Sensor Data Fusion

The MDA mission requires the use of data fusion to obtain accurate and persistent tracks of threatening objects discriminated from debris/countermeasures in order to provide an integrated picture of the battlespace as well as fire control solutions to interceptors. A wide variety of information may be available for integration, including multiple sensor measurements, features, and track states; combining all these can improve track identification, association, and accuracy, especially in challenging missile defense scenarios. Toyon Research Corporation will continue to develop a modular solution for data fusion that incorporates both short-term individual measurement associations and longer-term track-to-target associations. The measurement-to-track fusion module incorporates a modified Multiple Hypothesis Tracker (MHT) in conjunction with nonlinear filters and association as well as a Bayesian network to model feature information and possible inferences in a way that promotes improved measurement-to-track fusion. Toyon's Fusion and Correlation for Tracked Object Retention (FACTOR) module handles track-to-track fusion. The FACTOR system will incorporate advanced fusion algorithms and be adapted to an architecture that is aligned with that envisioned by the MDA. Toyon shall additionally design a scenario with multiple attacks from multiple launch sites in order to test these algorithms. The development shall be in a spiral process that uses testing and analysis to fuel future algorithm development. Furthermore, because of the modular form in which the measurement-to-track and track-to-track fusion algorithms are cast, it is easy to perform studies changing different parameters in the simulation or the algorithms. Toyon will also perform integration with a testbed determined by the MDA.