Integrated tracking and sensor management based on expected information gain

The availability of flexible sensors offers new opportunities for enhanced tracking performance. The management of such sensors must consider their characteristics and the tracking situation picture. Shannon's information measure provides a means of quantifying the potential gains from various sensor deployment options. The problem of tracking targets with an electronically scanned array radar is addressed. The radar can be commanded to conduct surveillance of the search volume in a manner that is analogous to a mechanically scanned radar. In conjunction with the surveillance mode, a revisit mode permits the radar to be commanded to form beams to illuminate a specific volume, such as in the vicinity of a track. An expected information gain is computed based on the probability of detecting the tracked target with the revisit beam, the predicted track uncertainty in the event that the target is not detected, and the expected fused track uncertainty if the target is detected. A high value for the expected information gain occurs when a measurement is likely to yield a significant improvement in the track uncertainty and there is a sufficiently high probability of detecting the target being tracked. Results from implementing the expected information gain in an integrated tracking and radar management system are presented and discussed.

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