Localization of a person moving with an unknown character of motion

• Published in: Journal of electromagnetic waves and applications 2021-03, Vol.35 (5), p.647-671
• Main Authors: Švecová, Mária, Kocur, Dušan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Detection; localization; moving person; signal processing; static person; time-variable movement; tracking; UWB radar
• ISSN: 0920-5071; 1569-3937
• DOI: 10.1080/09205071.2020.1851777

In the last decade, it has been shown that short-range ultra-wideband (UWB) sensors can provide promising solutions to the issue of people localization in many interesting applications. The applicability of particular localization methods utilizing this wireless technology depends on the form of the motion of the monitored person. Therefore, great effort was initially taken to localize people who always carry out the same type of movement, i.e. to localize either moving or only static persons. In real life, people do not move always by the same form of the motion, but the character of their movement is normally time-variable. Moreover, a person-monitoring system has usually no a priori information about the movement status of the person to be monitored. The issue of localization of persons moving both by an unknown and changing character of motion has not been satisfactorily addressed. Motivated by these findings, we will introduce a new concept of UWB sensor signal processing focused on localization of a person moving with an unknown and time-variable character of motion. This concept is based on the decomposition of possible motion activities of persons into a finite set of basic forms of movement defining the so-called types of persons, while a specific signal processing procedure is proposed. The corresponding form of a person's movement is first identified and then the person is detected and localized. The performance properties of this concept will be illustrated by its application for through-the-wall localization of a person moving with short and long stops.