Analysis and Simulation of RF Source Location Estimation Using Hybrid AOA and TOA Technique

Abstract

Locating the position of fixed or moving sources (transmitters) in a noisy environment has been a subject of interest in both military and civilian applications. The 3D location of the RF source could be estimated if enough information about the environment is available. Gathering the information of an RF source in three dimensions is commonly done in real-time situation by using two RF receivers. In the present work, the three objects, source, and the two receivers are moving independently in different platforms. Till nowadays, most researchers are assuming one of three platforms: either stationary receivers and stationary source, moving receivers and stationary source, or stationary receivers and moving source. The present work aims to analyze and simulate the three platforms and investigates a fourth platform which is of moving RF receivers to locate a moving RF source in space. The simulation developed in this paper provides a better understanding of the location estimation platforms. The source location system is continuously receiving the source information measured by the receivers and applying a direct and simple proposed estimation algorithm. The proposed algorithm is simulated and applied to deal with all platforms. Straight line and maneuvering platforms are considered. The presented algorithm used a hybrid situation of Angle Of Arrival (AOA) and Time Of Arrival (TOA) techniques. The estimation process is considered assuming input noise due to data measurement. The source location resulting errors are small. MATLAB software is used to build up and test the system simulation, carry out calculations and present the output results and figures.

Keywords: Locating RF Emitting Source, Fixed-moving source-receivers platforms, AOA model, TOA model, Hybrid AOA and TOA model.