Revisiting Functional Derivatives in Multi-object Tracking

Fuente: arXiv
Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Krejčí, Jan, Straka, Ondřej, Girg, Petr, Benedikt, Jiří
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866909864483094528
author Krejčí, Jan
Straka, Ondřej
Girg, Petr
Benedikt, Jiří
author_facet Krejčí, Jan
Straka, Ondřej
Girg, Petr
Benedikt, Jiří
contents Probability generating functionals (PGFLs) are efficient and powerful tools for tracking independent objects in clutter. It was shown that PGFLs could be used for the elegant derivation of practical multi-object tracking algorithms, e.g., the probability hypothesis density (PHD) filter. However, derivations using PGFLs use the so-called functional derivatives whose definitions usually appear too complicated or heuristic, involving Dirac delta ``functions''. This paper begins by comparing different definitions of functional derivatives and exploring their relationships and implications for practical applications. It then proposes a rigorous definition of the functional derivative, utilizing straightforward yet precise mathematics for clarity. Key properties of the functional derivative are revealed and discussed.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2508_12982
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Revisiting Functional Derivatives in Multi-object Tracking
Krejčí, Jan
Straka, Ondřej
Girg, Petr
Benedikt, Jiří
Systems and Control
Other Statistics
Probability generating functionals (PGFLs) are efficient and powerful tools for tracking independent objects in clutter. It was shown that PGFLs could be used for the elegant derivation of practical multi-object tracking algorithms, e.g., the probability hypothesis density (PHD) filter. However, derivations using PGFLs use the so-called functional derivatives whose definitions usually appear too complicated or heuristic, involving Dirac delta ``functions''. This paper begins by comparing different definitions of functional derivatives and exploring their relationships and implications for practical applications. It then proposes a rigorous definition of the functional derivative, utilizing straightforward yet precise mathematics for clarity. Key properties of the functional derivative are revealed and discussed.
title Revisiting Functional Derivatives in Multi-object Tracking
topic Systems and Control
Other Statistics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.12982