Optimal geometry analysis for elliptic target localization by multistatic radar with independent bistatic channels

This paper derives the optimal angular geometry for elliptic time-of-arrival localization by a multistatic radar consisting of multiple independent bistatic channels. The optimal geometry analysis is conducted based on minimization of the area of the estimation confidence region which is equivalent to maximizing the determinant of the Fisher information matrix. It is shown that the optimal angular geometry is obtained when the transmitter and receiver of each bistatic channel are collinear with the target where the target is placed at the either end. The optimization problem therefore boils down to determination of the optimal angular separation between different bistatic channels which is mathematically equivalent to the optimal angular sensor separation for angle-of-arrival localization. These analytical results are confirmed by simulation examples.