A novel method for group movement pattern analysis

Group movement pattern analysis can provide an important basis for decision support for decision-makers in the fields such as group emergency treatment, a large-scale military action and so on. On the basis of the analysis of individual mobility patterns based on the path description graph, this paper proposes a new analysis method of group mobility patterns based on the convex hull-the gravity center model, which focuses on describing group mobility state in the situation as a whole, describing the group coverage in the whole space with the convex hull, the group members distribution in the area of coverage with gravity center and the geometric center, and through the center vector and the core vector to describe the spatial layout reasonable degree of group members. Considering the convex hull, the vertices, the centers and the core of a group, several models were proposed to describe the group dispersion. Compared with the traditional group mobility patterns, it is more reasonable and comprehensive to describe and analyze the group mobility pattern itself on the whole. In addition, the experimental analysis combining with the application background confirmed that the method can accurately extract the group mobility state and behavior patterns, this might provide a technical support for the assessment of group actions.