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This talk goes through the components in generic single-scan target tracking algorithms from filtering to data association, track initiation, and termination. In many areas, reference is made to functions in the open-source copyleft-free Tracker Component Library (available online) so that attendees can rapidly apply the algorithms that are discussed.

In recent years the problem of multiple target tracking has bene studied more and more extensively. However, as the foremost difficulties which multiple target tracking (MTT) involves, the problems of gating and track initiation have been ignored to a certain extent. Now rectangular and ellipsoidal gating are used in most MTT systems. This paper describes rectangular and ellipsoidal gating were not very successful in many cases. Then the new track gate, quasi-drip-shaped (QDS) gate, is proposed to eliminate unlikely observation-to-track pairings more effectively and to operate a pre-correlation when more than one returns are within the track gate. The sensor errors and the influence of maneuver are considered synthetically. Based on the more accurate analysis of error data distribution, QDS gate is formed. Simulation results are presented for five approximately equals ten targets include several heavily interfering ones; these illustrated the improvements obtained by using QDS gate.

The paper derives a deferred logic data association algorithm based on the mixture reduction approach originally due to Salmond [SPIE vol.1305, 1990]. The novelty of the proposed algorithm provides the recursive formulae for both data association and target existence (confidence) estimation, thus allowing automatic track initiation and termination. T he track initiation performance of the proposed filter is investigated by computer simulations. It is observed that at moderately high levels of clutter density the proposed filter initiates tracks more reliably than its corresponding PDA filter. An extension of the proposed filter to the multi-target case is also presented. In addition, the paper compares the track maintenance performance of the MR algorithm with an MHT implementation.

Since the SCUD launches in the Gulf War, theater ballistic missile (TBM) systems have become a growing concern for the US military. Detection, fast track initiation, backfitting for launch point determination, and tracking and engagement during boost phase or shortly after booster cutoff are goals that grow in importance with the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. This paper focuses on track initiation and backfitting techniques, as well as extending some earlier results on tracking a TBM during boost phase cutoff. Results indicate that Kalman techniques are superior to third order polynomial extrapolations in estimating the launch point, and that some knowledge of missile parameters, especially thrust, is extremely helpful in track initiation.

This paper compares the performance of multitarget track initiation techniques in clutter environments using real radar data collected by an operating radar system. The track initiation problem is considered a problem of detection, and the performance is evaluated using the receiver operating characteristics. Four track initiation techniques, namely the heuristic rule method, the logic-based method, the Hough transform approach and the modified Hough transform method, are considered. The first two methods are sequential and the last two are batch technique, which are the two major categories of track initiation methods. The effect of the number of radar scans used to initiate a track, the effect of the initiation method to a tracker, and the comparison of the four track initiation methods are analyzed to understand the practicalities of these track initiation techniques.

This paper deals with global track initiation problem and our purpose is to apply a quite efficient method called the Multiple Hypothesis Filter to solve it for Radar applications. This original measurement-oriented approach has been implemented in an object-oriented way and applied to simulated and realdata. This paper presents some results of MHF perfonnance evaluation which are based on determination of VfIOUS track initiation criteria (initiation time, initiation lapse. false track rate, ...)

This paper concerns a part of a general study on multisensor radar/IR tracking where the problem of track initiation in noisy environment is emphasized. A first approach to this problem, more precisely the consideration of uncertain probabilistic models via a multiple hypothesis filter (MHF), has been presented in a previous publication. For this purpose the theory of evidence has been used. In this article, a general view of the evaluation environment is described, in order to evaluate correctly the performances of the extension of MHF and to compare it with the standard MHF and with another tracking method. In a second part, a first multisensor approach is introduced. Different problems are shown.

This paper presents an overview of recent work on the velocity filter approach to target detection and track initiation in infrared surveillance systems for strategic defense applications. This approach has particular advantages when the signal-to-noise ratio is very low or when the number of objects to be detected and tracked is extremely high. Furthermore, it can be implemented with a highly-efficient, parallel-processing computer architecture.

This paper presents recent work on the application of the velocity filter concept to target acquisition and track initiation in passive electro-optical surveillance systems for strategic defense. The problem of rapidly initiating angle-only tracks for multiple clusters of unresolved objects observed by a single passive sensor is emphasized. Simulated midcourse threat data are used to demonstrate the approach.