Data Fusion in MIMO DVB-T-Based Passive Coherent Location

Efficient combination of MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output) and PCL (passive coherent location) ideas is expected to improve performance of localization schemes. While, in general, adding the number of transmit and receive antennas provides spatial diversity, it is possible to obtain similar effects by using multiple transmitters that are already transmitting standard signals (such as digital TV (DTV) transmission) in the environment (also known as illuminators of opportunity). However, in the case of passive schemes, it is not always possible to ensure that signals of different transmitters are orthogonal to each other. In such cases in which nonorthogonal transmitter signals are to be used, resolving signals of multiple transmitters reflected from multiple objects is not a trivial problem. One such scenario arises when transmitters of a single frequency network (SFN) are used. Consequently, in order to obtain the desired diversity gain and maintain the correct localization, it is necessary to develop proper techniques to assign each echo that arrives at the receivers to a given transmitter and a specific object that is to be localized. We propose a scheme that addresses the association problem in an efficient way.