arXiv subjects

R. Michael Buehrer

Publications and source records attributed to R. Michael Buehrer.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Optimal Anchor Placement for Wireless Localization in Mixed LOS and NLOS Scenarios

This paper develops a general optimal experimental design framework for anchor placement in localization and related estimation problems whose Fisher information matrix (FIM) can be expressed as a weighted sum of rank-one matrices. Within this framework, anchor locations are selected to optimize Cramér--Rao lower bound (CRLB)-based performance measures, while accounting jointly for measurement geometry and information strength. As a challenging motivating application, we consider localization in diffraction-dominated non-line-of-sight (NLOS) outdoor-to-indoor (O2I) environments, where the direct path is severely attenuated or blocked. Although diffraction-based time-of-arrival (TOA) measurements can provide useful positioning information, optimal anchor placement is less intuitive than in conventional line-of-sight (LOS) settings because both the measurement directions and their information strengths depend on the propagation environment. The proposed $S_n,r_n$ -based FIM representation compactly captures this interaction between geometry and signal strength. For a single target, it yields a polygon-closure interpretation and characterizes the conditions under which A-, D-, and E-optimal anchor geometries coincide. We then extend the framework to region-wide anchor placement by constructing a precomputed anchor--target dictionary and formulating min--max E- and D-optimal anchor-selection problems as mixed-integer second-order cone programs. Numerical results demonstrate the resulting anchor layouts, localization bounds, and computational tradeoffs in a mixed-LOS/NLOS O2I environment. While the analysis is instantiated and evaluated for diffraction-based O2I localization, its underlying results apply broadly to estimation and anchor-placement problems with weighted rank-one-sum FIMs.

eess.SP↗

arXiv2026

Björck Sequences: Extension to Arbitrary Lengths, Correlation Analysis, and Applications to Wireless Systems

In this paper, we propose a sequence construction framework that extends prime-length Björck sequences, a class of Constant Amplitude Zero Autocorrelation (CAZAC) sequences, to arbitrary lengths using Goldbach's conjecture for even and odd integers. The framework is generic and applies to any CAZAC family defined for prime lengths and supports extensions to both cyclically shifted sequences and sequences with different root indices. We analytically characterize the resulting correlation behavior and show that the construction preserves orthogonality among cyclic shifts while maintaining favorable zero-lag cross-correlation across different root-index sequences. We further investigate Björck sequences as candidates for reference signals in next-generation wireless systems. Using the proposed framework, we extend Björck sequences to arbitrary lengths and evaluate their time- and frequency-offset estimation performance in terrestrial (TNs) and non-terrestrial networks (NTNs). Results show performance comparable to Zadoff--Chu (ZC) sequences in low-Doppler TN environments and improved robustness in high-Doppler NTN scenarios due to superior ambiguity-function properties. We also identify an inherent Doppler-dependent behavior that can cause sequence misidentification under large Doppler shifts. To address this, we propose two mitigation strategies: (i) leveraging coarse Doppler estimates prior to detection, and (ii) selecting appropriately spaced subsets of orthogonal sequences. Ambiguity function-based analysis demonstrates the effectiveness of these approaches in improving estimation reliability. Overall, this work enables practical arbitrary-length CAZAC sequence design and establishes Björck sequences as a strong alternative for reference signal design in high-Doppler environments.

eess.SP↗

arXiv2026

Multistatic Radar Performance in the Presence of Distributed Wireless Synchronization

This paper proposes a multistatic radar (MSR) system utilizing a distributed wireless synchronization protocol. The wireless synchronization protocol uses a two-tone waveform exchange for frequency synchronization and a bi-directional waveform exchange for time synchronization, independent of GPS. A Bayesian Cramer-Rao lower bound (BCRLB) framework is developed to quantify the impact of synchronization offsets on joint delay and Doppler estimation, and consequently, on target localization and velocity estimation accuracy. Simulation results derived from the analytical expressions establish the extent to which the residual synchronization offsets degrade the MSR's performance. The performance of the synchronization links primarily depends on the synchronization-link channel and transmit parameters; optimizing these parameters enables the MSR configuration to surpass the monostatic performance and approach the ideal case. Furthermore, the simulated synchronization-link parameters suggest that practical implementation is feasible.

eess.SP↗

arXiv2026

Full Motion State Localization with Extra Large Aperture Arrays

Conventional localization techniques typically assume far-field (FF) propagation characterized by planar wavefronts and simplified spatial relationships. The use of higher carrier frequencies has given rise to the paradigm of extra large aperture arrays (ELAAs) which consist of a large number of tightly packed antenna elements. These arrays have a large electrical aperture which increases the Fraunhofer distance making the FF assumption restrictive. As a result, near-field (NF) effects, such as spherical wavefront curvature, direction dependent gains, and spatial variations in Doppler and delay, become significant even at distances previously regarded as FF. This paradigm shift opens up new opportunities: the rich multi-parametric structure of NF models if properly exploited can enable superior localization accuracy. In this work, we investigate the potential of multi-snapshot, full-motion state (3D position, 3D velocity, and 2D orientation) estimation using delay and Doppler measurements for a mobile receiver equipped with a linear ELAA in an environment comprising a number of wideband anchors. We develop a signal model that captures both the NF propagation geometry and spatially varying Doppler effects. We perform an information-theoretic analysis to establish Cramer-Rao lower bounds (CRLB) on the achievable position error bound (PEB), velocity error bound (VEB), and orientation error bound (OEB), respectively. We reveal that delay measurements carry richer information than Doppler measurements, and standalone Doppler measurements cannot overcome information losses due to unknown channel gains and frequency offsets, enabling only coarse estimation capabilities. We also propose a maximum-likelihood (ML) approach to jointly estimate the 8D position parameters from measured channel characteristics.

eess.SP↗

arXiv2026

LEO-based Carrier-Phase Positioning for 6G: Design Insights and Comparison with GNSS

The integration of non-terrestrial networks (NTN) into 5G new radio (NR) enables a new class of positioning capabilities based on cellular signals transmitted by Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. In this paper, we investigate joint delay-and-carrier-phase positioning for LEO-based NR-NTN systems and provide a convergence-centric comparison with Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). We show that the rapid orbital motion of LEO satellites induces strong temporal and geometric diversity across observation epochs, thereby improving the conditioning of multi-epoch carrier-phase models and enabling significantly faster integer-ambiguity convergence. To enable robust carrier-phase tracking under intermittent positioning reference signal (PRS) transmissions, we propose a dual-waveform design that combines wideband PRS for delay estimation with a continuous narrowband carrier for phase tracking. Using a realistic simulation framework incorporating LEO orbit dynamics, we demonstrate that LEO-based joint delay-and-carrier-phase positioning achieves cm-level accuracy with convergence times on the order of a few seconds, whereas GNSS remains limited to meter-level accuracy over comparable short observation windows. These results establish LEO-based cellular positioning as a strong complement and potential alternative to GNSS for high-accuracy positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services in future wireless networks.

cs.IT↗

arXiv2025

Neural Network-Assisted RIS Weight Optimization for Spatial Nulling in Distorted Reflector Antenna Systems

Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) have recently been proposed as an effective means for spatial interference suppression in large reflector antenna systems. Existing RIS weight optimization algorithms typically rely on accurate theoretical radiation models. However, in practice, distortions on the reflector antenna may cause mismatches between the theoretical and true antenna patterns, leading to degraded interference cancellation performance when these weights are directly applied. In this report, a residual learning network-assisted simulated annealing (ResNet-SA) framework is proposed to address this mismatch without requiring explicit knowledge of the distorted electric field. By learning the residual difference between the theoretical and true antenna gains, a neural network (NN) is embedded in a heuristic optimization algorithm to find the optimal weight vector. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed approach achieves improved null depth in the true radiation pattern as compared with conventional methods that optimize weights based solely on the theoretical model, validating the effectiveness of the ResNet-SA algorithm for reflector antenna systems with approximate knowledge of the pattern.

eess.SP↗

arXiv2025

RIS-Aided Spatial Nulling: Algorithms, Analysis, and Nulling Limits

Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS) have recently gained attention as a means to dynamically shape the wireless propagation environment through programmable reflection control. Among the numerous applications, an important emerging use case is employing RIS as an auxiliary mechanism for spatial interference nulling, particularly in large ground-based reflector antennas where sidelobe interference can significantly degrade the system performance. With the growing density of satellites and terrestrial emitters, algorithms with faster convergence speed and better performance are needed. This work investigates RIS-equipped reflector antennas as a representative example of RIS-assisted spatial nulling and develop algorithms for sidelobe cancellation at specific directions and frequencies under various constraints. For the continuous-phase case, we adapt the gradient projection (GP) and alternating projection (AP) algorithms for scalability and propose a closed-form near-optimal solution that achieves satisfactory nulling performance with significantly reduced complexity. For the discrete-phase case, we reformulate the problem using a penalty method and solve it via majorization-minimization, outperforming the heuristic methods from our earlier work. Further, we analyze the electric field characteristics across multiple interference directions and frequencies to quantify the nulling capability of the RIS-aided reflectors, and identify a simple criterion for the existence of unimodular weights enabling perfect nulls. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods and confirm the theoretical nulling limits.

eess.SP↗

arXiv2025

On the Limits of Coherent Time-Domain Cancellation of Radio Frequency Interference

In many sensing (viz., radio astronomy) and radar applications, the received signal of interest (SOI) exhibits a significantly wider bandwidth or weaker power than the interference signal, rendering it indistinguishable from the background noise. Such scenarios arise frequently in applications such as passive radar, cognitive radio, low-probability-of-intercept (LPI) radar, and planetary radar for radio astronomy, where canceling the radio frequency interference (RFI) is critical for uncovering the SOI. In this work, we examine the Demodulation-Remodulation (Demod-Remod) based interference cancellation framework for the RFI. This approach demodulates the unknown interference, creates a noise-free interference replica, and coherently subtracts it from the received signal. To evaluate the performance limits, we employ the performance metric termed \textit{interference rejection ratio} (IRR), which quantifies the interference canceled. We derive the analytical expressions of IRR as a function of the optimal estimation variances of the signal parameters. Simulation results confirm the accuracy of the analytical expression for both single-carrier and multi-carrier interference signals and demonstrate that the method can substantially suppress the interference at a sufficient interference-to-noise ratio (INR), enabling enhanced detection and extraction of the SOI. We further extend the analysis to the scenario where the SOI is above the noise floor, and confirm the validity of the theoretical IRR expression in this scenario. Lastly, we compare the Demod-Remod technique to other time-domain cancellation methods. The result of the comparison identifies the conditions under which each method is preferred, offering practical guidelines for interference mitigation under different scenarios.

eess.SP↗

arXiv2025

Interference Mitigation Recommender System using U-Net Autoencoders

Building on the previous work on interference mitigation, this paper introduces a modular recommender system that automatically selects the most effective interference mitigation strategy based on the interference characteristics present in the received signal. The system integrates three key stages: an SPS classifier module, a SIR predictor, and a bank of specialized U-Net autoencoders designed for different interference conditions. The classification block identifies the parameters required for cancellation. The recommender then directs the signal to the appropriate mitigation model, optionally incorporating SIR-based decisions for scenarios where successive interference cancellation may be advantageous. Experiments conducted across diverse SIR levels and modulation environments show that the recommender strategy improves robustness and reduces BER compared to using any single mitigation method alone. The results demonstrate the potential of adaptive, model-selective architectures to enhance interference resilience in dynamic communication environments.

eess.SP↗

arXiv2025

On the Ability of Deep Learning to Detect Signals with Unknown Parameters

In many signal processing applications, including communications, sonar, radar, and localization, a fundamental problem is the detection of a signal of interest in background noise, known as signal detection [1] [2]. A simple version of this problem is the detection of a signal of interest with unknown parameters in Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN). When the parameters defining the signal are not known, an optimal detector (in the Neyman-Pearson sense) does not exist. An upper bound on the performance of any detector is the matched filter, which implies perfect sample by sample knowledge of the signal of interest. In recent years Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) have proven to be very effective at hypothesis testing problems such as object detection and image classification. This paper examines the application of DNN-based approaches to the signal detection problem at the raw I/Q level and compares them to statistically based approaches as well as the Matched Filter. These methods aim to maximize the Probability of Detection Pd while maintaining a constant Probability of False Alarm PF A. Two Machine Learning (ML) algorithms are trained and assessed on this signal detection problem, across three signal of interest models. A model was also trained on a unified dataset and assessed across all signals of interest.

eess.SP↗

arXiv2025

Interference Mitigation using U-Net Autoencoder based system

This paper proposes a U-Net-based autoencoder framework for mitigating interference in communication signals corrupted by noise and diverse interference sources. The approach targets scenarios involving both signal-plus-noise and signal-plus-interference-plus-noise mixtures, including sinusoidal interferers, LFM chirps, QPSK interferers with different sampling rates, and modulated interference such as QAM. The U-Net architecture leverages multiscale feature extraction and skip connections to preserve fine-grained temporal structure while suppressing interference components. Performance is evaluated using bit error rate and compared against conventional cancellation methods. Results show that the proposed method consistently outperforms traditional techniques in low- and mid-SIR regimes, while remaining competitive at high SIRs. Additional experiments examine the autoencoder's behavior under model mismatch conditions such as carrier offset and colored noise. The study demonstrates that multiscale neural architectures provide a flexible and effective platform for interference mitigation across a wide range of interference types.

eess.SP↗

arXiv2025

Two-Stage Weighted Projection for Reliable Low-Complexity Cooperative and Non-Cooperative Localization

In this paper, we propose a two-stage weighted projection method (TS-WPM) for time-difference-of-arrival (TDOA)-based localization, providing provable improvements in positioning accuracy, particularly under high geometric dilution of precision (GDOP) and low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) conditions. TS-WPM employs a two-stage iterative refinement approach that dynamically updates both range and position estimates, effectively mitigating residual errors while maintaining computational efficiency. Additionally, we extend TS-WPM to support cooperative localization by leveraging two-way time-of-arrival (TW-TOA) measurements, which enhances positioning accuracy in scenarios with limited anchor availability. To analyze TS-WPM, we derive its error covariance matrix and mean squared error (MSE), establishing conditions for its optimality and robustness. To facilitate rigorous evaluation, we develop a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)-compliant analytical framework, incorporating 5G New Radio (NR) physical layer aspects as well as large-scale and small-scale fading. As part of this, we derive a generalized Cramér-Rao lower bound (CRLB) for multipath propagation and introduce a novel non-line-of-sight (NLOS) bias model that accounts for propagation conditions and SNR variations. Our evaluations demonstrate that TS-WPM achieves near-CRLB performance and consistently outperforms state-of-the-art weighted nonlinear least squares (WNLS) in high GDOP and low SNR scenarios. Moreover, cooperative localization with TS-WPM significantly enhances accuracy, especially when an insufficient number of anchors (such as 2) are visible. Finally, we analyze the computational complexity of TS-WPM, showing its balanced trade-off between accuracy and efficiency, making it a scalable solution for real-time localization in next-generation networks.

cs.IT↗

arXiv2025

Experimental Demonstration of Robust Distributed Wireless Clock Synchronization

Distributed wireless clock synchronization is essential for aligning the clocks of distributed transceivers in support of joint transmission and reception techniques. One recently explored method involves synchronizing distributed transceivers using a two-tone waveform, where the tones are separated in frequency by a clock (frequency) reference signal. Prior research has demonstrated frequency accuracy better than 1 Hz; however, this approach remains vulnerable to both intentional and unintentional interference. In this demonstration, we present a robust, frequency-hopped two-tone waveform that enables transceivers to extract the reference signal without prior knowledge of the exact frequency at which the tones are transmitted.

eess.SP↗

arXiv2025

Multi-Target Detection for Cognitive MIMO Radar Networks

In this work, we develop centralized and decentralized signal fusion techniques for constant false alarm rate (CFAR) multi-target detection with a cognitive radar network in unknown noise and clutter distributions. Further, we first develop a detection statistic for co-located monostatic MIMO radar in unknown noise and clutter distributions which is asymptotically CFAR as the number of received pulses over all antennas grows large, and we provide conditions under which this detection statistic is valid. We leverage reinforcement learning (RL) for improved multi-target detection performance, where the radar learns likely target locations in a search area. These results are then generalized to the setting of cognitive radar networks, where radars collaborate to learn where targets are likely to appear in a search area. We show a fundamental tradeoff between the spatial and temporal domain for CFAR detection in unknown noise and clutter distributions; in other words, we show a tradeoff between the number of radar antennas and the number of temporal samples. We show the benefits and tradeoffs with centralized and decentralized detection with a network of cognitive radars.

eess.SP↗

arXiv2025

Impact of Frequency on Diffraction-Aided Wireless Positioning

This paper tackles the challenge of accurate positioning in Non-Line-of-Sight (NLoS) environments, with a focus on indoor public safety scenarios where NLoS bias severely impacts localization performance. We explore Diffraction MultiPath Components (MPC) as a critical mechanism for Outdoor-to-Indoor (O2I) signal propagation and its role in positioning. The proposed system comprises outdoor Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV) transmitters and indoor receivers that require localization. To facilitate diffraction-based positioning, we develop a method to isolate diffraction MPCs at indoor receivers and validate its effectiveness using a ray-tracing-generated dataset, which we have made publicly available. Our evaluation across the FR1, FR2, and FR3 frequency bands within the 5G/6G spectrum confirms the viability of diffraction-based positioning techniques for next-generation wireless networks.

eess.SP↗

arXiv2025

LEO-based Positioning: Foundations, Signal Design, and Receiver Enhancements for 6G NTN

The integration of non-terrestrial networks (NTN) into 5G new radio (NR) has opened up the possibility of developing a new positioning infrastructure using NR signals from Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. Compared to existing Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), LEO-based cellular positioning offers several advantages, such as a superior link budget, higher operating bandwidth, and large forthcoming constellations. Due to these factors, LEO-based positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) is a potential enhancement for NTN in 6G cellular networks. However, extending the existing terrestrial cellular positioning methods to LEO-based NTN positioning requires key fundamental enhancements. These include creating broad positioning beams orthogonal to conventional communication beams, time-domain processing at the user equipment (UE) to resolve large delay and Doppler uncertainties, and efficiently accommodating positioning reference signals (PRS) from multiple satellites within the communication resource grid. In this paper, we present the first set of design insights by incorporating these enhancements and thoroughly evaluating LEO-based positioning, considering the constraints and capabilities of the NR-NTN physical layer. To evaluate the performance of LEO-based NTN positioning, we develop a comprehensive NR-compliant simulation framework, including LEO orbit simulation, transmission (Tx) and receiver (Rx) architectures, and a positioning engine incorporating the necessary enhancements. Our findings suggest that LEO-based NTN positioning could serve as a complementary infrastructure to GNSS and, with appropriate enhancements, may also offer a viable alternative.

cs.IT↗

arXiv2025

A New Statistical Approach to Calibration-Free Localization Using Unlabeled Crowdsourced Data

Fingerprinting-based indoor localization methods typically require labor-intensive site surveys to collect signal measurements at known reference locations and frequent recalibration, which limits their scalability. This paper addresses these challenges by presenting a novel approach for indoor localization that utilizes crowdsourced data without location labels. We leverage the statistical information of crowdsourced data and propose a cumulative distribution function (CDF) based distance estimation method that maps received signal strength (RSS) to distances from access points. This approach overcomes the limitations of conventional distance estimation based on the empirical path loss model by efficiently capturing the impacts of shadow fading and multipath. Compared to fingerprinting, our unsupervised statistical approach eliminates the need for signal measurements at known reference locations. The estimated distances are then integrated into a three-step framework to determine the target location. The localization performance of our proposed method is evaluated using RSS data generated from ray-tracing simulations. Our results demonstrate significant improvements in localization accuracy compared to methods based on the empirical path loss model. Furthermore, our statistical approach, which relies on unlabeled data, achieves localization accuracy comparable to that of the supervised approach, the $k$-Nearest Neighbor ($k$NN) algorithm, which requires fingerprints with location labels. For reproducibility and future research, we make the ray-tracing dataset publicly available at [2].

eess.SP↗

arXiv2025

Distributed Uplink Joint Transmission for 6G Communication

This paper investigates the spectral efficiency achieved through uplink joint transmission, where a serving user and the network users (UEs) collaborate by jointly transmitting to the base station (BS). The analysis incorporates the resource requirements for information sharing among UEs as a critical factor in the capacity evaluation. Furthermore, coherent and non-coherent joint transmission schemes are compared under various transmission power scenarios, providing insights into spectral and energy efficiency. A selection algorithm identifying the optimal UEs for joint transmission, achieving maximum capacity, is discussed. The results indicate that uplink joint transmission is one of the promising techniques for enabling 6G, achieving greater spectral efficiency even when accounting for the resource requirements for information sharing.

eess.SP↗