This thesis is concentrated on the Angle / Direction of Arrival (A/DOA) estimation and Beamforming techniques that can be used in the current and future engineering applications such as tracking of targets, wireless mobile communications, radar systems, etc. This thesis firstly investigates different types of AOA and beamforming techniques. A comprehensive comparison between the common AOA algorithms is performed to evaluate the estimation accuracy and illustrate the computational complexity of each algorithm. The effect of mutual coupling between the radiators and the impact of the position-error of the antenna elements on the estimation accuracy is also studied. Then, several new efficient AOA methods for current wireless localisation systems are proposed. The estimation accuracy and computational complexity are compared with well-known AOA methods over a wide range of scenarios. New methodologies for Covariance Matrix (CM) sampling are proposed to enhance and improve operational performance without increasing the computational burden. A new beamforming algorithm is proposed and implemented on a compact mm-Wave linear and planar antenna arrays to enhance the desired signal and suppress the interference sources in wireless communication systems. The issue of asset tracking in dense environments where the performance of the Global Positioning System (GPS) becomes unavailable or unreliable is addressed in the thesis as well. The proposed solution uses a low-profile array of sensors mounted on a finite conducting ground. A compact-size omnidirectional spiral sensor array of six electrically small dual-band antenna elements was designed to operate in the 402 and 837 MHz spectrum bands. For the lower band, a three-element superposition method is applied to support the estimated AOA whereas six sensors are considered for the higher band. An efficient and low complexity Projection Vector (PV) AOA method is proposed. An Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) modulation is integrated with the PV technique to enhance the estimation resolution. The system was found to be suitable for installation on top of vehicles to localise the position of assets. The proposed system was tested to track non-stationary objectives, and then two scenarios were investigated: outdoor to outdoor and outdoor to indoor environments using Wireless In-Site Software. The results confirm that the proposed tracking system works efficiently with a single snapshot. / Higher Commission for Education Development (HCED) in Iraq Basra Oil Company Ministry of Oil

The objective of this work is to enhance the awareness of the indoor propagation behaviour, by a set of investigations including simulations and measurements. These investigations include indoor propagation behaviour, local mean power estimation, proposing new indoor path loss model and introducing a case study on 60 GHz propagation in indoor environments using ray tracing and measurements. A summary of propagation mechanisms and manifestations in the indoor environment is presented. This comprises the indoor localization techniques using channel parameters in terms of angle of arrival (AOA), time of arrival (TOA) and received signal strength (RSS). Different models of path loss, shadowing and fast fading mechanisms are explored. The concept of MIMO channels is studied using many types of deterministic channel modelling such as Finite Difference Time Domain, Ray tracing and Dominant path model. A comprehensive study on estimating local average of the received signal strength (RSS) for indoor multipath propagation is conducted. The effect of the required number of the RSS data and their Euclidian distances between the neighbours samples are investigated over 1D, 2D and 3D configurations. It was found that the effect of fast fading was reduced sufficiently using 2D horizontal’s arrangement with larger spacing configuration. A modified indoor path loss prediction model is presented namely effective wall loss model (EWLM). The modified model with wall correction factors is compared to other indoor path loss prediction models using simulation data (for 2.4, 5, 28, 60 and 73.5 GHz) and real-time measurements (for 2.4 and 5 GHz). Different operating frequencies and antenna polarizations are considered to verify the observations. In the simulation part, EWLM shows the best performance among other models. Similar observations were recorded from the experimental results. Finally, a detailed study on indoor propagation environment at 60 GHz is conducted. The study is supported by Line of Sight (LoS) and Non-LoS measurements data. The results were compared to the simulated ones using Wireless-InSite ray tracing software. Several experiments have confirmed the reliability of the modelling process based on adjusted material properties values from measurements.

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As the demand for wireless communication systems has exploded over the past few years, many researchers have taken on the challenge to model wireless channels more accurately. These models are very useful for enhancing the design of all aspects of wireless communications. Smart antennas and systems used in position location are among the most popular new studies that require signal information such as the amplitude, phase, and angle-of-arrival (AOA) of multipath delay spreads. For proper and efficient implementation of future systems, emerging wireless systems must be able to exploit processing of spatial information. The goal of the work presented in this thesis is to further improve two channel modeling tools, SMRCIM and SIRCIM, by implementing new geometrical models that provide users with angle-of-arrival information as well as amplitude and phase data for wideband wireless communication channels. The new angle-of-arrival models are explained and pseudo code is provided to demonstrate the software implementation of the models. Likewise, the channel models are explained and the usage and results of the simulation tools are described. The SMRCIM and SIRCIM tools are currently being used by researchers throughout the world. <i>[Vita removed March 5, 2012. Gmc]</i> / Master of Science

Imagine a world where someone’s personal information is constantly compromised, where federal government entities AKA Big Brother always knows what anyone is Googling, who an individual is texting, and their emoticons on Twitter. Government entities have been doing this for years; they never cared if they were breaking the law or their moral compass of human dignity. Every day the Federal government blatantly siphons data with programs from the original ECHELON to the new series like PRISM and Xkeyscore so they can keep their tabs on issues that are none of their business; namely, the personal lives of millions. Our allies are taking note; some are learning our bad habits, from Government Communications Headquarters’ (GCHQ) mass shadowing sharing plan to America’s Russian inspiration, SORM. Some countries are following the United States’ poster child pose of a Brave New World like order of global events. Others like Germany are showing their resolve in their disdain for the rise of tyranny. Soon, these new found surveillance troubles will test the resolve of the American Constitution and its nation’s strong love and tradition of liberty. Courts are currently at work to resolve how current concepts of liberty and privacy apply to the current conditions facing the privacy of society. It remains to be determined how liberty will be affected as well; liberty for the United States of America, for the European Union, the Russian Federation and for the people of the World in regards to the extent of privacy in today’s blurred privacy expectations.