Multiresolution EO/IR target tracking and identification

Abstract

Simultaneous target tracking and identification through feature association, attribute matching, or blob analysis is dependent on spatio-temporal measurements. Improved track maintenance should be achievable by maintaining coarse sensor resolutions on maneuvering targets and utilizing finer sensor resolutions to resolve closely-spaced targets. There are inherent optimal resolutions for sensors and restricted altitudes that constrain operational performance that a sensor manager must optimize for both wide-area surveillance and precision tracking. The advent of better optics, coordinated sensor management, and fusion strategies provide an opportunity to enhance simultaneous tracking and identification algorithms. We investigate utilizing electro-optical (EO) and infrared (IR) sensors operating at various resolutions to optimize target tracking and identification. We use a target-dense maneuvering scenario to highlight the performance gains with the multiresolution EO/IR data association (MEIDA) algorithm in tracking crossing targets.