On the Suboptimality of Rate–Distortion-Optimal Compression: Fundamental Accuracy Limits for Distributed Localization

Author:

26 March 2026

journal article
Published by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in IEEE Signal Processing Letters

Vol. 33 (10709908) , 1566-1570
DOI:10.1109/lsp.2026.3678117

Abstract

We derive fundamental accuracy limits for distributed localization when a fusion center has access only to independently rate–distortion (RD)-optimally compressed versions of multi-sensor observations, under a line-of-sight propagation model with a Gaussian wideband waveform. Using the Gaussian RD test-channel model together with a Whittle spectral Fisher-information characterization, we obtain an explicit frequency-domain Cramér–Rao lower bound. A two-band, two-level specialization yields closed-form expressions and reveals a rate-induced regime change: RD-optimal compression under a squared-error distortion measure can eliminate localization-informative spectral content. A simple band-selective scheme can outperform RD compression by orders of magnitude at the same rate, motivating localization-aware compression for networked sensing and integrated sensing and communication systems.

Keywords

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