Two Target Tracking Design Patterns for a Real Time Phased Array Radar System

Abstract

Modern phased array radar systems must track for multiple targets. It is also helpful to recognize the target types. If the target type is identified, suitable tracking algorithms and tracking filters may achieve higher tracking quality. Even if the radar system does not have high resolution, the target types may still be recognized since different target types have different motion behaviors. For example, tactical ballistic missiles have high velocity, rapid change in height and small radar cross section. Cruise missile can fly along the shape of landforms at low velocities. Most radar systems have hard real time constraints. If a scheduled task cannot be accomplished in time, it may lead to serious damage. So it is important to design a flexible software model that can improve reusability, test performance and maintenance. Traditional realizations of target tracking software are based on the functional-oriented method. Although it is easy to implement, it lacks architectural analysis, design, and maintainability. This paper proposes two design patterns for efficient, flexible and real-time target-tracking models.