Comparative analysis of frequency estimation methods

Frequency estimation as the key technique of signal processing is applied to almost all the engineering technology fields. According to the different frequency components of the signal, frequency estimation methods involving single frequency and intensive frequency are sorted. Frequency estimation methods of single frequency signal are divided into center of gravity method, phase difference method, amplitude ratio method, golden section method, triangle method and power spectral estimation method. Frequency estimation methods of intensive frequency signal are classified as chirp Z transform (CZT) method, zoom-FFT method, iteration, full phase method, improved ratio method, modern signal processing methods and information fusion method. The properties of each method have been given through analyzing these ideologies. Synthesized comparison two kinds of methods respectively, and then analytical tabulations have been put forward from the characteristics of real-time, anti-noise capability, universality, complexity, estimation accuracy and accuracy promotion space and so on. At last, the prospects of the future development for frequency estimation methods are discussed.