Multiple Target Tracking Using Maximum Likelihood Probabilistic Data Association

The maximum likelihood-probabilistic data association (MLPDA) target tracking algorithm is effective in tracking very low observable targets. A key limitation of MLPDA is that it is restricted to tracking a single target. We derive and implement a multiple target version of MLPDA called Joint MLPDA (JMLPDA). While the JMLPDA implementation presented in this paper is focused on a two-target case, this algorithm is extensible to any number of targets. The MLPDA and JMLPDA algorithms are combined to form a multi-target MLPDA tracking algorithm. Performance of the JMLPDA and the multi-target MLPDA algorithms are compared to a probabilistic multi-hypothesis tracker (PMHT) for two crossing targets, focusing on track management/update. Simulation results show that under conditions of heavy clutter, the multi-target MLPDA outperforms PMHT in terms of reduced track errors and longer track life.