Distributed joint probabilistic data association filter with hybrid fusion strategy

This paper investigates the problem of distributed multitarget tracking (MTT) over a large-scale sensor network, consisting of low-cost sensors. Each local sensor runs a joint probabilistic data association filter to obtain local estimates and communicates with its neighbors for information fusion. The conventional fusion strategies, i.e., consensus on measurement (CM) and consensus on information (CI), are extended to MTT scenarios. This means that data association uncertainty and sensor fusion problems are solved simultaneously. Motivated by the complementary characteristics of these two different fusion approaches, a novel distributed MTT algorithm using a hybrid fusion strategy, e.g., a mix of CM and CI, is proposed. A distributed counting algorithm is incorporated into the tracker to provide the knowledge of the total number of sensor nodes. The new algorithm developed shows advantages in preserving boundedness of local estimates, guaranteeing global convergence to the optimal centralized version and being implemented without requiring no global information, compared with other fusion approaches. Simulations clearly demonstrate the characteristics and tracking performance of the proposed algorithm

The costs of fusion in smart camera networks

ABSTRACT The choice of the most suitable fusion scheme for smart camera networks depends on the application as well as on the available computational and communication resources. In this paper we discuss and compare the resource requirements of five fusion schemes, namely centralised fusion, flooding, consensus, token passing and dynamic clustering. The Extended Information Filter is applied to each fusion scheme to perform target tracking. Token passing and dynamic clustering involve negotiation among viewing nodes (cameras observing the same target) to decide which node should perform the fusion process whereas flooding and consensus do not include this negotiation. Negotiation helps limiting the number of participating cameras and reduces the required resources for the fusion process itself but requires additional communication. Consensus has the highest communication and computation costs but it is the only scheme that can be applied when not all viewing nodes are connected directly and routing tables are not available

Distributed estimation over a low-cost sensor network: a review of state-of-the-art

Proliferation of low-cost, lightweight, and power efficient sensors and advances in networked systems enable the employment of multiple sensors. Distributed estimation provides a scalable and fault-robust fusion framework with a peer-to-peer communication architecture. For this reason, there seems to be a real need for a critical review of existing and, more importantly, recent advances in the domain of distributed estimation over a low-cost sensor network. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art solutions in this research area, exploring their characteristics, advantages, and challenging issues. Additionally, several open problems and future avenues of research are highlighted