Vision-based tracking using intelligent excitation

This paper addresses the problem of visual tracking using a conventional model reference adaptive control framework for it. The adaptive controller is capable of maintaining a relative position for a trailer vehicle with respect to a lead vehicle of unknown size. The only information about the lead vehicle can be deduced from the subtended angle in the image plane of the trailing vehicle. Neither the dimension of the lead vehicle, nor its velocity are assumed to be known to the follower. The control objective of maintaining a prespecified relative range is achieved via an intelligent excitation signal, the properties of which are analysed in this paper. Simulations illustrate the theoretical results.