University of Alaska

Curt A L Szuberla

John V Olson

Kenneth M Arnoult, Jr

Methods and systems are provided herein for signal source tracking. A signal emitted over time from a moving source is a collection of small sub-signals that were emitted by the source at different positions along its path. If the source is traveling at a slower speed than the signal, the sub-signals will arrive at a given sensor in the same order that they were released. By identifying the locations and times of the releases of several of these sub-signals, the path and velocity of the moving source can be estimated.

Methods and systems for source tracking

Disclosed herein is a fast method that locates nearby sources based solely on the time-of-flight of a signal across an array of sensors. The time delay for signal passage between all pairs of sensors is determined using cross-correlation estimates and a vector of time delays, &#x3c4;, is constructed from the results. In the noise free case, each point in the plane is associated with a unique value of the &#x3c4; vector. The plane is searched for a source location by minimizing the difference between the value of &#x3c4; associated with the candidate location on the plane and the value estimated from cross-correlations. The search takes place over the three dimensional space that includes two coordinates in the plane and the propagation speed. The starting point for the search is constructed from an analytic fit of circular wave fronts to groups of sensors within the array.

Growing community of inventors

Fairbanks, AK, United States of America

Curt A L Szuberla