques and tools for multiple-input multiple-output radar

Abstract

This study presents a comparative study of coherent and non-coherent target localisation techniques for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar systems with widely distributed elements. Performance is evaluated based on closed-form solutions developed for the best linear unbiased estimator (BLUE) for each of the localisation methods. These estimators afford insights into the relation between radar locations, target location and localisation accuracy. In particular, the means squared error of the BLUE is factored into a term dependent on signal and processing characteristics and a term dependent on sensor locations. The latter is referred to as geometric dilution of precision (GDOP). The best achievable accuracy for the coherent case is obtained, and a comparative study with the non-coherent case is presented. MIMO radar systems with coherent processing are shown to benefit from a gain because of coherent processing among sensors. This gain is referred to as coherent localisation gain, and it is proportional to the ratio of the signal carrier frequency to the effective bandwidth (a large ratio for typical signals). The footprint of multiple transmit/receive sensors results in a gain, referred to as MIMO gain, for both processing techniques. The MIMO gain is proportional to the product of the number of transmitting and receiving sensors. Analysis of the MIMO gain through the use of GDOP contour maps demonstrate the achievable accuracy at various target locations for a given layout of sensors.