Modified switched IMM estimator based on autoregressive extended Viterbi method for maneuvering target tracking

In this paper, a new approach of maneuvering target tracking algorithm based on the autoregressive extended Viterbi (AREV) model is proposed. In contrast to weakness of traditional constant velocity (CV) and constant acceleration (CA) models to noise effect reduction, the autoregressive (AR) part of the new model which changes the structure of state space equations is proposed. Also using a dynamic form of the state transition matrix leads to improving the rate of convergence and decreasing the noise effects. Since AR will impose the load of overmodeling to the computations, the extended Viterbi (EV) method is incorporated to AR in two cases of EV1 and EV2. According to most probable paths in the interacting multiple model (IMM) during non-maneuvering and maneuvering parts of estimation, EV1 and EV2 respectively can decrease load of overmodeling computations and improve the AR performance. This new method is coupled with proposed detection schemes for maneuver occurrence and termination as well as for switching initializations. Appropriate design parameter values are derived for the detection schemes of maneuver occurrences and terminations. Finally, simulations demonstrate that the performance of the proposed model is better than the other older linear and also nonlinear algorithms in constant velocity motions and also in various types of maneuvers.