Transmission rate allocation in multisensor target tracking over a shared network.

Area of Science:

• Computer Science
• Electrical Engineering
• Network Engineering

Background:

• Multisensor target tracking relies on data from multiple sensors transmitted over shared networks.
• Standard network rate control may not optimize data rates for effective target tracking.
• Determining optimal sensor bit rates is crucial for tracking quality of service (QoS).

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel distributed rate control algorithm for multisensor target tracking in shared packet networks.
• To optimize sensor bit rates for enhanced tracking performance and QoS.
• To ensure compatibility with existing best-effort packet networks like the Internet.

Main Methods:

• Derived a utility function quantifying tracking QoS based on sensor bit rates for Kalman filter-based tracking.
• Integrated this utility function into a network rate resource allocation framework.
• Developed a distributed rate control algorithm suitable for shared network environments.

Main Results:

• The proposed distributed rate control algorithm demonstrated significantly superior tracking performance in simulations compared to standard methods.
• The algorithm effectively managed sensor bit rates without compromising the performance of other data transfer flows.
• Achieved better tracking quality of service (QoS) under network constraints.

Conclusions:

• The new algorithm provides an effective solution for rate control in multisensor target tracking applications.
• It balances the needs of tracking applications with general network traffic on shared resources.
• Offers improved performance for critical tracking tasks on the internet.