Dependent Randomization in Parallel Binary Decision Fusion

Abstract

We consider a parallel decentralized detection system employing a bank of local detectors (LDs) to access a commonly-observed phenomenon. The system makes a binary decision about the phenomenon, accepting one of two hypotheses (H <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">0</sub> (“absent” ) or H <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">1</sub> (“present” )). The kth LD uses a local decision rule to compress its local observations y <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">k</sub> into a binary local decision u <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">k</sub> ; u <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">k</sub> =0 if the kth LD accepts H <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">0</sub> and u <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">k</sub> = 1 accepts H <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">1</sub> . The kth LD sends its decision u <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">k</sub> over a noiseless dedicated channel to a Data Fusion Center (DFC). The DFC combines the local decisions it receives from n LDs (u <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">1</sub> ,u <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> ,...,u <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">n</sub> ) into a single binary global decision u <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">0</sub> (u <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">0=</sub> 0 for accepting H <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">0</sub> or u <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">0</sub> =1 for accepting H <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">1</sub> ). If each LD uses a single deterministic local decision rule (calculating u <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">k</sub> from the local observations y <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">k</sub> ) and the DFC uses a single deterministic global decision rule (calculating u <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">0</sub> from n local decisions), the team receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve is in general non-concave. The system's performance under a Neyman-Pearson criterion may then be suboptimal in the sense that a mixed strategy may yield a higher probability of detection when the probability of false alarm is constrained not to exceed a certain value, α>0. Specifically, a “dependent randomization” detection scheme can be applied in certain circumstances to improve the system's performance by making the ROC curve concave. This scheme requires a coordinated and synchronized action between the DFC and the LDs. In this study, we specify when dependent randomization is needed, and discuss the proper response of the detection system if synchronization between the LDs and the DFC is temporarily lost.