Resource management coordination with level 2/3 fusion issues and challenges [Panel Report]

TLDR

Information fusion systems rely on sensor and resource management to collect, process, and disseminate data, and prior work has detailed Level 4 fusion’s interactions with Level 1 target tracking and identification. The panel aimed to summarize the key tenants of the invited experts. A panel discussion at the ISIF Fusion Conference examined contemporary issues and challenges in the interaction between sensor management and Level 2/3 situation and threat assessment fusion. Key themes identified were: addressing user control, establishing standard metrics, evaluating fusion for timely information, dynamic mission‑time horizon updates, joint optimization across levels, defining Level 2/3 situation entities for knowledge discovery, and addressing resource planning constraints.

Abstract

Information fusion system designs require sensor and resource management (SM) for effective and efficient data collection, processing, and dissemination. Common Level 4 fusion sensor management (or process refinement) inter-relations with target tracking and identification (Level 1 fusion) have been detailed in the literature. At the ISIF Fusion Conference, a panel discussion was held to examine the contemporary issues and challenges pertaining to the interaction between SM and situation and threat assessment (Level 2/3 fusion). This summarizes the key tenants of the invited panel experts. The common themes were: (1) Addressing the user in system control, (2) Determining a standard set of metrics, (3) Evaluating fusion systems to deliver timely information needs, (4) Dynamic updating for planning mission time-horizons, (5) Joint optimization of objective functions at all levels, (6) L2/3 situation entity definitions for knowledge discovery, modeling, and information projection, and (7) Addressing constraints for resource planning and scheduling.