ETRI Journal最新文献

In this study, a direct position tracking method for non-circular (NC) signals using distributed passive arrays is proposed. First, we calculate the initial positions of sources using a direct position determination (DPD) approach; next, we transform the tracking into a compensation problem. The offsets of the adjacent time positions are calculated using a first-order Taylor expansion. The fusion calculation of the noise subspace is performed according to the NC characteristics. Because the proposed method uses the signal information from the previous iteration, it can realize automatic data associations. Compared with traditional DPD and two-step localization methods, our novel process has lower computational complexity and provides higher accuracy. Moreover, its performance is better than that of the traditional tracking methods. Numerous simulation results support the superiority of our proposed method.

We propose a number-theory-based quantized mathematical optimization scheme for various NP-hard and similar problems. Conventional global optimization schemes, such as simulated and quantum annealing, assume stochastic properties that require multiple attempts. Although our quantization-based optimization proposal also depends on stochastic features (i.e., the white-noise hypothesis), it provides a more reliable optimization performance. Our numerical analysis equates quantization-based optimization to quantum annealing, and its quantization property effectively provides global optimization by decreasing the measure of the level sets associated with the objective function. Consequently, the proposed combinatorial optimization method allows the removal of the acceptance probability used in conventional heuristic algorithms to provide a more effective optimization. Numerical experiments show that the proposed algorithm determines the global optimum in less operational time than conventional schemes.

We propose a method for increasing the bandwidth of a substrate-integrated-waveguide (SIW) cavity-backed antenna with taper-based microstrip SIW transition feeding. For radio transmission, a circular slot is etched on top of the SIW cavity. For optimal antenna design, the slot is etched slightly away from the cavity center to generate circularly polarized waves. Simulations show a wide axial ratio bandwidth of 7.860% between 11.02 GHz and 11.806 GHz. Experimental results confirm a similar wide axial ratio bandwidth of 4.9% between 10.8 GHz and 11.35 GHz. An SIW feed from an inductive window excites the radiating circular slot, resulting in a simulated wide impedance range of 1.548 GHz (10.338 GHz–11.886 GHz) and bandwidth of 13.93%. Experimental results show a wide impedance of 2.08 GHz (10.2 GHz–12.08 GHz) and bandwidth of 18.84%. The SIW cavity-backed antenna creates a unidirectional pattern, leading to gains of 6.61 dBi and 7.594 dBi in simulations and experiments, respectively. The proposed antenna was fabricated on a Rogers RT/Duroid 5880 substrate, and the reflection coefficient, radiation patterns, and gains were tested and compared using a computer simulator. The developed broadband antenna seems suitable for X-band applications.

Most object detection methods use a horizontal bounding box that causes problems between adjacent objects with arbitrary directions, resulting in misaligned detection. Hence, the horizontal anchor should be replaced by a rotating anchor to determine oriented bounding boxes. A two-stage process of delineating a horizontal bounding box and then converting it into an oriented bounding box is inefficient. To improve detection, a box-boundary-aware vector can be estimated based on a convolutional neural network. Specifically, we propose a ResNeXt101 encoder to overcome the weaknesses of the conventional ResNet, which is less effective as the network depth and complexity increase. Owing to the cardinality of using a homogeneous design and multibranch architecture with few hyperparameters, ResNeXt captures better information than ResNet. Experimental results demonstrate more accurate and faster oriented object detection of our proposal compared with a baseline, achieving a mean average precision of 89.41% and inference rate of 23.67 fps.

We propose a 10-GHz 2 × 2 phased-array radio frequency (RF) receiver with an 8-bit linear phase and 15-dB gain control range using 65-nm complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor technology. An 8 × 8 phased-array receiver module is implemented using 16 2 × 2 RF phased-array integrated circuits. The receiver chip has four single-to-differential low-noise amplifier and gain-controlled phase-shifter (GCPS) channels, four channel combiners, and a 50-Ω driver. Using a novel complementary bias technique in a phase-shifting core circuit and an equivalent resistance-controlled resistor–inductor–capacitor load, the GCPS based on vector–sum structure increases the phase resolution with weighting-factor controllability, enabling the vector–sum phase-shifting circuit to require a low current and small area due to its small 1.2-V supply. The 2 × 2 phased-array RF receiver chip has a power gain of 21 dB per channel and a 5.7-dB maximum single-channel noise-figure gain. The chip shows 8-bit phase states with a 2.39° root mean-square (RMS) phase error and a 0.4-dB RMS gain error with a 15-dB gain control range for a 2.5° RMS phase error over the 10 to10.5-GHz band.

We introduce a display for virtual-reality (VR) fire training. Firefighters prefer to wear and operate a real breathing apparatus while experiencing full visual immersion in a VR fire space. Thus, we used a thin head-mounted display (HMD) with a light field and folded optical system, aiming to both minimize the volume for integration in front of the face into a breathing apparatus and maintain adequate visibility, including a wide viewing angle and resolution similar to that of commercial displays. We developed the optical system testing modules and prototypes of the integrated breathing apparatus. Through iterative testing, the thickness of the output optical module in front of the eyes was reduced from 50 mm to 60 mm to less than 20 mm while maintaining a viewing angle of 103°. In addition, the resolution and image quality degradation of the light field in the display was mitigated. Hence, we obtained a display with a structure consistent with the needs of firefighters in the field. In future work, we will conduct user evaluation regarding fire scene reproducibility by combining immersive VR fire training and real firefighting equipment.

This study presents a novel safe landing algorithm for urban drone deliveries. The rapid advancement of drone technology has given rise to various delivery services for everyday necessities and emergency relief efforts. However, the reliability of drone delivery technology is still insufficient for application in urban environments. The proposed approach uses the “landing angle control” method to allow the drone to land vertically and a rapidly exploring random tree-based collision avoidance algorithm to generate safe and efficient vertical landing paths for drones while avoiding common urban obstacles like trees, street lights, utility poles, and wires; these methods allow for precise and reliable urban drone delivery. We verified the approach within a Gazebo simulation operated through ROS using a six-degree-of-freedom drone model and sensors with similar specifications to actual models. The performance of the algorithms was tested in various scenarios by comparing it with that of state-of-the-art 3D path planning algorithms.

Determining whether an autonomous self-driving agent is in the middle of an intersection can be extremely difficult when relying on visual input taken from a single camera. In such a problem setting, a wider range of views is essential, which drives us to use three cameras positioned in the front, left, and right of an agent for better intersection recognition. However, collecting adequate training data with three cameras poses several practical difficulties; hence, we propose using data collected from one camera to train a three-camera model, which would enable us to more easily compile a variety of training data to endow our model with improved generalizability. In this work, we provide three separate fusion methods (feature, early, and late) of combining the information from three cameras. Extensive pedestrian-view intersection classification experiments show that our feature fusion model provides an area under the curve and F1-score of 82.00 and 46.48, respectively, which considerably outperforms contemporary three- and one-camera models.

In this study, we introduce a loosely coupled relative position estimation method that utilizes a decentralized ultrawideband (UWB), Global Navigation Support System and inertial navigation system for flight controllers (FCs). Key obstacles to multidrone collaboration include relative position errors and the absence of communication devices. To address this, we provide an extended Kalman filter-based algorithm and module that correct distance errors by fusing UWB data acquired through random communications. Via simulations, we confirm the feasibility of the algorithm and verify its distance error correction performance according to the amount of communications. Real-world tests confirm the algorithm's effectiveness on FCs and the potential for multidrone collaboration in real environments. This method can be used to correct relative multidrone positions during collaborative transportation and simultaneous localization and mapping applications.

Uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become a vital element in nonterrestrial networks, especially with respect to 5G communication systems and beyond. The use of UAVs in support of 4G/5G base station (uncrewed aerial vehicle base station [UAV-BS]) has proven to be a practical solution for extending cellular network services to areas where conventional infrastructures are unavailable. In this study, we introduce a UAV-BS system that utilizes a high-capacity wireless backhaul operating in millimeter-wave frequency bands. This system can achieve a maximum throughput of 1.3 Gbps while delivering data at a rate of 300 Mbps, even at distances of 10 km. We also present the details of our testbed implementation alongside the performance results obtained from field tests.