EP1500007B1

Blind source separation utilizing a spatial fourth order cumulant matrix pencil

Abstract

Blind source separation (BSS) of statistically independent signals with low signal-to-noise plus interference ratios under a narrowband assumption utilizes cumulants in conjunction with spectral estimation of the signal subspace to perform the blind separation. The BSS technique utilizes a higher-order statistical method, specifically fourth-order cumulants, with the generalized eigen analysis of a matrix-pencil to blindly separate a linear mixture of unknown, statistically independent, stationary narrowband signals at a low signal-to-noise plus interference ratio having the capability to separate signals in spatially and/or temporally correlated Gaussian noise. This BSS provides the ability to blindly separate signals in situations where no second-order technique has been found to perform the blind separation satisfactorily, for example, at a low signal-to-noise ratio when the number of sources equals the number of sensors or when the noise is spatially and temporally colored.

EP1500007B1, drawing sheet 1
Sheet 1 of 360

Term

Term ended

Expired 14 April 2023, 3.4 years ago.

  1. Priority
  2. Filed
  3. Granted
  4. Expired
  5. Today

10 claims: 3 independent, 7 dependent

  1. 1
    A method of separating a plurality of signals provided by a respective plurality of sources and received by an array comprising a plurality of elements, said method comprising the steps of:generating a separation matrix as a function of: time differences between receipt of said plurality of signals by said plurality of elements;and a spatial fourth order cumulant matrix pencil;and multiplying said separation matrix by a time series matrix representation of said plurality of signals;comprises wherein the step of generating the separation matrix comprises the steps of: estimating said spatial fourth order cumulant matrix pencil as a function of selected ones of said time differences;determining non-zero finite eigenvalues for said spatial fourth order cumulant matrix pencil;determining a number of said finite eigenvalues that are distinct;determining a multiplicity of each of said distinct finite eigenvalues;calculating linearly independent eigenvectors for each of said distinct finite eigenvalues;calculating, for each eigenvalue having a multiplicity equal to one, a normalization factor and generating a respective separation vector as a function of said normalization factor and an eigenvector corresponding to said eigenvalue having a multiplicity equal to one;generating, for each repeated eigenvalue, a separation vector as a function of an eigenvector corresponding to said repeated eigenvalue;and generating said separation matrix as a function of said separation vectors.
  2. 2
    A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said spatial fourth order cumulant matrix pencil is a function of a spatial fourth order cumulant matrix.
  3. 3
    A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein said spatial fourth order cumulant matrix is in accordance with the following equation:C x 4 τ 1 τ 2 τ 3 ≡ ∑ i = 1 N Cum ⁢ x i * ⁢ t - τ 1 ⁢ x i ⁢ t - τ 2 ⁢ x H ⁢ t - τ 3 , wherein: C x 4 τ 1 τ 2 τ 3 is said spatial fourth order cumulant matrix having a first time lag, τ 1 , a second time lag, τ 2 and a third time lag, τ 3 each time lag being indicative of a time delay from one of said plurality of sources to one of said plurality of elements;M is indicative of a number of a number of elements in said array;Cum ⁢ x i * ⁢ t - τ 1 ⁢ x i ⁢ t - τ 2 ⁢ x H ⁢ t - τ 3 is a cumulant operator on arguments x i * ⁢ t - τ 1 ⁢ x i ⁢ t - τ 2 ⁢ x H ⁢ t - τ 3 ;t is a variable representing time;x i * ⁢ t - τ 1 represents a complex conjugate of one of said plurality of signals from an i th source at time t-τ 1 ;x i (t-τ 2 ) represents one of said plurality of signals from an i th source at time t - τ 1 ;x(t) is a vector representation of said plurality of signals;and x H (t - τ 3 ) represents the Hermitian transpose of x ( t - τ 3 ).
  4. 4
    A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein:at least two of said plurality of elements have non-identical beam patterns.
  5. 5
    A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising calculating an efficiency of separating a signal from said plurality of signals, wherein said efficiency is a function of a ratio of a power of a separated signal and a power of a signal from a respective source.
  6. 6
    A system adapted to separate a plurality of signals provided by a respective plurality of sources, said system comprising:a receiver adapted to receive said plurality of signals and to provide received signals;and a signal processor adapted to receive said received signals, generate a separation matrix, and multiply said separation matrix by a time series matrix representation of said received signals;wherein: said separation matrix is a function of time differences between receipt of said plurality of signals by said receiver and a function of a spatial fourth order cumulant matrix pencil;wherein said signal processor comprises: a matrix pencil estimation portion for estimating said spatial fourth order cumulant matrix pencil as a function of selected ones of said time differences;a non-zero finite eigenvalue determination portion for determining non-zero finite eigenvalues for said spatial fourth order cumulant matrix pencil;a number of distinct eigenvalue determination portion for determining a number of said finite eigenvalues that are distinct;a multiplicity determination portion for determining a multiplicity of each of said distinct finite eigenvalues;a linearly independent eigenvector calculation portion for calculating linearly independent eigenvectors for each of said distinct finite eigenvalues;a normalization factor portion for calculating, for each eigenvalue having a multiplicity equal to one, a normalization factor and generating a respective separation vector as a function of said normalization factor and an eigenvector corresponding to said eigenvalue having a multiplicity equal to one;a separation vector generation portion for generating, for each repeated eigenvalue, a separation vector as a function of an eigenvector corresponding to said repeated eigenvalue;and a separation matrix generating portion for generating said separation matrix as a function of said separation vectors.
  7. 7
    A system in accordance with claim 6, wherein said receiver comprises a plurality of elements configured to form an array.
  8. 8
    A system in accordance with claim 7, wherein:said spatial fourth order cumulant matrix pencil is a function of a spatial fourth order cumulant matrix being a summation of steering vector outer products scaled by an individual source signal's fourth order cumulant;and said steering vector is indicative of respective phase delays between each element of said plurality of elements.
  9. 9
    A system in accordance claim 8, wherein said spatial fourth order cumulant matrix is in accordance with the following equation:C x 4 τ 1 τ 2 τ 3 ≡ ∑ i = 1 N Cum ⁢ x i * ⁢ t - τ 1 ⁢ x i ⁢ t - τ 2 ⁢ x H ⁢ t - τ 3 , wherein: C x 4 τ 1 τ 2 τ 3 is said spatial fourth order cumulant matrix having a first time lag, τ 1 , a second time lag, τ 2 , and a third time lag, τ 3 , each time lag being indicative of a time delay from one of said plurality of sources to one of said plurality of elements;M is indicative of a number of a number of elements in said array;Cum ⁢ x i * ⁢ t - τ 1 ⁢ x i ⁢ t - τ 2 ⁢ x H ⁢ t - τ 3 is a cumulant operator on arguments x i * ⁢ t - τ 1 ⁢ x i ⁢ t - τ 2 ⁢ x H ⁢ t - τ 3 ;t is a variable representing time;x i * ⁢ t - τ 1 represents a complex conjugate of one of said plurality of signals from an i th source at time t -τ 1 ;x i ( t-τ 2 ) represents one of said plurality of signals from an i th source at time t -τ 1 ;x(t) is a vector representation of said plurality of signals;and x H ( t- τ 3 ) represents the Hermitian transpose of x (t - τ 3 ).
  10. 10
    A system in accordance with claim 6 further comprising a separation power efficiency portion for calculating an efficiency of separating said plurality of signals in accordance with the following equation:ζ j ≡ S j / P j , wherein: ζ j is indicative of said separation power efficiency for a j th source of said plurality of sources;S j is indicative of a power of a separated signal from said j th source;and P j is indicative of a normalized power of a signal from said j th source.