Time-frequency detection using Gabor filter bank and Viterbi based grouping algorithm

The problem of signal detection, followed by a characterization stage, is considered in this paper. The main difficulties arising in the detection stage are caused by noise, which acts in a real environment, and by multiple time-frequency (TF) structures of the signal. In this paper a detection method based on the adaptive grouping of the TF information provided by a Gabor filter bank is proposed. A Viterbi-type algorithm is used as a tool for grouping of TF components. The results obtained for real data prove the capability of the proposed approach for accurately detect and characterize signals with a complex TF behavior.