Labeled Multi-Bernoulli Filter Based Multiple Resolvable Group Targets Tracking With Leader–Follower Model

This article addresses the multiple resolvable group targets tracking (MRGTT) problem, wherein the leader–follower (LF) model is adopted to evolve the group structure. Since there is an interaction between the destination and each leader, such that an attraction force of the destination information on the leader needs to be considered. To cope with the time-varying number of targets/groups and target-measurement association uncertainty, the so-called labeled multi-Bernoulli (LMB) filter is regarded as the filtering tool and combined with the LF model, named LF-LMB. Totally speaking, the implementation of the proposed LF-LMB filter consists of three steps. First, the stochastic differential equation (SDE) of the state is used to, respectively, characterize the motion models of the leader and the follower. Then, the state transition equations (STEs) for the leader and the follower are derived. Lastly, the derived STEs are used to modify the prediction process of the standard LMB filter. Simulation experiments are carried out to demonstrate the superiority (e.g., optimal subpattern assignment (OSPA) and OSPA$^{(2)}$ errors are reduced by at least 15$\%$ compared to the standard LMB filter) and robustness of the proposed approach.