Thursday, November 6, 2014

Book: Integrated tracking, classification, and sensor management




Integrated Tracking, Classification, and Sensor Management: Theory and Applications
ISBN-13: 978-0470639054 ISBN-10: 0470639059 Edition: 1st

Wiley-IEEE Press, Hoboken, NJ, 2013
 Hardcover,  736 pages – December 3, 2012
 
A unique guide to the state of the art of tracking, classification, and sensor management
This book addresses the tremendous progress made over the last few decades in algorithm development and mathematical analysis for filtering, multi-target multi-sensor tracking, sensor management and control, and target classification. It provides for the first time an integrated treatment of these advanced topics, complete with careful mathematical formulation, clear description of the theory, and real-world applications.
Written by experts in the field, Integrated Tracking, Classification, and Sensor Management provides readers with easy access to key Bayesian modeling and filtering methods, multi-target tracking approaches, target classification procedures, and large scale sensor management problem-solving techniques. Features include:
  • An accessible coverage of random finite set based multi-target filtering algorithms such as the Probability Hypothesis Density filters and multi-Bernoulli filters with focus on problem solving
  • A succinct overview of the track-oriented MHT that comprehensively collates all significant developments in filtering and tracking
  • A state-of-the-art algorithm for hybrid Bayesian network (BN) inference that is efficient and scalable for complex classification models
  • New structural results in stochastic sensor scheduling and algorithms for dynamic sensor scheduling and management
  • Coverage of the posterior Cramer-Rao lower bound (PCRLB) for target tracking and sensor management
  • Insight into cutting-edge military and civilian applications, including intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR)
With its emphasis on the latest research results, Integrated Tracking, Classification, and Sensor Management is an invaluable guide for researchers and practitioners in statistical signal processing, radar systems, operations research, and control theory.



Companion Pieces

xx
Consists of 17 chapters, each by experts in the particular subject area in 5 parts as follows. This leads to a somewhat disjointed approach, concentrating on algorithmic detail. A new comer to the field may need a companion piece to ease into the field. No overall introduction or road map to fusion or system architecture such as that provided by A Review on System Architectures for Sensor Fusion Applications by Elmenreich is included, which might be a good companion volume. Another companion might be Estimation with Applications to Tracking and Navigation, by Yaakov Bar-Shalom

Contents

  • PART I FILTERING
    • 1. Angle-Only Filtering in Three Dimensions 3 Mahendra Mallick, Mark Morelande, Lyudmila Mihaylova, Sanjeev Arulampalam, and Yanjun Yan
    • 2. Particle Filtering Combined with Interval Methods for Tracking Applications 43 Amadou Gning, Lyudmila Mihaylova, Fahed Abdallah, and Branko Ristic
    • 3. Bayesian Multiple Target Filtering Using Random Finite Sets 75 Ba-Ngu Vo, Ba-Tuong Vo, and Daniel Clark
    • 4. The Continuous Time Roots of the Interacting Multiple Model Filter 127 Henk A.P. Blom
  • PART II MULTITARGET MULTISENSOR TRACKING
    • 5. Multitarget Tracking Using Multiple Hypothesis Tracking 165 Mahendra Mallick, Stefano Coraluppi, and Craig Carthel
    • 6. Tracking and Data Fusion for Ground Surveillance 203 Michael Mertens, Michael Feldmann, Martin Ulmke, and Wolfgang Koch
    • 7. Performance Bounds for Target Tracking: Computationally Efficient Formulations and Associated Applications 255 Marcel Hernandez
    • 8. Track-Before-Detect Techniques 311 Samuel J. Davey, Mark G. Rutten, and Neil J. Gordon
    • 9. Advances in Data Fusion Architectures 363 Stefano Coraluppi and Craig Carthel
    • 10. Intent Inference and Detection of Anomalous Trajectories: A Metalevel Tracking Approach 387 Vikram Krishnamurthy
  • PART III SENSOR MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL
    • 11. Radar Resource Management for Target Tracking—A Stochastic Control Approach 417 Vikram Krishnamurthy
    • 12. Sensor Management for Large-Scale Multisensor-Multitarget Tracking 447 Ratnasingham Tharmarasa and Thia Kirubarajan
  • PART IV ESTIMATION AND CLASSIFICATION
    • 13. Efficient Inference in General Hybrid Bayesian Networks for Classification 523 Wei Sun and Kuo-Chu Chang
    • 14. Evaluating Multisensor Classification Performance with Bayesian Networks 547 Eswar Sivaraman and Kuo-Chu Chang
    • 15. Detection and Estimation of Radiological Sources 579 Mark Morelande and Branko Ristic
  • PART V DECISION FUSION AND DECISION SUPPORT
    • 16. Distributed Detection and Decision Fusion with Applications to Wireless Sensor Networks 619 Qi Cheng, Ruixin Niu, Ashok Sundaresan, and Pramod K. Varshney
    • 17. Evidential Networks for Decision Support in Surveillance Systems 661 Alessio Benavoli and Branko Ristic
  8 Integrated tracking, classification, and sensor management [Book review]
Review by Fred Daum, IEEE Fellow


All engineers and researchers interested in tracking and sensor fusion should scrutinize this new book consisting of 17 chapters in 712 pages written by the world’s experts on the subject. The book is a pleasure to read, and it is a cornucopia of practical algorithms and new theory with quantitative performance comparisons. For example, chapter 8 by Neil Gordon, et al. surveys the state-of-the-art in track-before-detect algorithms, including a thorough quantitative comparison of 5 classes of algorithms (Viterbi, Baum-Welch, particle filters, maximum likelihood PDA and histogram probabilistic MHT), showing ROC curves, one-sigma errors and computational complexity for various signal-to-noise ratios and scenarios and sensors; the algorithms are thoroughly described in clear accessible prose; an extensive list of references is included. Most chapters in this book are written at a similar high level of quality and clarity and thoroughness.

SEAPOWER Reports Erk Remarks at AUVSI Unmanned Systems Program Review

SEAPOWER - UCLASS Competition Awaits ISR Survey

Mike Erk, the Navy’s deputy program executive officer for Unmanned Aviation, peaking to an audience Nov. 5 at the Unmanned Systems Program Review sponsored by the  Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, said the Navy is in the midst of an “ISR portfolio review” that will inform the requirements for the Unmanned Carrier-Launched Air Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) system that will operate alongside  manned aircraft from the decks of Navy aircraft carriers.

Speaking at the same event, Dyke Wetherington, chief technology engineer in the office of the undersecretary of defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, said the requirements for UCLASS are “being discussed at the highest levels. [Undersecretary] Frank Kendall has said that when the requirements are determined, the Navy must present a program that absolutely meets them.”

Erk said he expected the UCLASS requirements would be finalized by the end of the year.
 SEAPOWER - Navy: More Onboard Processing Needed on UAVs

Mike Erk, the Navy’s deputy program executive officer for Unmanned Aviation, speaking Nov. 5 at the Unmanned Systems Program Review sponsored by the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, said the Navy seeks to increase the autonomy of UAVs by increasing the processing of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data on the air vehicle before the data is transmitted to ground operators.

Erk said the need has emerged to reduce the time-consuming analysis required by the operators, which would reduce the number of analysts needed. It also would enhance the cybersecurity of the UAV by reducing the opportunities for cyber intrusion.

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

U.S. Congress Pressures Agencies to relaunch eLoran as GPS Backup

GAARDIAN | Research and Radionavigation
Under Congressional Pressure, U.S. Agencies Maneuver on eLoran Relaunch, GPS Backup | Inside GNSS
Prodded by Congress, the federal government is reexamining its decision to abandon eLoran, a network of ground stations capable of supplying essential timing and positioning data to power, phone, and other critical networks if something happed to GPS.
The new effort, which sources tell Inside GNSS is being supported by the National Coordination Office (NCO) for Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT), was spurred by bi-partisan pressure from Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-California) and Rep. John Garamendi (D-California), the chairman and ranking minority member, respectively, of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
The two elected officials sent letters to the departments of defense, transportation, and homeland Security — the three agencies are responsible for publishing the Federal Radionavigation Plan — asking why no progress had been made on securing a backup for GPS. :::
The two congressmen noted that National Security Presidential Directive 39 (NSPD-39) issued in 2004 directed DoT and DHS to work together to “develop, acquire, operate, and maintain backup position, navigation, and timing capabilities that can support critical transportation, homeland security, and other critical civil and commercial infrastructure applications within the United States. . . .”
eLORAN technologies, enhanced loran, GPS jamming, global navigation systems —

eLoran Service Provision

eLoran services are provided by a Core eLoran Service Provider and various Application Service Providers:
  • Core eLoran Service Provider – delivering a highly precise version of the core signal originally described in the US Coast Guard Specification of the Transmitted Loran-C Signal; and
  • Application Service Providers – (e.g. aviation, maritime, etc …) delivering application-specific data (e.g. differential Loran messages or early skywave warnings) that may be communicated using the eLoran data channel.
eLoran’s enhanced accuracy, availability, integrity and continuity meets the requirements for aviation non-precision instrument approaches, maritime harbor entrance and approach maneuvers, land-mobile vehicle navigation, and location-based services. It also allows absolute UTC time to be recovered with an accuracy of 50 nanoseconds as well as meeting the Stratum 1 frequency standard needed by telecommunications users.
Accuracy Availability Integrity Continuity
0.004 – 0.01 nautical mile (8 – 20 meters) 0.999 – 0.9999 0.999999 (1 x 10-7) 0.999 – 0.9999 over 150 seconds
Notes:
1. Accuracy to meet maritime harbor entrance and approach.
2. Availability, integrity and continuity to meet aviation non-precision approach in the U.S.
 
GPS.gov: Termination of LORAN-C
LORAN-C was a ground-based navigation system operated by the U.S. Coast Guard. In May 2009, President Obama declared the system obsolete and announced plans to terminate it.
View announcement...
Congress debated whether to retain and upgrade the LORAN-C infrastructure to become eLORAN, a national backup to GPS. Debates occurred during the development of two bills related to the Coast Guard. In October 2009, Congress enacted an appropriations measure allowing LORAN-C termination.
In February 2014, the House transportation committee reopened the topic during a hearing on navigation aids (learn more) and the markup of the 2014 Coast Guard authorization bill.
UK rolls out solar storm defence eLoran system | Daily Mail Online
The world is so dependent on GPS, that a powerful solar storm could rapidly cripple banks, send ships floundering on rocks and create chaos on the roads.
Now, in an attempt to prepare for the threat, the UK government has rolled out a 'GPS back up', dubbed eLoran.
Seven different stations are now working to provide additional position, navigation and timing information to ships.

NAVAIR wants sense and avoid radar for MQ-4C - white paper due 12/18

US NAVY RE-STARTS SENSE AND AVOID RADAR FOR MQ-4C | Article - Tue 04 Nov 2014 06:57:52 PM UTC | airsoc.com.



US Navy re-starts sense and avoid radar for MQ-4C - 11/4/2014 - Flight Global

The new competition is seeking a radar with less ambitious performance requirements. For example, the navy “expects” that the MQ-4C will receive data from ground radar as it approaches an airport, as air-to-air radars can be confused by ground clutter at lower altitudes.

The navy also is taking an incremental approach with the new sense and avoid radar for the MQ-4C. The radar design should be modular and scalable, the navy says, and capable of being improved as future operational and air traffic management requirements evolve.

The navy plans to filed the system with a “due regard” capability, a technological step under a full sense and avoid system, the navy says.


UAS Radar - Sense & Avoid from Christopher Hagelund on Vimeo.


Sense and Avoid Air-to-Air Radar Capability - Federal Business Opportunities: Opportunities

The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) in support of PMA-262 is surveying industry for Airborne Radar/Antenna capabilities that can serve to meet MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) SAA Radar capability requirements. The information obtained through this effort will be used to further assist in the formulation of requirements, and acquisition approaches/plans for future investment.


The MQ-4C Triton UAS [previously referred to as Broad Area Maritime System (BAMS)] will provide persistent maritime Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capability in support of a full Range of Military Operations (ROMO). To execute this mission set, the MQ-4C UAS will require worldwide airspace access to include the U.S. National Airspace System (NAS), international, and foreign airspace. The requirement to operate globally dictates that the MQ-4C UAS possess capabilities that will comply with civil and military airspace operating regulations, including the U.S. International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) ANNEX 2, Section, 3.2, U.S. Code of Regulations (CFR), Part 91.111 and 91.113, and Department of Defense Instruction
(DoDI) 4540.01. These regulations address Pilot in Command (PIC) responsibilities for maintaining safe separation, and avoiding collisions with other aircraft and provide requirements guidance for development of an Alternative Means of Compliance  (AMOC) to these regulations.


The SAA Air-Air Radar system shall be designed to fit within defined Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) constraints of the MQ-4C UAS, and that the system be modular and scalable for application in other Type/Model/Series (T/M/S) UAS. Furthermore, the SAA Radar must be capable of operating in a wide-range of natural, induced and air-traffic
environments expected over the MQ-4C life-cycle, during all phase of flight. Due to performance impacts associated with ground clutter, it is anticipated that an on-board air-air radar may require supplemental capability from ground based radars when operating in the terminal environment, below certain altitudes. As such, SAA radar development growth provisions (spiral acquisition accomplished via an incremental
approach) to address near term operational needs, with future requirements/standards maturation within the civil and military aviation airspace should be identified. A modular, scalable design, coupled with an incremental development approach is envisioned. The SAA system shall provide initial operating capability for Due Regard operations as defined in DODI 4540.01. Based on the MQ-4C Triton mission profiles,
Attachment 1 provides insight into the expected operating and performance requirements system.


White papers in Microsoft Word for Office 2010 compatible format are due no later than 18 December 2014, 1700 EST.
U.S. Navy Advances Triton Without 'Sense-and-Avoid' Settled | Aviation International News

US Navy seeks new sense-and-avoid solution for Triton UAV - IHS Jane's 360

SEAPOWER -‘Sense-and-Avoid’ Capability Sought for UAVs

US Navy Issues RFI for Triton Sense and Avoid Radar | UAS VISION 

previously:

spendergast: MQ-4C Triton to Wait Until 2020 for Sense and Avoid or Due Regard

spendergast: Why is Airborne Sense and Avoid Radar for MQ-4C Triton so hard?

spendergast: U.S. Navy flies MQ-4C Triton UAS across the United States

spendergast: GA-ASI Successfully Tests SAA System Components Aboard Predator B



 

Two JSF F-35C make first traps on CVN-68 -catch #3 wire

F-35C To Navy: Note My Lovely USS Nimitz Landings « Breaking Defense - Defense industry news, analysis and commentary

ABOARD USS NIMITZ: The first F-35C seemed to float through the air toward the slowly pitching deck of the USS Nimitz, looking as if it was hanging by a wire and heading implacably to the ship’s arresting wires. The weather was gorgeous, with the massive carrier sailing some 40 miles off the San Diego coast through small swells and under gorgeous cloud-scudded cerulean blue skies.


The F-35C’s wings didn’t wobble at all on final approach as test pilot Cdr. Tony “Brick” Wilson guided her in. And on its first try the plane’s tail hook grabbed the third arresting wire — the catch most favored by Navy pilots — at 12:19 pm. When an F-18 Hornet landed minutes later, the plane’s wings twitched slightly up and down on its approach and the pilot snagged the fourth wire, second to the bottom in the Navy hierarchy of carrier landing awards.


Then the second F-35C test plane came in just as steady and firm as the first. It also snagged the third wire, sending a clear message to the Navy’s aviation community that the Lockheed Martin plane not only could handle carrier landings, but could execute them with aplomb.
 Navy's newest fighter makes first carrier landing - CNN.com



CNN) -- A combination of old and new hooked up off the coast of San Diego Monday to give the U.S. Navy a glimpse into its future.


The moment was the first arrested landing aboard an aircraft carrier for the military's new Joint
Strike Fighter, the F-35C Lightning II. An arrested landing means the jet was brought to a stop using a tailhook grabbing a wire stretched across the carrier's deck. The wire is attached to a gear system that brings the plane to a stop.


F-35C shines in first carrier trials aboard carrier Nimitz
US Navy F-35C jet successfully conducts maiden night-flight - Naval Technology

The US Navy's F-35C Lightning II carrier-variant joint strike fighter (JSF) has successfully completed its maiden night-flight on USS Nimitz (CVN 68), off the San Diego coast.

Being tested as part of a two-week initial at-sea developmental testing I (DT-I), two aircraft have already complied with 95% of the requirements for the first of three at-sea test phases scheduled for the F-35C, further validating their reliability and performance.

Reuters quoted the F-35 programme office as saying that the jets had completed more than 101 catapult takeoffs, 214 planned 'touch and go' landings and 104 arrested-landings through a redesigned tailhook on the USS Nimitz.

The latest test follows the successful completion of the F-35C's first-of-its-kind arrested-landing on the navy aircraft carrier earlier this month.
Redesigned Tailhook Tests Well In F-35 Sea Trials | Defense content from Aviation Week
Unlike conventional carrier aircraft, in which the pilot approaches the carrier with flaps set at a fixed position and adjusts power and pitch attitude to stay on the glideslope, the F-35 system controls power through an “auto-thrust” function and alters the position of the trailing edge flap in response to pilot inputs. “So the stick becomes my glideslope controller,” says Dyckman, the second F-35C test pilot to make a carrier landing. “If I pull back, the flap adds lift; if I push forward, it commands a steeper approach.” The nominal flap position for a carrier approach is 15 deg., or half-flap, providing ample margin for additional flap movement to add or reduce lift. Wilson says the effect is to “change the ‘heave’ of the aircraft, rather than the pitch.”
“I was watching the angle-of-attack indicators,” Senior Chief Petty Officer Alistair McIntyre says. “As they came in [to land] from the break, it was perfect green all the way in. It was stable all the way in for both approaches. I was amazed for that, being their first time landing on the carrier, as it looked like both pilots were old pros at landing F-35s. They came in on the glideslope and landed with no problems. It felt like we’d been doing this for a long time.”