Temporal evidence combination method for multi-sensor target recognition based on DS theory and IFS

In order to effectively deal with the conflict temporal evidences without affecting the sequential and dynamic characteristics in the multi-sensor target recognition (MSTR) system at the decision making level, this paper proposes a Dempster-Shafer (DS) theory and intuitionistic fuzzy set (IFS) based temporal evidence combination method (DSIFS-TECM). To realize the method, the relationship between DS theory and IFS is firstly analyzed. And then the intuitionistic fuzzy possibility degree of intuitionistic fuzzy value (IFPD-IFV) is defined, and a novel ranking method with isotonicity for IFV is proposed. Finally, a calculation method for relative reliability factor (RRF) is designed based on the proposed ranking method. As a proof of the method, numerical analysis and experimental simulation are performed. The results indicate DSIFS-TECM is capable of dealing with the conflict temporal evidences and sensitive to the changing of time. Furthermore, compared with the existing methods, DSIFS-TECM has stronger ability of anti-interference.