CENTRALIZED FUSION OF REMOTE TRACKS

A centralized track fusion algorithm that incorporates crosscorrelatio n between tracks originating from multiple platforms at remote sites i s described. Remote stations transmit the information contained in the se track updates to a central station where the tracks are kinematical ly fused to create composite tracks. It has been established that the probability distribution of correct track-to-track association can be improved ii the cross-covariance matrix between the candidate tracks f or fusion is positive, Necessary and sufficient conditions for positiv ity were derived and the steady state solution of the cross-covariance matrix was obtained in terms of the parameters of the candidate track s to be fused. However, system-theoretic implications of these constra ints were unclear. We obtain the steady state solution of the cross-co variance matrix in terms of a line integral. It is shown that evaluati on of this integral involves inversion of an asymmetric matrix, For fu sion of tracks created by similar sensors, this matrix is reduced to t hat of the Schur matrix, which arises in the analysis of steady state stability of the tracker associated with each sensor. However, for fus ion of tracks created by dissimilar sensors, the structure of the matr ix to be inverted is complicated and can not readily be partitioned in terms of the Schur matrices associated with each tracker. An efficien t algorithm for the inversion of this matrix is also presented. (C) 19 98 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.