This paper addresses the problem of classifying altimetric signals according to their shapes. The proposed classifier is divided into three steps. A one-class support vector machine method is first used to isolate the large amount of Brown-like echoes from others signals which are considered as outliers. The second step extracts pertinent features from the the remaining echoes (which cannot be well described by the Brown model). These features are projected onto discriminant axes using linear discriminant analysis. The final step classifies the projected feature vectors using a standard Bayesian classifier. The proposed three step classification strategy is evaluated on supervised real altimetric echoes.

In this paper, we investigate the application of multiuser detection techniques to a Low Polar Orbit (LPO) mobile satellite used in the ARGOS system. These techniques are used to mitigate the multiple access interference in the uplink transmission of the system. Unlike CDMA, due to the Doppler Effect, each signal has a different received carrier frequency and a different propagation delay. Multiuser detection techniques are proposed for asynchronous transmission in ARGOS system: the maximum likelihood detector, the conventional detector, and the sequential interference cancellation detector, as solutions to tackle the interference effects. Bit Error Rate performance graphs are shown for these techniques.

This paper studies a new Bayesian unmixing algorithm for hyperspectral images. Each pixel of the image is modeled as a linear combination of so-called endmembers. These endmembers are supposed to be random in order to model uncertainties regarding their knowledge. More precisely, we model endmembers as Gaussian vectors whose means have been determined using an endmember extraction algorithm such as the famous N-finder (N-FINDR) or Vertex Component Analysis (VCA) algorithms. This paper proposes to estimate the mixture coefficients (referred to as abundances) using a Bayesian algorithm. Suitable priors are assigned to the abundances in order to satisfy positivity and additivity constraints whereas conjugate priors are chosen for the remaining parameters. A hybrid Gibbs sampler is then constructed to generate abundance and variance samples distributed according to the joint posterior of the abundances and noise variances. The performance of the proposed methodology is evaluated by comparison with other unmixing algorithms on synthetic and real images.

In condition monitoring a part of the information necessary for decision-making comes from scrutinizing a time measure or a transform of this measure. Frequency domain is commonly exploited; lag domain is not, albeit advantages of the autocorrelation function have long been known. In this paper, we dwell on the autocorrelation function in order to extract some interesting properties of the measure. We propose two indicators in order to characterize the periodicity of a signal. First is based on the non-biased autocorrelation function and indicates a fundamental periodicity rate. Second is based on the biased autocorrelation and gives a dominant-power periodicity rate. The study of the 2Dplane defined by these two indicators allows the definition of regions attached to one type of periodicity from periodic to aperiodic through almost-periodic and quasi-periodic. Combined with an estimation of the correlation support, a final decision about the periodicity of the signal is given. In case of a periodic signal, a way of estimating the global signal ratio is proposed. These new outputs are valuable for initializing more complex processing. All the algorithms proposed are fully automatic, one click use! Relevance of these indicators is shown on real-world signals, current and vibration measures mainly.

Periodic nonuniform sampling of second order (PNS2) involves two periodic sequences with the same period. This sampling scheme has been shown to remove aliasing. Moreover, under particular conditions on their spectral band (or spectral support), exact reconstruction of functions can be derived from their PNS2. This paper more generally deals with the best mean-square interpolation for stationary processes with any known power spectrum, from PNS2 and, possibly, with aliasing. We show that the best estimation is based upon particular linear filters, which depend on the gap between both sampling sequences. The mean-time error also depends on this gap. The errorless interpolation is a particular case. It requires the knowledge of the spectral support rather than the power-spectrum values.

Space Vehicle (SV) life span depends on its station keeping capability. Station keeping is the ability of the vehicle to maintain position and orientation. Due to external perturbations, the trajectory of the SV derives from the ideal orbit. Actual positioning systems for satellites are mainly based on ground equipment, which means heavy infrastructures. Autonomous positioning and navigation systems using Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) can then represent a great reduction in platform design and operating costs. Studies have been carried out and the first operational systems, based on GPS receivers, become available. But better availability of service could be obtained considering a receiver able to process GPS and Galileo signals. Indeed Galileo system will be compatible with the current and the modernized GPS system in terms of signals representation and navigation data. The greater availability obtained with such a receiver would allow significant increase of the number of point solutions and performance enhancement. For a mid-term perspective Thales Alenia Space finances a PhD to develop the concept of a reconfigurable receiver able to deal with both the GPS system and the future Galileo system. In this context, the aim of this paper is to assess the performances of a receiver designed for Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) applications. It is shown that high improvements are obtained with a receiver designed to track both GPS and Galileo satellites. The performance assessments have been used to define the specifications of the future satellite GNSS receiver.

The topic of this paper is the evaluation of QoS parameters in live Pre-Wimax environments. The main contribution is the validation of an analytical delay-jitter behavior model. These models can be used in optimization algorithms in order to provide opportunistic and reliable all-IP networks. It allows understanding the impact of the jitter constraints on the throughput and packet loss in wireless systems. However, we show that the real-time QoS requirements of real-time and interactive services can be avoided to a large degree by controlling only the packet delay-jitter in a fixed and mobile environment. The QoS metrics have been computed from live measurements in a Pre-Wimax realistic environment (Toulouse/Blagnac Airport).

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has defined the concept of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), which corresponds to the set of systems allowing to perform satellite-based navigation while fulfilling ICAO requirements. The US Global Positioning Sysem (GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system which constitutes one of the components of the GNSS. Currently, this system broadcasts a civil signal, called L1 C/A, within an Aeronautical Radio Navigation Services (ARNS) band. The GPS is being modernized and will broadcast two new civil signals: L2C (not in an ARNS band) and L5 in another ARNS band. Galileo is the European counterpart of GPS. It will broadcast three signals in an ARNS band: Galileo E1 OS (Open Service) will be transmitted in the GPS L1 frequency band and Galileo E5a and E5b will be broadcasted in the same 960-1215 MHz ARNS band than that of GPS L5. GPS L5 and Galileo E1, E5a, E5b components are expected to provide operational benefits for civil aviation use. However, civil aviation requirements are very stringent and up to now, the bare systems alone cannot be used as a means of navigation. For instance, the GPS standalone does not implement sufficient integrity monitoring. Therefore, in order to ensure the levels of performance required by civil aviation in terms of accuracy, integrity, continuity of service and availability, ICAO standards define different systems/algorithms to augment the basic constellations. GPS, Galileo and the augmentation systems could be combined to comply with the ICAO requirements and complete the lack of GPS or Galileo standalone performance. In order to take benefits of new GNSS signals, and to provide the service level required by the ICAO, the architecture of future combined GNSS receivers must be standardized. The European Organization for Civil Aviation Equipment (EUROCAE) Working Group 62, which is in charge of Galileo standardization for civil aviation in Europe, proposes new combined receivers architectures, in coordination with the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA). The main objective of this thesis is to contribute to the efforts made by the WG 62 by providing inputs necessary to build future receivers architecture to take benefits of GPS, Galileo and augmentation systems. In this report, we propose some key elements of the combined receivers’ architecture to comply with approach phases of flight requirements. In case of perturbation preventing one of the needed GNSS components to meet a phase of flight required performance, it is necessary to be able to switch to another available component in order to try to maintain if possible the level of performance in terms of continuity, integrity, availability and accuracy. That is why future combined receivers must be capable of detecting the impact of perturbations that may lead to the loss of one GNSS component, in order to be able to initiate a switch. These perturbations are mainly atmospheric disturbances, interferences and multipath. In this thesis we focus on the particular cases of interferences and ionosphere perturbations. The interferences are among the most feared events in civil aviation use of GNSS. Detection, estimation and removal of the effect of interference on GNSS signals remain open issues and may affect pseudorange measurements accuracy, as well as integrity, continuity and availability of these measurements. In literature, many different interference detection algorithms have been proposed, at the receiver antenna level, at the front-end level. Detection within tracking loops is not widely studied to our knowledge. That is why, in this thesis, we address the problem of interference detection at the correlators outputs. The particular case of CW interferences detection on the GPS L1 C/A and Galileo E1 OS signals processing is proposed. Nominal dual frequency measurements provide a good estimation of ionospheric delay. In addition, the combination of GPS or GALILEO navigation signals processing at the receiver level is expected to provide important improvements for civil aviation. It could, potentially with augmentations, provide better accuracy and availability of ionospheric correction measurements. Indeed, GPS users will be able to combine GPS L1 and L5 frequencies, and future GALILEO E1 and E5 signals will bring their contribution. However, if affected by a Radio Frequency Interference, a receiver can lose one or more frequencies leading to the use of only one frequency to estimate the ionospheric code delay. Therefore, it is felt by the authors as an important task to investigate techniques aimed at sustaining multi-frequency performance when a multi constellation receiver installed in an aircraft is suddenly affected by radiofrequency interference, during critical phases of flight. This problem is identified for instance in [NATS, 2003]. Consequently, in this thesis, we investigate techniques to maintain dual frequency performances when a frequency is lost (L1 C/A or E1 OS for instance) after an interference occurrence.

The SARGOS Project aims to satisfy the strong emerging need to improve safety for the civilian offshore infrastructures, sensitive to the actions conducted by spite, piracy or terrorism on sea. SARGOS brings a new and innovative answer in this field of maritime security. A special care is taken to comply with the infrastructures operational constraints and the contractual and legislative rules. The innovative part of the project is mainly the global approach used, based on three levels: a) The level of a safe detection of a small size marine object, in a small range protection area, with rough sea, using innovative CW radar waveforms improved by new efficient signal processing algorithms b) The level of construction of a response plan facing a detected intrusion, taking into account the progressive improvement of the knowledge and the kind of detected object defined by its characterisation attributes. The acquisition process allows appropriate responses taking into account the crisis situation. (Platform safety rules, geopolitical environment and legal aspects). c) The managing level of the variety of non-lethal response means, either internal to the offshore platform (safety mode), or external to reply to the menace (injunction, intimidation or activation of authorised means) and broadcast the alert to the local authorities.