Sequential processing JIPDA for multitarget tracking in clutter using multistatic passive radar

The target tracking using multistatic passive radar in a digital audio/video broadcast (DAB/DVB) network with uncertain illuminators of opportunity faces two main challenges: one is the three-dimensional (3-D) data association problem among the target-measurement-illuminator due to the uncertainty of illuminators of opportunity; the other is that only the bistatic range and range-rate measurements are available since the angle information is unavailable or of very poor quality. In this paper, the authors propose two tracking algorithms directly in a two dimensional (2-D) Cartesian coordinates with the capability of false track discrimination (FTD) using the probability of target existence: the modified joint integrated data association (MJIPDA) and the sequential processing joint integrated data association (SP-JIPDA). The MJIPDA algorithm is enhanced based on the existing MJPDA algorithm by using the probability of target existence for FTD. The SP-JIPDA algorithm sequentially operates the JIPDA tracker to update each track for each illuminator with all the measurements in the common measurement set at each time. A simulation study is performed to verify the validity of both algorithms in this multistatic passive radar system.