Multi-rate distributed fusion estimation for sensor networks with packet losses

This paper presents a distributed fusion estimation method for estimating states of a dynamical process observed by wireless sensor networks (WSNs) with random packet losses. It is assumed that the dynamical process is not changing too rapidly, and a multi-rate scheme by which the sensors estimate states at a faster time scale and exchange information with neighbors at a slower time scale is proposed to reduce communication costs. The estimation is performed by taking into account the random packet losses in two stages. At the first stage, every sensor in the WSN collects measurements from its neighbors to generate a local estimate, then local estimates in the neighbors are further collected at the second stage to form a fused estimate to improve estimation performance and reduce disagreements among local estimates at different sensors. Local optimal linear estimators are designed by using the orthogonal projection principle, and the fusion estimators are designed by using a fusion rule weighted by matrices in the linear minimum variance sense. Simulations of a target tracking system are given to show that the time scale of information exchange among sensors can be slower while still maintaining satisfactory estimation performance by using the developed estimation method.