High-accuracy low-ambiguity emitter classification using an advanced Dempster-Shafer algorithm
Dorwin C. Black, John C. Sciortino, John R. Altoft · Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE · 2004
High-accuracy, low-ambiguity emitter classification based on ESM signals is critical to the safety and effectiveness of military platforms. Many previous ESM classification techniques involved comparison of either the average observed value or the observed limits of ESM parameters with the expected limits contained in an emitter library. Signal parameters considered typically include radio frequency (RF), pulse repetition interval (PRI), and pulse width (PW). These simple library comparison techniques generally yield ambiguous results because of the high density of emitters in key regions of the parameter space (X-band). This problem is likely to be exacerbated as military platforms are more frequently called upon to conduct operations in littoral waters, where high densities of airborne, sea borne, and land based emitters greatly increase signal clutter. A key deficiency of the simple techniques is that by focusing only on parameter averages or limits, they fail to take advantage of much information contained in the observed signals. In this paper we describe a Dempster-Shafer technique that exploits a set of hierarchical parameter trees to provide a detailed description of signal behavior. This technique provides a significant reduction in ambiguity particularly for agile emitters whose signals provide much information for the algorithm to utilize.