Time delay estimation by cross-covariance maximization of quadrature sampled narrowband signals

A numerically efficient algorithm for estimating the time delay from observations of a stationary narrowband signal and its delayed version is investigated. Quadrature sampling, a variant of bunched sampling, is applied to estimate samples of the quadrature components of the cross-covariance function of the two signals. The baseband magnitude squared of this function can be maximized for time delay estimation. Because the time delay is unknown, the baseband cross-covariance function cannot be interpolated from the estimated samples. Numerical maximization of the samples' magnitude squared and quadratic interpolation, however, results in a reasonable time delay estimate.