Hidden Markov estimation of bistatic range from cluttered ultra-wideband impulse responses

Multistatic radar is used for target detection and tracking in buildings and rooms. Target detection and tracking relies on accurate knowledge of the excess delay of the multipath component which travels from the transmitter, to the target, and then to the receiver. If the environment creates many multipath components, individual ultra-wideband (UWB) impulses overlap. We seek to accurately estimate a target´s excess delay by considering the difference between the channel impulse response (CIR) and a known CIR of the static environment as a hidden Markov model (HMM). Experimental CIRs are used to test the performance of this model, as well as energy detection. The RMSE from applying a HMM was 2.7 ns and 2.8 ns and from applying energy detection was 5.3ns and 5.2 ns for two experimental setups.