TY - JOUR

T1 - A Batch Algorithm for Estimating Trajectories of Point Targets Using Expectation Maximization

AU - Rahmathullah, Abu Sajana

AU - Selvan, Raghavendra

AU - Svensson, Lennart

PY - 2016/9/15

Y1 - 2016/9/15

N2 - In this paper, we propose a strategy that is based on expectation maximization for tracking multiple point targets. The algorithm is similar to probabilistic multi-hypothesis tracking (PMHT) but does not relax the point target model assumptions. According to the point target models, a target can generate at most one measurement, and a measurement is generated by at most one target. With this model assumption, we show that the proposed algorithm can be implemented as iterations of Rauch-Tung-Striebel (RTS) smoothing for state estimation, and the loopy belief propagation method for marginal data association probabilities calculation. Using example illustrations with tracks, we compare the proposed algorithm with PMHT and joint probabilistic data association (JPDA) and show that PMHT and JPDA exhibit coalescence when there are closely moving targets whereas the proposed algorithm does not. Furthermore, extensive simulations c comparing the mean optimal subpattern assignment (MOSPA) performance of the algorithm for different scenarios averaged over several Monte Carlo iterations show that the proposed algorithm performs better than JPDA and PMHT. We also compare it to benchmarking algorithm: N-scan pruning based track-oriented multiple hypothesis tracking (TOMHT). The proposed algorithm shows a good tradeoff between computational complexity and the MOSPA performance.

AB - In this paper, we propose a strategy that is based on expectation maximization for tracking multiple point targets. The algorithm is similar to probabilistic multi-hypothesis tracking (PMHT) but does not relax the point target model assumptions. According to the point target models, a target can generate at most one measurement, and a measurement is generated by at most one target. With this model assumption, we show that the proposed algorithm can be implemented as iterations of Rauch-Tung-Striebel (RTS) smoothing for state estimation, and the loopy belief propagation method for marginal data association probabilities calculation. Using example illustrations with tracks, we compare the proposed algorithm with PMHT and joint probabilistic data association (JPDA) and show that PMHT and JPDA exhibit coalescence when there are closely moving targets whereas the proposed algorithm does not. Furthermore, extensive simulations c comparing the mean optimal subpattern assignment (MOSPA) performance of the algorithm for different scenarios averaged over several Monte Carlo iterations show that the proposed algorithm performs better than JPDA and PMHT. We also compare it to benchmarking algorithm: N-scan pruning based track-oriented multiple hypothesis tracking (TOMHT). The proposed algorithm shows a good tradeoff between computational complexity and the MOSPA performance.

KW - Data association

KW - expectation maximisation

KW - loopy belief propagation

KW - probabilistic multi-hypothesis tracking (PMHT)

KW - PROBABILISTIC DATA ASSOCIATION

KW - TRACKING

U2 - 10.1109/TSP.2016.2572048

DO - 10.1109/TSP.2016.2572048

M3 - Journal article

VL - 64

SP - 4792

EP - 4804

JO - IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing

JF - IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing

SN - 1053-587X

IS - 18

ER -