Joint probabilistic data association in distributed sensor networks

A distributed multitarget tracking problem is considered. The joint probabilistic data association (JPDA) algorithm, which has been successfully used for tracking multiple targets in a cluttered environment, assumes a centralized processing architecture. It assumes that measurements are transmitted to a central site and processed. In some applications, however, it may be desirable for the sensor measurements to be processed at or near the sensors instead of transmitting them to the central processor. The local processed results are then sent over a communication network to be used by other processors. This paper presents a distributed version of the JPDA algorithm which is applicable under such a situation.