Non-line-of-sight Propagation Research Articles

5G Vs Wi-Fi Indoor Positioning: A Comparative Study

Sensing location information in indoor scenes requires a high accuracy and is a challenging task, mainly because of multipath and NLoS (non-line-of-sight) propagation. GNSS signals cannot penetrate well in indoor environment. Satellite-based navigation and positioning systems cannot therefore be used for indoor positioning.. Other technologies have been suggested for indoor usage, among them, Wi-Fi (802.11) and 5G NR (New Radio). The primary aim of this study is to discuss the advantages and drawbacks of 5G and Wi-Fi positioning techniques for indoor localization.

Survey on NLOS Identification and Error Mitigation for UWB Indoor Positioning

Ultra-wideband (UWB) positioning systems often operate in a non-line-of-sight (NLOS) environment. NLOS propagation has become the main source of ultra-wideband indoor positioning errors. As such, how to identify and correct NLOS errors has become a key problem that must be solved in high-accuracy indoor positioning technology. This paper firstly describes the influence of the NLOS propagation path on localization accuracy and the generation method of ultra-wideband signals, and secondly classifies and analyzes the currently available algorithms for ultra-wideband non-line-of-sight (NLOS) identification and error suppression. For the identification of NLOS, the residual analysis judgement method, statistical feature class identification method, machine learning method and geometric feature judgement method are discussed. For the suppression of NLOS propagation errors, weighting-based methods, filtering-based methods, line-of-sight reconstruction algorithms, neural network algorithms, optimization methods with constraints, and path tracing methods are discussed. Finally, we conclude the paper and point out the problems that need to be solved in NLOS indoor positioning.

A Single-Site Vehicle Positioning Method in the Rectangular Tunnel Environment

Due to the satellite signals are blocked, it is difficult to obtain the vehicle position in the tunnels. We propose a single-site vehicle localization scheme for the rectangular tunnel environment, where most satellite-based positioning methods can not provide the required localization accuracy. In the non-line-of-sight (NLOS) scenarios, we make use of the reflection paths as assistants for vehicle positioning. Specifically, first, the virtual stations are established based on the actual geometrical structure of the tunnel. Second, we use the direction-of-arrival (DOA) and time-of-arrival (TOA) information of reflection paths from two tunnel walls to achieve vehicle positioning. Especially, the Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB) of the joint TOA and DOA localization for NLOS propagations in a two-dimensional (2D) space is derived. In addition, based on the localization algorithms with and without filters, we assess the localization performance. In the line-of-sight (LOS) scenarios, we use the LOS path and two reflection paths from the tunnel walls to estimate the vehicle location. First, virtual base stations are established. Second, based on the obtained TOA information, different positioning algorithms are used to estimate the vehicle location. Simulation results illustrate that the proposed positioning approach can provide a small root mean square error. The localization algorithms using filters improve the localization accuracy, compared with the positioning algorithm without using filters, namely, the two-stage weighted least squares (TSWLS) algorithm. Moreover, the Unscented Particle Filter (UPF) algorithm achieves better positioning accuracy than other methods (i.e., Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF), Extended Kalman Filter (EKF), TSWLS algorithms).

A UAV-Assisted Search and Localization Strategy in Non-Line-of-Sight Scenarios

Recently, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-assisted ground targets localization is widely used in search and rescue (SAR) scenes. In this article, we propose a UAV search and localization strategy, which can search and locate unknown number of victims. The proposed strategy uses the UAV as a mobile anchor to measure time of arrival (TOA) and can effectively mitigate localization errors caused by non-line-of-sight (NLOS) propagation. Generally speaking, the strategy is divided into two parts: 1) trajectory planning and 2) localization. By selecting waypoints and planning a suitable search trajectory, UAV can obtain all the measurement information in deployment area and ensure that each target has at least three anchors for localization even in the NLOS propagation environment. In the localization stage, a new estimator is proposed based on maximum-likelihood estimation (MLE), which estimates average NLOS bias together with the coordinates of target and can be well solved by the particle swarm algorithm. The simulation results show that the proposed strategy outperforms for mitigating NLOS error compared with other methods, and can effectively ensure high localization accuracy in the NLOS propagation environment.

MT-GCNN: Multi-Task Learning with Gated Convolution for Multiple Transmitters Localization in Urban Scenarios.

With the advance of the Internet of things (IoT), localization is essential in varied services. In urban scenarios, multiple transmitters localization is faced with challenges such as nonline-of-sight (NLOS) propagation and limited deployment of sensors. To this end, this paper proposes the MT-GCNN (Multi-Task Gated Convolutional Neural Network), a novel multiple transmitters localization scheme based on deep multi-task learning, to learn the NLOS propagation features and achieve the localization. The multi-task learning network decomposes the problem into a coarse localization task and a fine correction task. In particular, the MT-GCNN uses an improved gated convolution module to extract features from sparse sensing data more effectively. In the training stage, a joint loss function is proposed to optimize the two branches of tasks. In the testing stage, the well-trained MT-GCNN model predicts the classified grids and corresponding biases jointly to improve the overall performance of localization. In the urban scenarios challenged by NLOS propagation and sparse deployment of sensors, numerical simulations demonstrate that the proposed MT-GCNN framework has more accurate and robust performance than other algorithms.

Simulation of an Indoor Visible Light Communication System Using Optisystem

Visible light communication (VLC ) is an emerging research area in wireless communication. The system works the same way as optical fiber-based communication systems. However, the VLC system uses free space as its transmission medium. The invention of the light-emitting diode (LED) significantly updated the technologies used in modern communication systems. In VLC, the LED acts as a transmitter and sends data in the form of light when the receiver is in the line of sight (LOS) condition. The VLC system sends data by blinking the light at high speed, which is challenging to identify by human eyes. The detector receives the flashlight at high speed and decodes the transmitted data. One significant advantage of the VLC system over other communication systems is that it is easy to implement using an LED and a photodiode or phototransistor. The system is economical, compact, inexpensive, small, low power, prevents radio interference, and eliminates the need for broadcast rights and buried cables. In this paper, we investigate the performance of an indoor VLC system using Optisystem simulation software. We simulated an indoor VLC system using LOS and non-line-of-sight (NLOS) propagation models. Our simulation analyzes the LOS propagation model by considering the direct path with a single LED as a transmitter. The NLOS propagation model-based VLC system analyses two scenarios by considering single and dual LEDs as its transmitter. The effect of incident and irradiance angles in an LOS propagation model and an eye diagram of LOS/NLOS models are investigated to identify the signal distortion. We also analyzed the impact of the field of view (FOV) of an NLOS propagation model using a single LED as a transmitter and estimated the bitrate (Rb). Our theoretical results show that the system simulated in this paper achieved bitrates in the range of 2.1208×107 to 4.2147×107 bits/s when the FOV changes from 30∘ to 90∘. A VLC hardware design is further considered for real-time implementations. Our VLC hardware system achieved an average of 70% data recovery rate in the LOS propagation model and a 40% data recovery rate in the NLOS propagation model. This paper’s analysis shows that our simulated VLC results are technically beneficial in real-world VLC systems.

Deep Learning-Based Localization with Urban Electromagnetic and Geographic Information

There is a growing demand for localization of illegal signal sources, aiming to guarantee the security of urban electromagnetic environment. The performance of traditional localization methods is limited due to the non-line-of-sight (NLOS) propagation and sparse layouts of sensors. In this paper, a deep learning-based localization method is proposed to overcome these issues in urban scenarios. Firstly, a model of electromagnetic wave propagation considered with geographic information is proposed to prepare reliable datasets for intelligent cognition of urban electromagnetic environment. Then, this paper improves an hourglass neural network which consists of downsampling and upsampling layers to learn the propagation features from sensing data. The core modules of VGG and ResNet are, respectively, utilized as feature extractors in downsampling. Moreover, this paper proposes a weighted loss function to expand the attention on position features, in order to improve the performance of localization with sparse layouts of sensors. Representative numerical results are discussed to assess the proposed method. ResNet-based extractor performs more efficiently than VGG-based extractor, and the proposed weighted loss function increases the localization accuracy by more than 50%. Additionally, the established geographic model supports qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the robustness with varied degree of NLOS propagation. Compared with other deep learning-based algorithms, the proposed method presents the more robust and superior performance under severe NLOS propagation and sparse sensing conditions.

Experimental validation of new non-coherent chaotic modulation via SDR implementation

In this article, a new non-coherent chaotic modulation based on the classical Frequency Modulation (FM) technique is proposed and experimentally validated under realistic wireless communication scenarios by using Software Defined Radio (SDR) technology. In the proposed modulation, named FM-Chip Averaging Chaotic On-Off Keying (FM-CACOOK), we simply combine the FM modulation with the recent proposed chaotic modulation technique CA-COOK. Firstly, we validate the proposed technique via several Matlab simulations scenarios in the context of wireless chaotic transmission through different IEEE 802.15.4a channel models. In this context, we choose the Office LOS (Line Of Sight) and NLOS (Non Line Of Sight), the industrial LOS, the Outdoor LOS and the Open Outdoor NLOS in order to make a mixture of indoor and outdoor environments for LOS and NLOS propagation. Secondly, we implement the proposed modulation by using GNU-Radio Companion (GRC) software. For this, several new GRC blocks have been added to perform and test the FM-CACOOK modulation in SDR platforms such as RTL-SDR dongle and HackRF. Finally, experimental tests have been performed to demonstrate the reliability and the strengths of the considered modulation. The obtained experimental results validate our solution by deriving the Bit Error Rate (BER) performances curve of FM-CACOOK compared to that of Differential Chaos-Shift Keying (DCSK), which is the reference chaotic modulation, and to that of the recent CA-COOK modulation.

Multipath Cluster-Assisted Single Station Localization Based on SSA-GA in Outdoor NLOS Environment

In this paper, we propose a novel multipath cluster-assisted single station localization method based on a genetic algorithm-based improved salp swarm algorithm (SSA-GA) to improve localization accuracy in an outdoor non-line-of-sight (NLOS) propagation environment. The scattering area model is presented which scatterers are considered Gaussian distribution for outdoor NLOS environments. The geometrical properties of propagation paths, such as angle of arrival and time of arrival, are jointly utilized to construct pseudoscatterer distribution. In order to filter the interference scatterers distributed outside the scattering region, the Gaussian kernel-based algorithm is developed. Furthermore, SSA-GA is proposed to solve the positioning objective functions constructed by pseudoscatterers clustering accurately. Results confirm the practicability of our newly proposed method, and the positioning error is less than 5% in outdoor NLOS propagation environment.

A Multiwall Path-Loss Prediction Model Using 433 MHz LoRa-WAN Frequency to Characterize Foliage’s Influence in a Malaysian Palm Oil Plantation Environment

Palm oil is the main cash crop of tropical Asia, and the implementation of LPWAN (low-power wide-area network) technologies for smart agriculture applications in palm oil plantations will benefit the palm oil industry in terms of making more revenue. This research attempts to characterize the LoRa 433 MHz frequency channels for the available spreading factors (SF7-SF12) and bandwidths (125 kHz, 250 kHz, and 500 kHz) for wireless sensor networks. The LoRa channel modeling in terms of path-loss calculation uses empirical measurements of RSS (received signal strength) in a palm oil plantation located in Selangor, Malaysia. In this research, about 1500 LoS (line-of-sight) and 300 NLoS (non-line-of-sight) propagation measurement data are collected for path-loss prediction modeling. Using the empirical data, a prediction model is constructed. The path-loss exponent for LoS propagation of the proposed prediction model is found to be 2.34 and 2.9 for 125–250 kHz bandwidth and 500 kHz bandwidth, respectively. Again, for the NLoS propagation links, the attenuation per trunk is found to be 7.58 dB, 7.04 dB, 5.35 dB, 5.02 dB, 5.01 dB, and 5 dB for SF7-SF12, and the attenuation per canopy is found to be 9.32 dB, 7.96 dB, 6.2 dB, 5.89 dB, 5.79 dB, and 5.45 dB for SF7-SF12. Moreover, the prediction model is found to be the better choice (mean RMSE 2.74 dB) in comparison to the empirical foliage loss models (Weissberger’s and ITU-R) to predict the path loss in palm oil plantations.

A cascaded algorithm based on GMM, GKF, and data fusion for mobile tracking in wireless sensor network

SummaryWireless sensor network (WSN) is formed with numerous communication nodes, which plays an important role in the Internet of Things (IoT). Location‐based service is critically important for WSN; however, the nonline of sight (NLOS) condition can deteriorate the positioning precision significantly. In this paper, a robust localization algorithm based on the range measurements to deal with the mixed line of sight (LOS)/NLOS environment is proposed. Firstly, a hypothesis testing based on the data deviation is used to detect the transmission condition. For the identified LOS propagation, the measured data are processed by Gaussian mixture model (GMM) to calculate the mean and standard deviation, which can update the likelihood probability and residual by data fusion. Moreover, for the identified NLOS propagation data, the mean of every Gaussian component is processed by gray Kalman filter (GKF) to discard large outliers. Finally, maximum likelihood (ML) is adopted to derive final coordinates. The simulation results have shown that the proposed algorithm has great advantages in dealing with severe NLOS interference and has higher accuracy compared with existing classic algorithms.

The Effect of Multipath Propagation on Performance Limit of mmWave MIMO-Based Position, Orientation and Channel Estimation

Millimeter-wave (mmWave) massive antenna array has shown great potential in gaining high-accuracy localization for user equipments (UEs). Yet, mmWave signals suffer from non-line-of-sight (NLOS) propagation and fast time-scale fading in practice, which will affect UE localization performance. It is non-trivial to reveal the impact of multipath propagation and fast time-scale fading on mmWave-based localization, and gain guidelines for harnessing NLOS propagation. In this paper, we aim to provide a unified framework for performance analysis of mmWave-based UE localization and channel estimation. Firstly, closed-form Cramer-Rao lower bounds for UE localization and channel estimation, respectively, are derived to shed lights on their performance limits. Secondly, the effect of system elements (e.g., channel correlation and fast time-scale fading) on UE localization performance is quantitatively analyzed. In addition, information contribution from NLOS channel is quantified to reveal the impact of multipath propagation on UE localization. Finally, we show that the NLOS propagation-caused localization error can be alleviated by using a NLOS model folding-based localization scheme <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">1</sup> , which strikes a balance between computational complexity and localization performance.

Quality of Service Comparison of LOS and NLOS Propagation in a LoRaWAN-Based Remote Monitoring System

Indonesia is an agricultural country with a wealth of natural resources. The agricultural sector is one of the natural resources with great potential. The processing and monitoring of very large agricultural land is currently a problem that must be resolved as soon as possible. The use of a remote monitoring system is the solution to this problem. The LoRa protocol is one of the communication protocols that can be used on large farms. This communication system is part of the low-power wide-area network communication system. The LoRaWAN communication system was implemented on agricultural soil moisture monitoring devices in this study. Based on the findings, it is possible to conclude that the propagation used at the time of transmission influences the success rate of data transmission via LoRaWAN communication. Line of Sight (LOS) propagation has a higher success rate than Non Line of Sight (NLOS) propagation. The LOS value is 17% greater than the NLOS at a distance of 100 meters. The LOS value is 24% greater than the NLOS at a distance of 150 meters. The LOS value is 3% greater than the NLOS value at a distance of 200 meters. LOS propagation measurement throughput is higher than NLOS propagation measurement throughput Keywords: LoRa, LoRaWAN, Wireless, Internet Of Things

A High-Accuracy Indoor Localization System and Applications Based on Tightly Coupled UWB/INS/Floor Map Integration

High-accuracy localization systems for non-line-of-sight (NLOS) environments have been a popular focus of research on indoor positioning. In particular, the use of ultra-wideband (UWB) technology for ranging is emerging as an effective method of indoor localization due to its high accuracy. To improve the overall performance of UWB systems, combining UWB technology with an inertial navigation system (INS) is a commonly used indoor positioning approach. However, UWB measurements are affected by outliers under the NLOS propagation of radio signals. In addition, INS tend to suffer from error accumulation without constraints imposed by observations from other sensors. To address these problems, an adaptive robust extended Kalman filter algorithm based on tightly coupled UWB/INS/floor map integration is proposed, with which the noise in the UWB observations can be adaptively adjusted. The integrated system performs NLOS identification based on a map line segment matching algorithm; then, abnormal observations are abandoned, or their weights are reduced to prevent the error accumulation of the INS from being incorrectly constrained. Finally, an evaluation based on experimental data shows the significant enhancement achieved with the proposed algorithm based on the integration of UWB technology, an INS and a floor map, which can achieve a 2-D positioning accuracy that corresponds to a root mean square error of 0.27 m. Thus, substantial improvements can be achieved for long-term operation in NLOS environments using the proposed integration scheme.

Time of Arrival Ranging and Localization Algorithm in Multi-Path and Non-Line-of-Sight Environments in OFDM System

Time of Arrival (TOA) is a widely used wireless cellular network ranging technology. How to perform accurate TOA estimation in multi-path and non-line-of-sight (NLOS) environments and then accurately calculating mobile terminal locations are two critical issues in positioning research. For NLOS identification, it can be performed in the TOA measurement part and the position calculation part, respectively. In this paper, for the above two steps, two schemes for mitigating NLOS errors are proposed. First of all, a TOA ranging method based on clustering theory is proposed to solve the problem of line of sight (LOS) path estimation in multi-path channels. We model TOA ranging as a Gaussian mixture model and illustrate how LOS and NLOS can be measured and identified based on non-parametric Bayesian methods when the wireless transmission environment is unknown. Moreover, for NLOS propagation channels, this paper proposes a user location estimator based on the maximum a posteriori (MAP) criterion. Combined with the TOA estimation and user location computation scheme proposed in this paper, the terminal's positioning accuracy is improved. Experiments show that the TOA measurement and localization algorithms presented in this paper have good robustness in complex wireless environments.

Non-Line-of-Sight Localization of Passive UHF RFID Tags in Smart Storage Systems

The UHF radio-frequency identification (RFID) has gained growing attention for tagged object localization in smart storage systems. Due to Non-Line-Of-Sight (NLOS) condition, it is challenging to accurately locate the position of tags inside closed spaces. In this paper, we propose a precise and cost-effective solution for tagged object localization in closed spaces, using only received signal strength (RSS) information. We establish a RSS profile for each tag and discover some important features of RSS profiles including uniqueness, time-variation, column-dependence and waveform-similarity. Based on these features, we propose a reference-free RSS-profile (RFRP) localization scheme. The advantage of our propose scheme is to accurately localize multiple tags in closed spaces by overcoming the challenges including the lack of pre-deployed reference tags, NLOS propagation, multi-path propagation and coupling effect. The RFRP scheme first roughly estimates tags’ coordinates based on Peak Asymmetry Factor, then acquires reference-tag substitutes through the similarity of RSS sequences. Subsequently, our scheme refines the relative positions of all tags by these substitutes. Finally all tags’ absolute positions are estimated through a RSS-ranging model. Extensive experiment results demonstrate that our approach can achieve high ordering accuracy and localization accuracy for the tags inside closed spaces.

Performance of MIMO-UWB for LOS and N-LOS Propagation

UWB transmits low power capable of working on the low signal to noise ratios. It acts as a jamming resistance whereas its performance is very high in multipath channels. It has a large channel capacity and simple transceiver architecture. Its performance is high even in noisy environments and possesses the least probability of intercepting and detecting capability. UWB is favored for use in driven battery devices. In this work, we have focused to simulate and evaluate the performance of Non-line of sight (N-LOS) BER (0–4 m) multiple input and multiple outputs—UWB for line of sight (LOS) and N-LOS conditions using Quadrature Phase shift Keying (QPSK) transmission scheme. The parameters such as error vector magnitude (EVM), bit error rate (BER), signal to noise ratio (SNR), constellation diagram, the spectrum of transmitting and receive signal are discussed and analyzed.

Indoor Localization Based on Infrared Angle of Arrival Sensor Network.

Accurate, inexpensive, and reliable real-time indoor localization holds the key to the full potential of the context-aware applications and location-based Internet of Things (IoT) services. State-of-the-art indoor localization systems are coping with the complex non-line-of-sight (NLOS) signal propagation which hinders the use of proven multiangulation and multilateration methods, as well as with prohibitive installation costs, computational demands, and energy requirements. In this paper, we present a novel sensor utilizing low-range infrared (IR) signal in the line-of-sight (LOS) context providing high precision angle-of-arrival (AoA) estimation. The proposed sensor is used in the pragmatic solution to the localization problem that avoids NLOS propagation issues by exploiting the powerful concept of the wireless sensor network (WSN). To demonstrate the proposed solution, we applied it in the challenging context of the supermarket cart navigation. In this specific use case, a proof-of-concept navigation system was implemented with the following components: IR-AoA sensor prototype and the corresponding WSN used for cart localization, server-side application programming interface (API), and client application suite consisting of smartphone and smartwatch applications. The localization performance of the proposed solution was assessed in, altogether, four evaluation procedures, including both empirical and simulation settings. The evaluation outcomes are ranging from centimeter-level accuracy achieved in static-1D context up to 1 m mean localization error obtained for a mobile cart moving at 140 cm/s in a 2D setup. These results show that, for the supermarket context, appropriate localization accuracy can be achieved, along with the real-time navigation support, using readily available IR technology with inexpensive hardware components.

A Novel Time Delay Estimation Algorithm for 5G Vehicle Positioning in Urban Canyon Environments.

Vehicle positioning with 5G can effectively compensate for the lack of vehicle positioning based on GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) in urban canyons. However, there is also a large ranging error in the non-line of sight (NLOS) propagation of 5G. Aiming to solve this problem, we consider a new time delay estimation algorithm called non-line of sight cancellation multiple signal classification (NC-MUSIC). This algorithm uses cross-correlation to identify and cancel the NLOS signal. Then, an unsupervised multipath estimation method is used to estimate the number of multipaths and extract the noise subspace. The MUSIC spectral function can be calculated by the noise subspace. Finally, the time delay of the direct path is estimated by searching the peak of MUSIC spectral function. This paper adopts the 5G channel model developed by 3GPP TR38.901 for simulation experiments. The experiment results demonstrated that the proposed algorithm has obvious advantages in terms of NLOS propagation for urban canyon environments. It provided a high-precision time delay estimation algorithm for observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA), joint angle of arrival (AOA) ranging, and other positioning methods in the 5G vehicle positioning method, which can effectively improve the positioning accuracy of 5G vehicle positioning in urban canyon environments.

A Grey Model and Mixture Gaussian Residual Analysis-Based Position Estimator in an Indoor Environment.

As the progress of electronics and information processing technology continues, indoor localization has become a research hotspot in wireless sensor networks (WSN). The adverse non-line of sight (NLOS) propagation usually causes large measurement errors in complex indoor environments. It could decrease the localization accuracy seriously. A traditional grey model considers the motion characteristics but does not take the NLOS propagation into account. A robust interacting multiple model (R-IMM) could effectively mitigate NLOS errors but the clipping point is hard to choose. In order to easily cope with NLOS errors, we present a novel filter framework: mixture Gaussian fitting-based grey Kalman filter structure (MGF-GKFS). Firstly, grey Kalman filter (GKF) is proposed to pre-process the measured distance, which can mitigate the process noise and alleviate NLOS errors. Secondly, we calculate the residual which is the difference between the filtered distance of GKF and the measured distance. Thirdly, a soft decision method based on mixture Gaussian fitting (MGF) is proposed to identify the propagation condition through residual value and give the degree of membership. Fourthly, weak NLOS noise is further processed by unscented Kalman filter (UKF). The filtered results of GKF and UKF are weighted using the degree of membership. Finally, a maximum likelihood (ML) algorithm is applied to get the coordinate of the target. MGF-GKFS is not supported by any of the priori knowledge. Full-scale simulations and an experiment are conducted to compare the localization accuracy and robustness with the state-of-the-art algorithms, including robust interacting multiple model (R-IMM), unscented Kalman filter (UKF) and interacting multiple model (IMM). The results show that MGF-GKFS could achieve significant improvement compared to R-IMM, UKF and IMM algorithms.