A game theoretic model for management of mobile sensors

This paper suggests a framework for multisensor multi-target tracking with mobile sensors. Sensors negotiate over which targets to track (possibly sharing targets to benefit from data fusion technology) using a game theory based algorithm. Sensors' preferences over negotiation offers are articulated with individual utility functions which encompass both information gain and directional derivative. An approach to consider terrain effects on mobile sensors is also explained. Simulation results show that the negotiation algorithm has interesting advantages compared to a greedy algorithm that seeks to optimise information gain without consideration to derivatives. We notice that the negotiation procedure forces sensors to share targets, while improving robustness to sensor failure. Sensors also tend to proactively reconsider their target assignments for long-term improved information gain.