Cooperative sensor networks with bandwidth constraints

A Cooperative Sensor Network is an array of sensors interconnected by a local or wide area tactical communications network. Sensor data is shared between the sensors and used as input to an estimator to measure a process such as target location or target identification. In this paper a stochastic sensor scheduling framework is applied to the position estimation of multiple emitter targets using a Cooperative Sensor Network where the communications bandwidth between sensor nodes has been constrained. The stochastic sensor scheduling problem is presented and a practical sub-optimal sensor scheduling algorithm for multi-target localisation using bearing-only sensors is demonstrated in simulation. Cooperative Sensor Networks are applied to the Integrated Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare (ISREW) problem. One way to achieve ISREW is to develop distributed EW and S&R systems using Cooperative Sensor Networks. In this paper we describe a new approach to tactical sensor network and information processing based on stochastic sensor scheduling techniques. Simulation results are presented for a number of examples of cooperative EW and Surveillance systems.