Adaptive Multiframe Detection Algorithm With Range-Doppler-Azimuth Measurements

The multiframe detection (MFD) with range-Doppler-azimuth measurements has been shown to be significant in detecting and tracking weak targets in active radar and sonar systems. Existing methods suffer from integrated energy loss for long-time noncoherent observation sequences due to approximate target evolution models or rough energy integration strategies. Moreover, it is hard to maintain consistency of multiframe integration for targets in different near- and far-field regions. By carefully mapping echo measurements to a discrete grid space without the introduction of new conversion errors, we proposed an efficient solution to build an accurate grid state model based on sensor parameters. Then, the combination of the grid state model and target evolution relationship among adjacent frames enables an adaptive MFD implementation. Each search path during multiframe integration is adjusted adaptively with different grid state sizes. Finally, an improved strategy based on the predicted estimate is further presented to reduce the complexity of algorithms and improve the accuracy of possible search paths. The proposed methods can effectively integrate target energies among multiframe range-Doppler-azimuth measurements and maintain the robustness of the long-time integration for targets in different near- and far-field regions. Numerical results and tests with real radar data further show that the proposed method achieves high detection probability and tracking accuracy for weak targets with range-Doppler-azimuth measurements.

Automated summary

This study proposes an efficient multiframe detection method that maps echo measurements to a discrete grid space and achieves adaptive multiframe integration by combining the target evolution relationship. The improved strategy reduces algorithm complexity and improves the accuracy of search paths, resulting in high detection probability and tracking accuracy for weak targets with range-Doppler-azimuth measurements.