Effectiveness of track monitoring with multiple 2D passive sensors

An analytical technique is presented which can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the track monitoring scheme presented by J.A. Roecker (see ibid., vol.27, no.6, p.872-6, Nov. 1991) in detecting false track-to-track (ghost track) assignments without the use of simulations. It is shown that when two tracks are traveling in parallel and in the direction of the inclination angle, it is impossible to determine which tracks to associate. However, track monitoring is effective under all other circumstances. A tracking algorithm designer can use this technique to determine the length of time before track-to-track initiation for good ghost track rejection. This technique also determines the probability of accepting ghost tracks during mature track monitoring.<>     

Tracking in Clutter using IMM-IPDA?Based Algorithms

We describe three single-scan probabilistic data association (PDA) based algorithms for tracking manoeuvering targets in clutter. These algorithms are derived by integrating the interacting multiple model (IMM) estimation algorithm with the PDA approximation. Each IMM model a posteriori state estimate probability density function (pdf) is approximated by a single Gaussian pdf. Each algorithm recursively updates the probability of target existence, in the manner of integrated PDA (IPDA). The probability of target existence is a track quality measure, which can be used for false track discrimination. The first algorithm presented, IMM-IPDA, is a single target tracking algorithm. Two multitarget tracking algorithms are also presented. The IMM-JIPDA algorithm calculates a posteriori probabilities of all measurement to track allocations, in the manner of the joint IPDA (JIPDA). The number of measurement to track allocations grows exponentially with the number of shared measurements and the number of tracks which share the measurements. Therefore, IMM-JIPDA can only be used in situations with a small number of crossing targets and low clutter measurement density. The linear multitarget IMM-IPDA (IMM-LMIPDA) is also a multitarget tracking algorithm, which achieves the multitarget capabilities by integrating linear multitarget (LM) method with IMM-IPDA. When updating one track using the LM method, the other tracks modulate the clutter measurement density and are subsequently ignored. In this fashion, LM achieves multitarget capabilities using the number of operations which are linear in the: number of measurements and the number of tracks, and can be used in complex scenarios, with dense clutter and a large number of targets.     

基于区间灰数的分布式多目标航迹关联算法

研究了存在系统误差条件下分布式多目标航迹关联问题,以异地配置的2D组网雷达为背景,分析了时变系统误差对雷达上报航迹的影响,将误差影响下的目标定位看做一种认知不确定性,并给出两种用区间灰数描述这一不确定性的方法。由此提出了一种航迹关联算法,该算法以区间相离度作为衡量航迹间差异信息的测度,建立灰色关联分析模型,并根据灰关联度排序给出航迹关联对。通过对算法的约束条件进行深层次分析,给出了使用算法的先决条件。在常见系统误差环境下的蒙特卡罗仿真结果表明,算法具有良好的抗差性能和较广泛的适用性。     

基于区间灰数的分布式多目标航迹关联算法

 研究了存在系统误差条件下分布式多目标航迹关联问题,以异地配置的2D组网雷达为背景,分析了时变系统误差对雷达上报航迹的影响,将误差影响下的目标定位看做一种认知不确定性,并给出两种用区间灰数描述这一不确定性的方法。由此提出了一种航迹关联算法,该算法以区间相离度作为衡量航迹间差异信息的测度,建立灰色关联分析模型,并根据灰关联度排序给出航迹关联对。通过对算法的约束条件进行深层次分析,给出了使用算法的先决条件。在常见系统误差环境下的蒙特卡罗仿真结果表明,算法具有良好的抗差性能和较广泛的适用性。     

基于概率网格Hough变换的多雷达航迹起始算法

 针对常规Hough变换(THT)航迹起始算法采用二元积累的弊端,提出了一种按测量点迹分布概率进行积累的多雷达航迹起始算法。首先把观测空间划分为统一大小的网格,然后根据雷达测量精度计算出观测数据落在每个网格内的概率,进而得到每个网格存在目标的概率,最后的Hough积累采用网格概率进行加权。与常规Hough变换法相比,新算法起始的航迹具有更高的精度和更好的鲁棒性,适合于不同精度雷达的联合航迹起始。仿真结果验证了算法的有效性。     

基于序贯关联算法的多目标无源跟踪

基于序贯关联算法,对多目标无源跟踪问题进行了研究。在只有角度信息可以利用的情况下,首先,利用波门技术对各个无源传感器角度测量数据进行关联和滤波,形成参数航迹;然后,将各个无源传感器的参数航迹送到融合中心进行关联配对,并在关联过程中通过构造关联质量函数对参数航迹的关联历史情况进行度量,解决参数航迹关联模糊问题;最后,通过对关联成功的参数航迹进行交叉定位,给出多个不同目标的位置信息,实现分布式无源系统对多目标的数据关联和跟踪,并通过仿真分析,对算法的有效性和可行性进行验证。     

Track-before-detect for Infrared Maneuvering Dim Multi-target via MM-PHD

In this paper, we present a novel and efficient track-before-detect (TBD) algorithm based on multiple-model probability hypothesis density (MM-PHD) for tracking infrared maneuvering dim multi-target. Firstly, the standard sequential Monte Carlo probability hypothesis density (SMC-PHD) TBD-based algorithm is introduced and sequentially improved by the adaptive process noise and the importance re-sampling on particle likelihood, which result in the improvement in the algorithm robustness and convergence speed. Secondly, backward recursion of SMC-PHD is derived in order to ameliorate the tracking performance especially at the time of the multi-target arising. Finally, SMC-PHD is extended with multiple-model to track maneuvering dim multi-target. Extensive experiments have proved the efficiency of the presented algorithm in tracking infrared maneuvering dim multi-target, which produces better performance in track detection and tracking than other TBD-based algorithms including SMC-PHD, multiple-model particle filter (MM-PF), histogram probability multi-hypothesis tracking (H-PMHT) and Viterbi-like.     

基于区实混合序列相似度的异步不等速率航迹关联算法

在分布式多目标跟踪系统中,由于局部传感器开机时间、采样频率以及通信延迟不同等原因,导致来自各传感器的局部航迹往往是异步不等速率的。目前一般的方法是先进行时域配准再进行航迹关联,但是在同步化的过程中,航迹估计值的误差会发生传播,影响航迹关联的性能。针对此问题,提出了一种基于区实混合序列相似度的异步不等速率航迹关联算法。算法首先通过区间数-实数混合序列变换(IRST)得到等长度的航迹行为序列,然后定义一种新的序列差异信息度量,得到混合序列的相似度,以此进行航迹关联判定。仿真实验表明,该算法可以有效地解决异步不等速率航迹关联问题,并且通信延迟和数据乱序对算法性能的影响不明显。     

Directed Subspace Search ML-PDA with Application to Active Sonar Tracking

The maximum likelihood probabilistic data association (ML-PDA) tracking algorithm is effective in tracking Very Low Observable targets (i.e., very low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) targets in a high false alarm environment). However, the computational complexity associated with obtaining the track estimate in many cases has precluded its use in real-time scenarios. Previous ML-PDA implementations used a multi-pass grid (MPG) search to find the track estimate. Two alternate methods for finding the track estimate are presented-a genetic search and a newly developed directed subspace (DSS) search algorithm. Each algorithm is tested using active sonar scenarios in which an autonomous underwater vehicle searches for and tracks a target. Within each scenario, the problem parameters are varied to illustrate the relative performance of each search technique. Both the DSS search and the genetic algorithm are shown to be an order of magnitude more computationally efficient than the MPG search, making possible real-time implementation. In addition, the DSS search is shown to be the most effective technique at tracking a target at the lowest SNR levels-reliable tracking down to 5 dB (postprocessing SNR in a resolution cell) using a 5-frame sliding window is demonstrated, this being 6 dB better than the MPG search.     

一种基于新三维随机Hough变换的航迹起始算法

针对雷达跟踪多目标时,目标点迹受杂波、噪声等因素影响,航迹起始难度大的问题,利用三维空间直线表示方法提出了一种4参数三维Hough变换算法.该算法是对传统二维Hough变换的拓展,它结合了传统的二维随机Hough变换理论,是一种新的三维随机Hough变换算法.通过该算法对理论数据和实测数据进行验证,结果表明,对于航迹区别较大的目标,该算法的航迹起始成功概率为98.5％;对于空间航迹相近的目标,该算法可成功将目标航迹从杂波中提取出来,虽然可能会出现航迹混淆,但利用目标先验信息可解决该问题,实现航迹起始.     

Joint integrated probabilistic data association: JIPDA

A new recursive filter for multi-target tracking in clutter is presented. Multiple tracks may share the same measurement(s). Joint events are formed by creating all possible combinations of track-measurement assignments and the probabilities for these joint events are calculated. The expressions for the joint event probabilities incorporate the probabilities of target existence of individual tracks, an efficient approximation for the cluster volume and a priori probability of the number of clutter measurements in each cluster. From these probabilities the data association and target existence probabilities of individual tracks are obtained, which allows track state update and false track discrimination. A simulation study is presented to show the effectiveness of this approach.     

基于运动状态的航迹起始算法研究

 针对传统的基于逻辑的航迹起始方法在量测扩展过程中存在的弊端，提出了基于目标运动状态的航迹起始算法，并给出了更为精确的起始波门构造方法。利用目标的位置信息形成候选目标航迹，在候选目标航迹扩展过程中，采用提出的修正Hough变换提取目标状态信息，并根据目标〖JP2〗的状态信息对候选航迹进行检验。仿真结果表明，该算法比其他基于逻辑的方法有更低的虚警概率，并且对存储空间要求低，适于工程应用。     

基于傅里叶变换的航迹对准关联算法

研究了在组网雷达存在系统误差情况下的目标航迹关联问题,理论分析了雷达系统误差对目标航迹的影响,并将该影响表示为目标航迹的旋转和平移量。在此基础上,提出了一种基于傅里叶变换的系统误差配准前航迹对准关联算法,该算法将组网雷达的航迹数据看做为一种整体信息,采用傅里叶变换理论来估计和补偿组网雷达目标航迹数据到融合中心航迹数据的相对旋转量和平移量,将雷达网中雷达上报的目标航迹数据对准到融合中心,从而不依赖于估计雷达网系统误差,实现了误差配准前的航迹准确关联,能够为后端的系统误差配准提供可靠的关联目标航迹数据。     

基于相位相关的部分可辨编队精细起始算法

针对部分可辨条件下编队目标的精细起始难题,提出了一种基于相位相关的部分可辨编队精细起始算法。首先,采用基于坐标映射距离差分的快速群分割与基于编队中心点的预互联对雷达量测进行预处理;然后,利用图像匹配中相位相关特性,将相邻时刻编队结构进行补偿对准,解决了低目标发现概率情况下的编队结构对准问题;最后,采用增加虚拟量测并后验判决的方式,结合最近邻法做编队航迹精细互联,在填补航迹缺失、增加正确航迹的同时抑制虚假航迹的产生。经仿真验证,与修正的逻辑法、基于相对位置矢量的灰色编队精细起始算法相比,本文所提算法在提高航迹正确起始率、抑制虚假航迹方面性能优势显著,且对环境杂波与雷达精度具有较好的鲁棒性,对目标发现概率具有较好的适应性。     

Sequential track extraction

Sensors like radar or sonar usually produce data on the basis of a single frame of observation: target detections. The detection performance is described by quantities like detection probability Pd and false alarm density f. A different task of detection is formation of tracks of targets unknown in number from data of multiple consecutive frames of observation. This leads to quantities which are of a higher level of abstraction: extracted tracks. This again is a detection process. Under benign conditions (high Pd, low f and well separated targets) conventional methods of track initiation are recommended to solve a simple task. However, under hard conditions the process of track extraction is known to be difficult. We here concentrate on the case of well separated targets and derive an optimal combinatorial method which can be used under hard operating conditions. The method relates to MHT (multiple hypothesis tracking), uses a sequential likelihood ratio test and derives benefit from processing signal strength information. The performance of the track extraction method is described by parameters such as detection probability and false detection rate on track level, while Pd and f are input parameters which relate to the signal-to-noise interference ratio (SNIR), the clutter density, and the threshold set for target detection. In particular the average test lengths are analyzed parametrically as they are relevant for a user to estimate the time delay for track formation under hard conditions     

Passive ranging of a low observable ballistic missile in agravitational field

In this paper we present an estimation algorithm for tracking the motion of a low-observable target in a gravitational field, for example, an incoming ballistic missile (BM), using angle-only measurements. The measurements, which are obtained from a single stationary sensor, are available only for a short time. Also, the low target detection probability and high false alarm density present a difficult low-observable environment. The algorithm uses the probabilistic data association (PDA) algorithm in conjunction with maximum likelihood (ML) estimation to handle the false alarms and the less-than-unity target detection probability. The Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB) in clutter, which quantifies the best achievable estimator accuracy for this problem in the presence of false alarms and nonunity detection probability, is also presented. The proposed estimator is shown to be efficient, that is, it meets the CRLB, even for low-observable fluctuating targets with 6 dB average signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). For a BM in free flight with 0.6 single-scan detection probability, one can achieve a track detection probability of 0.99 with a negligible probability of false track acceptance     

Multiassignment for tracking a large number of overlapping objects[and application to fibroblast cells]

In this paper we present a new technique for data association using multiassignment for tracking a large number of closely spaced (and overlapping) objects. The algorithm is illustrated on a biomedical problem, namely the tracking of a group of fibroblast (tissue) cells from an image sequence, which motivated this work. Because of their proximity to one another and due to the difficulties in segmenting the images accurately from a poor-quality image sequence, the cells are effectively closely spaced objects (CSOs). The algorithm presents a novel dichotomous, iterated approach to multiassignment using successive one-to-one assignments of decreasing size with modified costs. The cost functions, which are adjusted depending on the “depth” of the current assignment level and on the tracking results, are derived. The resulting assignments are used to form, maintain and terminate tracks with a modified version of the probabilistic data association (PDA) filter, which can handle the contention for a single measurement among multiple tracks in addition to the association of multiple measurements to a single track. Estimation results are given and compared with those of the standard 2D one-to-one assignment algorithm. It is shown that iterated multiassignment results in superior measurement-to-track association. The algorithms presented can be used for other general tracking problems, including dense air traffic surveillance and control     

Clutter map information for data association and track initialization

This paper considers the problem of forming and maintaining tracks when measurements have both uncertain origin and are corrupted by additive sensor noise. The spatial clutter measurement density is assumed nonhomogeneous and known. The PPDA-MAP algorithm provides a set of recursive formulae for data association and probability of target existence, thus enabling automatic track initiation, track maintenance, and track termination. New values for initial probability of target existence for IPDA-type algorithm are also derived. Simulation results compare the performance of IPDA-MAP with IPDA, IMM-PDA, IMM-PDA-MAP, EB-PDA and EB-PDA-MAP in a heavy and nonuniform clutter situation.