An optimal Prior-knowLEDGE-based DOA estimation method

In some applications involving line spectra or direction of arrival (DOA) estimation, we may have known a priori information. This information could consist of known frequencies in Magnetoencephalography (MEG) or mechanical signals, or of known DOA´s in a RADAR urban scenario. With this fact in mind we propose an optimal method for array processing that exploits the information of the known DOA´s for estimating the unknown DOA´s as accurately as possible. This new Prior-knowLEDGE (PLEDGE) method is based on the method of direction estimation (MODE) approach. To show the benefits of incorporating prior-knowledge we also present the corresponding stochastic Cramér-Rao Bound (CRB). Finally, we apply PLEDGE for estimating frequencies in the current spectrum of an induction motor to perform the diagnosis on rotor bars.