Optimal Multi-Sensor based Multi Target Detection by Moving Sensors to the Maximal Clique in a Covering Graph

Ganesh P Kumar    K Madhava Krishna   

IIIT Hyderabad, India   


Different methodologies have been employed to solve the multi-sensor multi-target detection problem in a variety of scenarios. In this paper, we devise a time-step optimal algorithm for this problem when all but a few parameters of the sensor/target system are unknown. Using the concept of covering graph, we find an optimum solution for a single sensor, which is extended to multiple sensors by a tagging operation. Both covering graph and tagging are novel concepts, developed in the context of the detection problem for the first time, and bring a mathematical elegance to its solution. Furthermore, an implementation of the resulting algorithm is found to perform better than other notable approaches. The strong theoretical foundation, combined with the practical efficacy of the algorithm, makes it a very attractive solution to the problem.