Designing distributed detection systems

Optimal design of distributed detection systems is studied. The two cases of noise-free and noisy communication links that connect the detector cluster with the central processor are considered. The presence of noisy links does not pose any significantly new theoretical problem and the general result is that link SNRs greater than 10 dB are sufficient to ensure negligible degradation of system detection performance. A fast and easy graphical solution method involving the new concept of sensor fusion characteristics is proposed and appears to be a promising technique for distributed system design