Direct one-bit DOA estimation robust in presence of unequal power signals

Direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation is a crucial task in wireless communication and radar systems, with applications spanning beamforming, localization, and target tracking. Conventional methods often require high-resolution quantization, imposing challenges and complexities, particularly in large-scale antenna arrays. One-bit DOA estimation has emerged as a groundbreaking alternative, aiming to achieve accurate results without the need for high-resolution measurements. However, state-of-the-art approaches either require reconstruction of an unquantized covariance matrix or sparse signal recovery, or are based on restrictive assumptions such as the equality of power of signal sources. In this paper, a novel approach for direct one-bit DOA estimation is presented, overcoming the limitations of previous methods by introducing a generalized one-bit covariance matrix and smoothing it. Through analytical and numerical analyses, we reveal the shortcomings of the direct application of the one-bit covariance matrix, particularly in scenarios with unequal signal powers. Comparative simulations demonstrate the superiority of the proposed approach, especially in scenarios with significant signal-to-noise ratio differences and a limited number of snapshots.