Yimin D. Zhang

Color Image Segmentation Based on Mean Shift and Normalized Cuts

In this correspondence, we develop a novel approach that provides effective and robust segmentation of color images. By incorporating the advantages of the mean shift (MS) segmentation and the normalized cut (Ncut) partitioning methods, the proposed method requires low computational complexity and is therefore very feasible for real-time image segmentation processing. It preprocesses an image by using the MS algorithm to form segmented regions that preserve the desirable discontinuity characteristics of the image. The segmented regions are then represented by using the graph structures, and the Ncut method is applied to perform globally optimized clustering. Because the number of the segmented regions is much smaller than that of the image pixels, the proposed method allows a low-dimensional image clustering with significant reduction of the complexity compared to conventional graph-partitioning methods that are directly applied to the image pixels. In addition, the image clustering using the segmented regions, instead of the image pixels, also reduces the sensitivity to noise and results in enhanced image segmentation performance. Furthermore, to avoid some inappropriate partitioning when considering every region as only one graph node, we develop an improved segmentation strategy using multiple child nodes for each region. The superiority of the proposed method is examined and demonstrated through a large number of experiments using color natural scene images.

Generalized Coprime Array Configurations for Direction-of-Arrival Estimation

A coprime array uses two uniform linear subarrays to construct an effective difference coarray with certain desirable characteristics, such as a high number of degrees-of-freedom for direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation. In this paper, we generalize the coprime array concept with two operations. The first operation is through the compression of the inter-element spacing of one subarray and the resulting structure treats the existing variations of coprime array configurations as well as the nested array structure as its special cases. The second operation exploits two displaced subarrays, and the resulting coprime array structure allows the minimum inter-element spacing to be much larger than the typical half-wavelength requirement, making them useful in applications where a small interelement spacing is infeasible. The performance of the generalized coarray structures is evaluated using their difference coarray equivalence. In particular, we derive the analytical expressions for the coarray aperture, the achievable number of unique lags, and the maximum number of consecutive lags for quantitative evaluation, comparison, and design of coprime arrays. The usefulness of these results is demonstrated using examples applied for DOA estimations utilizing both subspace-based and sparse signal reconstruction techniques.

Three-Dimensional Wideband Beamforming for Imaging Through a Single Wall

Through-the-wall imaging and urban sensing is an emerging area of research and development. The incorporation of the effects of signal propagation through wall material in producing an indoor image is important for reliable through-the-wall mission operations. We have previously analyzed wall effects, such as refraction and change in propagation speed, and designed a wideband beamformer for 2D imaging using line arrays. In this letter, we extend the analysis to 3D imaging via delay-and-sum beamforming in the presence of a single uniform wall. The third dimension provides valuable information on target heights that can be used for enhancing target discrimination/identification. Supporting simulation results are provided.

Subspace analysis of spatial time-frequency distribution matrices

Spatial time-frequency distributions (STFDs) have been previously introduced as the natural means to deal with source signals that are localizable in the time-frequency domain. Previous work in the area has not provided the eigenanalysis of STFD matrices, which is key to understanding their role in solving direction finding and blind source separation problems in multisensor array receivers. The aim of this paper is to examine the eigenstructure of the STFD matrices. We develop the analysis and statistical properties of the subspace estimates based on STFDs for frequency modulated (FM) sources. It is shown that improved estimates are achieved by constructing the subspaces from the time-frequency signatures of the signal arrivals rather than from the data covariance matrices, which are commonly used in conventional subspace estimation methods. This improvement is evident in a low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) environment and in the cases of closely spaced sources. The paper considers the MUSIC technique to demonstrate the advantages of STFDs and uses it as grounds for comparison between time-frequency and conventional subspace estimates.

Localization and Tracking of Passive RFID Tags Based on Direction Estimation

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is poised for growth as businesses and governments explore applications implementing RFID. The RFID technology will continue to evolve to meet new demands for human and target location and tracking. In particular, there are increasing needs to locate and track multiple RFID-tagged items that are closely spaced. As a result, localization and tracking techniques with higher accuracy yet low implementation complexity are required. This paper examines the applicability of direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation methods to the localization and tracking problems of passive RFID tags. Different scenarios of stationary and moving targets are considered. It is shown through performance analysis and simulation results that simple DOA estimation methods can be used to provide satisfactory localization performance.

Sparsity-based DOA estimation using co-prime arrays

In this paper, we propose co-prime arrays for effective direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation. To fully utilize the virtual aperture achieved in the difference co-array constructed from a co-prime array structure, sparsity-based spatial spectrum estimation technique is exploited. Compared to existing techniques, the proposed technique achieves better utilization of the co-array aperture and thus results in increased degrees-of-freedom as well as improved DOA estimation performance.

New approach for target locations in the presence of wall ambiguities

A technique for target location estimation in through-the-wall radar imaging applications is presented. The algorithm corrects for the shifts in target positions due to ambiguities in the wall thickness and dielectric constant. We consider uniform walls and perform imaging using wideband beamforming, with the antennas placed against the wall. Behind-the-wall images are obtained using different structures of transmit and receive arrays. For each array structure, a trajectory of the shifts in the target locations is generated assuming different wall parameters. The target position is estimated as the intersection of the corresponding trajectories. The paper shows that for unknown wall thickness or dielectric constant, the point of intersection is the true target position. In the case when both parameters are unknown, the estimated target location is in close proximity to the target true position. It is demonstrated that the performance of the proposed technique is rather insensitive to the target location behind the wall and to various array structures.

Optimum Performance Boundaries of OSTBC Based AF-MIMO Relay System With Energy Harvesting Receiver

This paper studies the optimum performance boundaries of a two-hop multi-antenna amplify-and-forward (AF) relay system with a multi-antenna energy harvesting (EH) receiver. The source and relay nodes employ orthogonal space-time block codes for data transmission. When instantaneous channel state information (CSI) is available, we design joint optimal source and relay precoders to achieve different tradeoffs between the energy and information transfers, which are characterized by the boundary of the rate-energy (R-E) region. For this purpose, the optimization problem is formulated as a relaxed convex problem but its optimality is confirmed with a proof that rank-one optimal precoders can always be obtained. As a consequence, it is shown that the full-rate OSTBC, like the Alamouti code, can be employed for an arbitrary number of antennas at the transmit nodes (source and relay) and support up to seven simultaneously existing EH receivers. When only second order statistics of the CSI is available, the tradeoff between outage probability (OP) and energy is characterized by the boundary of the OP-energy (OP-E) region. In this case, the precoder design problem is formulated using a convex upper bound approximation to the OP, since the exact OP expression is difficult for tractable optimization. Numerical results show that the OP-E region obtained with the upper bound of the OP is better than that with the approach based on maximization of the long-term average signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The role of the different parameters such as average SNR, numbers of antennas, and spatial correlation on the boundaries of the R-E and OP-E regions is demonstrated via simulations.

Multifrequency-based range estimation of RFID Tags

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is a rapidly developing wireless communication technology for electronically identifying, locating, and tracking products, assets, and personnel. RFID has become one of the primarily means to construct a real-time locating system (RTLS) that tracks and identifies the location of objects in real time using simple, inexpensive tags attached to or embedded in objects and readers that receive the wireless signals from these tags to determine their locations. Most RFID tag localization techniques heavily rely on precise estimation of the range between a reader and the tags. Traditionally, range information is obtained from the received signal strength indication (RSSI). Such approach is inaccurate, particularly in a complicated propagation environment. Recent development on phase difference of arrival (PDOA) allows coherent signal processing for improved range estimation performance. Exploiting multiple frequencies may further improve the range estimation performance. In this paper, we focus on multifrequency-based techniques to achieve several important advantages in the range estimation of passive or semi-passive RFID tags. The use of well designed multiple frequencies allows effective phase upwrapping and elimination of the range ambiguity problem which may be encountered in PDOA methods. In a complicated propagation environment, the mutifrequency-based techniques provide frequency diversity for robust range estimation when signals are highly faded at some frequencies. These advantages not only yield improved range estimation accuracy of RFID tags in various applications, but also enable robust range estimation in challenging scenarios.

Energy harvesting in an OSTBC based amplify-and-forward MIMO relay system

This paper investigates performance limits of a two-hop multi-antenna amplify-and-forward (AF) relay system in the presence of a multi-antenna energy harvesting receiver. The source and relay nodes of the two-hop AF system employ orthogonal space-time block codes for data transmission. We derive joint optimal source and relay precoders to achieve different tradeoffs between the energy transfer capability and the information rate, which are characterized by the boundary of the so-called rate-energy (R-E) region. Numerical results demonstrate the effect of different parameters on the boundary of the R-E region.