Multi-rate optimal state estimation

This article formulates a multi-rate linear minimum mean squared error (LMMSE) state estimation problem, which includes four rates as follows: the state updating rate in the model, the measurement sampling rate, the estimate updating rate and the estimate output rate. This formulation is unique in two ways. First, the rate ratio between state measurement and state estimate is more general (a rational number), instead of just an integer or its reciprocal as considered in the existing literature. Second, state estimates are produced in blocks, which have never been considered before in the multi-rate estimator design. The multi-rate LMMSE estimation problem is solved by examining several distinctive cases for single-rate state estimation, obtained through the lifting technique. Also, sufficient conditions are given for asymptotic stability of the proposed multi-rate LMMSE estimators. An example in tracking a manoeuvering target is given to illustrate the proposed multi-rate state estimators.