We consider the topic of target tracking in this thesis. Target tracking is one of the applications in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Clustering approach prolongs sensor¡¦s lifetime and provides better data aggregation for WSNs. Most previous researches assumed that cluster regions are disjointed, while others assigned overlapping cluster regions, and utilized them in some applications, including inter-cluster routing and time synchronization. However, in overlapping clustering, processing of redundant sensing data may impair system performance. We present a regular distributed overlapping WSN in this thesis. The network is based on two kinds of sensors: (1) high-capability sensors, which are assigned as cluster heads (CHs), responsible for data processing and inter-cluster communication, (2) normal sensors, which are in a larger number when comparing with the high-capability sensors, the function of normal sensors are to provide data to the CHs. We define several operating modes of CHs and sensors. WSN works more efficient under the settings. Since a target may be located in the overlapping region, redundant data processing problem exists. To solve the problem, we utilize Cholesky decomposition to decorrelate the measurement noise covariance matrices. The correlation will be eliminated during the process. In addition, we modify extended information filter (EIF) and adapt to the decorrelated data. The CHs track the target, fuse the information from other CHs, and implement distributed positioning. The simulations are based on ultra-wideband (UWB) environment, we have verified that the proposed scheme works more efficient under the setting of different modes. The performance with decorrelated measurement is better than that with correlated ones.

The accuracy of target location and the coverage range of sensor network are two factors that affect each other in target tracking. When the flocking sensor network has a larger coverage area, it can increase the range of detecting target and the scope of environmental information. The network can also pass the information to a query source or other sensors which do not belong to the flocking network. However, the accuracy of measurements at sensors may be affected by the distances between the target and the sensors. We use mobile sensors as agents in flocking algorithm for target tracking. Every mobile sensor exchanges information with its neighbors, and keeps an appropriate separation distance with neighbors to maintain flocking. Flocking algorithm is a distributed control method for mobile sensor which can catch up the target and maintain flocking formation. In the thesis, we derive the cost function based on the accuracy of target positioning and range coverage. The proposed adaptive flocking algorithm combines the amount of information and the distance changes between neighbors based on the cost function. Each mobile sensor adaptively adjusts distance separation with all its neighbors within communication range. Sensors closer to the target shortens the separation distance between neighbors, therefore they will move toward the target and obtain better measurement. Kalman-consensus information filter is used for target positioning. The accuracy of target position can therefore be improved in the overall network. On the other hand, the sensors located far from the target will widen the distance separation between neighbors to expand the overall network area. In the thesis, we use Kalman-consensus information filter to estimate the state of a target, and use adaptive flocking algorithm for maintaining the formation of mobile sensors. Simulations show that adaptive flocking algorithm effectively improves location accuracy while maintaining approximate generally same coverage area when compared with other methods.

Ultra Wideband (UWB) signal can offer an accurate location service in wireless sensor networks because its high range resolution. Target tracking by multiple sensors can provide better performance, but the centralized algorithms are not suitable for wireless sensor networks. In additional, the non line of sight (NLOS) propagation error leads to severe degradation of the accuracy in location systems. In this thesis, NLOS identification and mitigation technique utilizing modified biased Kalman filter (KF) is proposed to reduce the NLOS time of arrival (TOA) errors in UWB environments. We combine the modified biased Kalman filter with sliding window to identify and mitigate different degree of NLOS errors immediately. In order to deal with the influence of inaccurate NLOS angle of arrival (AOA) measurements, we also had a discussion on AOA selection and fusion methods. In the distributed location structure, we used the extended Information filter (EIF) to process the formulated time difference of arrival (TDOA) and AOA measurements for the target positioning and tracking. Instead of using extended Kalman filter, extended Information filter can assimilate selected AOA easily without dynamic dimensions. The sensors are divided into different groups for distributed TDOA/AOA location to reduce computation and then each group can assimilate information from other groups easily to maintain precise location. The simulation results show that the proposed architecture can mitigate NLOS errors effectively and improve the accuracy of target positioning and tracking from distributed location and data fusion in wireless sensor networks.

<p>Navigation with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) requires good knowledge of the current position and other states. A UAV navigation system often uses GPS and inertial sensors in a state estimation solution. If the GPS signal is lost or corrupted state estimation must still be possible and this is where simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) provides a solution. SLAM considers the problem of incrementally building a consistent map of a previously unknown environment and simultaneously localize itself within this map, thus a solution does not require position from the GPS receiver.</p><p>This thesis presents a visual feature based SLAM solution using a low resolution video camera, a low-cost inertial measurement unit (IMU) and a barometric pressure sensor. State estimation in made with a extended information filter (EIF) where sparseness in the information matrix is enforced with an approximation.</p><p>An implementation is evaluated on real flight data and compared to a EKF-SLAM solution. Results show that both solutions provide similar estimates but the EIF is over-confident. The sparse structure is exploited, possibly not fully, making the solution nearly linear in time and storage requirements are linear in the number of features which enables evaluation for a longer period of time.</p>

Navigation with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) requires good knowledge of the current position and other states. A UAV navigation system often uses GPS and inertial sensors in a state estimation solution. If the GPS signal is lost or corrupted state estimation must still be possible and this is where simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) provides a solution. SLAM considers the problem of incrementally building a consistent map of a previously unknown environment and simultaneously localize itself within this map, thus a solution does not require position from the GPS receiver. This thesis presents a visual feature based SLAM solution using a low resolution video camera, a low-cost inertial measurement unit (IMU) and a barometric pressure sensor. State estimation in made with a extended information filter (EIF) where sparseness in the information matrix is enforced with an approximation. An implementation is evaluated on real flight data and compared to a EKF-SLAM solution. Results show that both solutions provide similar estimates but the EIF is over-confident. The sparse structure is exploited, possibly not fully, making the solution nearly linear in time and storage requirements are linear in the number of features which enables evaluation for a longer period of time.

Esta dissertação desenvolve filtro de informação, algoritmos array para estimador do erro médio mínimo quadrático para sistemas lineares sujeitos a saltos Markovianos e algoritmos array rápidos para filtragem de sistemas singulares convencionais. Exemplos numéricos serão apresentados para mostrarem as vantagens dos algoritmos array deduzidos. Parte dos resultados obtidos nesta pesquisa serão publicados no seguinte artigo: Terra et al. (2007). Terra, M. H., Ishihara, J. Y. and Jesus, G. Q. (2007). Information filtering and array algorithms for discrete-time Markovian jump linear systems. Proceedings of the American Control Conference ACC07. / This dissertation develops information filter and array algorithms for linear minimum mean square error estimator (LMMSE) of discrete-time Markovian jump linear systems (MJLSs) and fast array algorithms for filtering of standard singular systems. Numerical examples to show the advantage of the array algorithms are presented. Some results obtained in this research are published in the following paper: Terra et al. (2007). Terra, M. H., Ishihara, J. Y. and Jesus, G. Q. (2007). Information filtering and array algorithms for discrete-time Markovian jump linear systems. Proceedings of the American Control Conference ACC07.

在資訊來源日趨複雜化及多樣化之下，過多不必要的資訊反而造成決策上的困擾，因此資訊的篩選(Information Filtering)便成為設計資訊系統時所要考量的重要因素之一。資訊的有效篩選不僅使得決策的不確定性降低，同時讓決策人員能夠專注於對決策有重要影響的因素上，提高了決策的效率與品質。本研究即是以逆傳遞(Back Propagation)類神經網路模式(Artificial Neural Network Model)為基礎，設計一個能夠篩選出重要屬性的通用演算法；此演算法能夠幫助使用者去除一些對決策較無影響的屬性，讓使用者能夠減少資訊收集成本，並針對重要屬性做決策上的考量。同時在本研究中，我們還將此演算法應用在生產現場的屬性篩選上，幫助排程人員找出對於排程法則選取有重要影響的屬性；並藉此驗證篩選演算法的正確性及完整性。 / To screen the mformation effectively can improve the efficiency and quality of decision making dramatically. Since it does not only decrease the uncertainty of decision maldng, but also let decision makers can emphasize on the important factors which can significantly affect the result of decision. In this thesis we present an algorithm to find the important factors out based on the technique of back propagation neural network model. This algorithm can help users to remove some attributes which do not or seldom affect the result of decision, and let them can reduce the cost of data collection and emphasize on consideration of the remaining important attributes. And in this thesis, we also apply the algorithm to filter out the important production attributes of shop floor scheduling system which can significantly affect the selection of shop floor scheduling rules, and use the result of this experiment to verify the correctness and completeness of the algorithm.

Advances in wireless communication have enabled mobility of personal computing services equipped with sensing and computing capabilities. This has motivated the development of location-based services (LBS) that are implemented on top of existing communication infrastructures to cater to changing user contexts. To enable and support the delivery of LBS, accurate, reliable, and realtime user location information is needed. This thesis introduces a cognitive dynamic system for tracking the position of mobile users using received signal strength (RSS) in Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN). The main challenge in WLAN positioning is the unpredictable nature of the RSS-position relationship. Existing system rely on a set of training samples collected at a set of anchor points with known positions in the environment to characterize this relationship. The first contribution of this thesis is the use of nonparametric kernel density estimation for minimum mean square error positioning using the RSS training data. This formulation enables the rigorous study of state-space filtering in the context of WLAN positioning. The outcome is the Nonparametric Information (NI) filter, a novel recursive position estimator that incorporates both RSS measurements and a dynamic model of pedestrian motion during estimation. In contrast to traditional Kalman filtering approaches, the NI filter does not require the explicit knowledge of RSS-position relationship and is therefore well-suited for the WLAN positioning problem. The use of the dynamic motion model by the NI filter leads to the design of a cognitive dynamic tracking system. This design harnesses the benefits of feedback and position predictions from the filter to guide the selection of anchor points and radio sensors used during estimation. Experimental results using real measurement from an office environment demonstrate the effectiveness of proactive determination of sensing and estimation parameters in mitigating difficulties that arise due to the unpredictable nature of the indoor radio environment. In particular, the results indicate that the proposed cognitive design achieves an improvement of 3.19m (56\%) in positioning error relative to memoryless positioning alone.

Advances in wireless communication have enabled mobility of personal computing services equipped with sensing and computing capabilities. This has motivated the development of location-based services (LBS) that are implemented on top of existing communication infrastructures to cater to changing user contexts. To enable and support the delivery of LBS, accurate, reliable, and realtime user location information is needed. This thesis introduces a cognitive dynamic system for tracking the position of mobile users using received signal strength (RSS) in Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN). The main challenge in WLAN positioning is the unpredictable nature of the RSS-position relationship. Existing system rely on a set of training samples collected at a set of anchor points with known positions in the environment to characterize this relationship. The first contribution of this thesis is the use of nonparametric kernel density estimation for minimum mean square error positioning using the RSS training data. This formulation enables the rigorous study of state-space filtering in the context of WLAN positioning. The outcome is the Nonparametric Information (NI) filter, a novel recursive position estimator that incorporates both RSS measurements and a dynamic model of pedestrian motion during estimation. In contrast to traditional Kalman filtering approaches, the NI filter does not require the explicit knowledge of RSS-position relationship and is therefore well-suited for the WLAN positioning problem. The use of the dynamic motion model by the NI filter leads to the design of a cognitive dynamic tracking system. This design harnesses the benefits of feedback and position predictions from the filter to guide the selection of anchor points and radio sensors used during estimation. Experimental results using real measurement from an office environment demonstrate the effectiveness of proactive determination of sensing and estimation parameters in mitigating difficulties that arise due to the unpredictable nature of the indoor radio environment. In particular, the results indicate that the proposed cognitive design achieves an improvement of 3.19m (56\%) in positioning error relative to memoryless positioning alone.

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