JOINT SURVEILLANCE DATA FUSION

The objective of the proposed research is to determine the scope and bounds of data fusion requirements in support of a Joint Surveillance Program, and to identify potential data fusion algorithms to support the timely dissemination of a fused product. To accomplish the technical objectives of this Phase I SBIR, we will perform the following specific tasks: (1) Identify Joint Fusion Node characteristics; (2) Characterize sensors and sources for Joint Surveillance Fusion; (3) Determine end user requirements; (4) Characterize the communications paths for the dissemination of a fused product to the end user; and (5) Identify and evaluate alternative data fusion design concepts, and recommend algorithms and an architecture to support Joint Data Fusion. Special attention will be paid to effective, timely information dissemination and the information flow problems introduced by a distributed data fusion architecture, and the issues of database consistency and stability of the fused product. The potential data fusion algorithms to be evaluated will include multiple-and-single-hypothesis approaches, track-to-track assocation algorithms, and tracking algorithms with emphasis on a capability to accurately process nonlinear observations. The result will be recommendations of the data fusion system architecture as an optimal combination of data fusion and information algorithms.