Cross-Correlation Time Delay Estimation Algorithm Based on Hilbert Transform Phase Difference

The key technologies in multilateration is extracting time differences among multiple receivers through effective signal processing methods. Conventional approaches typically calculate the time-of-arrival (TOA) for individual receivers and then derive inter-receiver time differences, which require precise time synchronization between receivers. In this study, we propose a cross-correlation time delay estimation algorithm to directly obtain time differences between receivers without requiring inter-receiver synchronization. Furthermore, a Hilbert transform-based phase difference method is introduced to enhance the proposed algorithm, significantly improving the accuracy of peak detection. Comparative analysis of root mean square error (RMSE) demonstrates the superiority of the proposed method.