System and method for improving the accuracy of time of arrival measurements in a wireless ad-hoc communications network

A system to determine signal propagation time between nodes in an ad-hoc communications network, said nodes being adapted to transmit and receive signals to and from other nodes in said ad-hoc network, the system comprising:

• a controller, adapted to control a first node of said plurality to receive at least one signal communicated from a second node, and to calculate a response based on said signal;
• said controller being further adapted to control said first node to calculate an auto-correlation function of said response, and to calculate an approximate peak value of a quadratic approximation based on said auto-correlation function;
• said controller being further adapted to control said first node to determine a signal sampling phase offset between said response and said approximate peak value and in response, to calculate an actual peak value of said response;
• and
• said controller being further adapted to control said first node to calculate an actual reception time for said at least one signal at said first node based on said actual peak value, and to determine, based on said actual reception time, a signal propagation time.

A computer-readable medium of instructions, adapted to determine signal propagation time between nodes in an ad-hoc communications network, said nodes being adapted to transmit and receive signals to and from other nodes in said ad-hoc network, comprising:

• a first set of instructions, adapted to control a first node of said plurality to receive at least one signal communicated from a second node, and to calculate a response based on said signal;
• a second set of instructions, adapted to control said first node to calculate an auto-correlation function of said response, and to calculate an approximate peak value of a quadratic approximation based on said auto-correlation function;
• a third set of instructions, adapted to control said first node to determine a signal sampling phase offset between said response and said approximate peak value and in response, to calculate an actual peak value of response;
• and
• a fourth set of instructions, adapted to control said first node to calculate an actual reception time for said at least one signal at said first node based on said actual peak value, and to determine a signal propagation time based on said actual reception time.