Posterior tracking of multiple target elements

• Main Author: A. A. Moiseev
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: CRI «Electronics» 2020-06-01
• Series: Радиопромышленность
• Subjects: group target; posterior method; histogram method; selection; tracking; gating; strongest neighbor method; nearest neighbor method; decisive function
• Online Access: https://www.radioprom.org/jour/article/view/697

The posterior method of selecting and tracking the elements (objects) of a group radar target is considered. It allows for estimating the number of elements in a group target and carrying out their preliminary selection. It also helps in evaluating the tracking characteristics of the selected elements. A feature of the method is the preliminary accumulation of a data array to be processed further out of real-time. An histograms analysis is constructed to achieve that based on the processing results of the specified array. The corresponding algorithm provides for variations construction in the spread of the initial moments of the pulses relative to the average value in the packet, as well as modes in the packet and strobe. The decisive function in this case is defined as the product of these variations, and the decisive rule is to find the value of the spacing of the pulse numbers at which the minimum value of the decisive function is achieved. This value is interpreted as the number of elements in the group. The possibility of splitting a group into separate elements using the proposed approach is demonstrated. Mathematical modeling of the tracking procedure allowed comparing two possible methods. The first one is the “strongest neighbor” method, which provides for the choice of the continuation of the pulse with the maximum amplitude in the strobe. The second one is the “nearest neighbor” method, which provides the choice of the continuation of the pulse with the median moment of registration in the strobe. A comparative analysis of these two approaches demonstrated the preference of the “nearest neighbor” method as the one to provide less distortion of the time dependences of the amplitude and frequency. Evaluation of tracking parameters carried out according to the constructed histograms made it also possible to assess the probability of detecting an object during tracking.