Kinematic separation point estimation using PMHT

Abstract

When two objects separate there is typically a period of time after the separation when the two objects are unresolved by a radar. This is due to the radar range bin resolution, which will keep two returns as one measurement until there is a clear separation. At that point, a new track will start, but where exactly did the objects separate? The actual separation point may be of interest and finding that separation point is the topic of this paper.1 2 Using the PMHT algorithm allows measurements to be “shared” between tracks, and therefore, makes an excellent algorithm for when there are closely-spaced unresolved measurements. After a separation event, while the measurements are still unresolved, there will be only one measurement for the two objects. PMHT is quite comfortable with this situation when there are fewer measurements than there are objects because the PMHT has to know a priori how many objects there are. When a new track starts, the PMHT separation point estimation algorithm will be called. Then the PMHT algorithm can add in the unresolved measurements backwards in time to determine the likely separation point.