Feedback median filter for robust preprocessing of glint noise

Glint noise may arise in a target tracking system. The non-Gaussian behavio r of glint noise can severely degrade the tracking performance, Measurement preprocessing at the front-end of the tracker is an effective method to re duce glint noise. The preprocessor proposed by Hewer, Martin, and Zeh, whic h used the computationally intensive M-estimator, may not be suitable for p ractical implementation. An alternative method employing the median filter is studied here. The median tilter is well known for its simplicity and rob ustness. However, the efficiency of the median biter can be seriously degra ded if input samples are not identically distributed. This is what we may e ncounter in the tracking problem. A feedback median filter is then proposed to overcome this impediment without substantially increasing complexity. S imulations show that the new preprocessor can greatly improve tracking perf ormance in the glint noise environment.