Abstract:

This article is concerned with the optimum cut angle in bearing-only location systems. By applying the criterion of minimum circular error probability (CEP) to the condition of different vertical distances between the target and the baseline of two passive sensors, some useful conclusions concerning the optimum cut angle are obtained. The optimum cut angle is dependent on l, the ratio of the vertical distance to the baseline length. If  l is greater than or equal to √3/6, there is one optimum cut angle and the deployment of the target and the two passive sensors should be an isosceles triangle with the baseline length as its base side. The relationship between the ratio l and the CEP is investigated too. If l is less than √3/6, there are two identical optimum cut angles. These conclusions can be used for reference in optimal deployment of multiple passive sensors to obtain high location accuracy.

Key words: sensor, probability, Lagrange multipliers, derivatives, computer simulation, optimum cut angle