Sonar detection performance improvement using embedded watermark

Embedding of a digital watermark in a sonar waveform has been recently proposed. The detection of the watermark is subsequently used for identification and authentication. Generally, a matched filter receiver is used for the detection of unmarked pulses. However, if the pulse carries a watermark we can exploit the knowledge of the watermark to improve the detection rate of the sonar pulse itself. This operation takes place in the proposed joint detector. If the received pulse is unmarked, we show that the detection rate is virtually identical to the matched filter receiver.