Seventh Intenational Conference on Control, Amtomation,

Robotics And Vision (ICARCV’OZ), DN.2002, SiOppore

Application of Multisensor Data Fusion Based on RBF

Neural Networks for Fault Diagnosis of SAMs
Chunling Fan, Zhihua Jin, Jing Zhang, Weifeng Tian
Department of Instrumentation Engineering,
Shanghai Jiao Tong University,
1954 Huashan Road, Shanghai 200030, P.R China
Email: fanchunling@sjtu.edu.cn

satellite, especial remote sensing satellite requires

Abstract
The idea of multisensor integration is to use multiple
sensors for measuring the same variables, where each
sensor bas its own accuracy, reliability and drawbacks.
The sensor information is integrated by some data
integration algorithms. In this paper, Radial Basis
Function (RBF) neural networks and multisensor data
fusion technology are combined and used m the fault
detection and diagnosis of sensorshardware faults in the
Satellite Attitude Measurement System (SAMs).The
fusion method of the RBF neural networks is adopted.
By using the combination method the outputs of the
system are more accurate and reliable than each
individual sensor. Research results show that this
method for the detection and diagnosis of the sensors
hardware faults in the S A M s is feasible and more
effective, and for the sensnrs which measure the same
attitude angle, using the method of firstly integration,
then faults diagnosis, finally connection with the
measurement system, the systematic measurement
precision and performance-price-ratiocan be improved.
Keywords: RBF neural networks, multisensor data
fusion, SAMs, fault diagnosis
1 Introduction
Satellite Attitude Measurement System (SAMs)is the
important component of the satellite, and it is the system
which consists of multiple sensors to measure attitudes
o f a satellite when the satellite moving in the space. Tbe
SAMs to possess higher precision and better reliability.
Thus, SAMs’operating reliability plays a crucial role to
the satellite’s normal work. In order to improve its
reliability, a m i e s of managerial work of satellite
reliability has been made before the satellite is launched.
However, no matter how effort has been done, we can
not make sure that faulls of a device will not appear
Therefore, researching fault detection and diagnosis
technology of S A M s has the same important
significance as studying system’s precision.
The method of multiple observedfilters is proposed to
detect and diagnose the faults of SAMs in [I], its basic
idea is to design gain matrixes of two ohsewers and
make the difference signal between their outputs just
only sensitive to sensors’ faults to enhance the
robustness of model mismatch. This method has good
real-time performance in the course of application, yet
for the sensor faults produced by gradual variation of
constant, before the faults are detected, the system has
produced errors. Interacting Multiple-Model (IMM)
estimation algorithm is presented in 121, providing an
integrated €ramework for fault detection, diagnosis, and
static estimation. Whereas each single model of this
method is linear, it cannot be extended to nonlinear
dynamic systems and reconfigurahle control. The
approach of neural networks is presented to detect and
classify the process faults in 131, utilizing the
characteristics of dishibuting information storage and
parallel processing of neural networks can achieve
adequate approximation to each known systematic
behavior and realize accurate calculation to each
symptoms. Also, the main advantage of the neural
networks is that no mathematical model of the plant is
needed, and the robustness of the diagnosing system is
complementary assured in both stages of symptom
generation and evaluation. In recent years, multisensor
data fusion bas received significant attention for both
militaq and civil applications. Data fusion techniques
combine. data from multiple sensors, and relative
inforhation from associated databases, to achieve
improved accuracy and more specific inferences than
could be achieved by the use of a single sensor alone“’.
Kalman filter is presented to apply in the navigation
systems using multisensor data fusion to achieve faults
diagnosis and classification, and some different
multisensor integration methods are addressed in [ 5 ] .
Based on the multisensor data fusion the new-fuzzy
networks where fuzzy logic and neural networks are
integrated are adopted to process non-destructive testing
data and obtain better simulation results in [6].
In this paper, SAMs is taken as researching objective,
which is composed of gyros, infrared earth sensors and
sun sensors. Because the SAMs is made up of seveal
sensors, multisensor data fusion technology is required
to pmcess the information collected from different
sensors and ensure a high measurement accuracy.
Multisensor data fusion and Radial Basis Function (RBF)
neural networks are integrated to detect and diagnose
the sensors hardware faults of SAMs to improve
measurement precision and performance-price ratio of
system in the paper.
2 Multisensor Data Fusion Based on RBF
Neural Networks
Mutlisensor data fusion technology is to make good use
of multiple sensors’ performances. and analyze and
integrate the data detected by each sensor in order to
extract the researching objective’s information.
Multisensor system can reflect completely and
adequately detected objectives’ characteristics and
elimioate the uncertainties of information U, enhance
reliability of the sensors[”. Because multisensor data
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fusion dchnology is to utilize data from multisensor
system to get needed data, information fusion can be
regarded as a noniinear inference process of information
space on the some conditions. A neural network is a
nonlinear dynamical system formed by a great deal of
simple processing units and possesses many good
performances, so it can solve the problems, which
cannot be resolved by normal processing methcds,
especially for the problems belonging to thoughts,
inference and consciousness. Also it can pmcess
uocompleted, imprecise and even very fuzzy data. Thus
performances of neural networks and strong nonlinear
approximate capacity are just satisfying the needs of
multisensor data fusion in technical processing. Hence,
signal processing ability and automatic inference
function of neural networks can be utilized to
implement multisensor data fusion. Multisensor data
fusion structure diagram based neural networks is
shown in the figure 1.
Nd&O&
Figure 1 Struehue of mntilsensor information fusion based
on the neural netwoks
From the Figure I , the raw data detected by n sensors
must be sent into preprocessing units to be
commensurate, which can ensure be observations of the
same or similar physical quantities and be able to
properly associate. After being preprocessed, these data
are transferred into neural networks to implement
inference and judgement.
when the neural networks are applied in the multisensor
data fusion technology, firstly appropriate neural
networks models should be chosen according to
systematic needs and senson’characteristics. Generally,
the forward Back Propagation (BP) networks are used.
Because of local optimization problem and lower
traiaiog rate, the efficiency of the BP network is not
high. Radial Basis Function (RBF)networks overcome
these prohlems at a certain degree. Thaefore, in this
paper, we select RBF networks model. The generation
of RBF networks has strong biological backgrounds. In
the pallium area, local adjustment and overlapping
receptive field are the characteristics of c m b r a l
response. Based on these characteristics Moody and
Darken proposed a kind of neural network structure,
namely RBF networks‘91.RBF networks consist of three
layers. Input layer nodes just !ransfex input signal to
bidden layer, and the hidden layer nodes are composed
of radiative functions such like Gauss functions, and
output layer nodes are general simple linear functions.
Basis functions in hidden layer response to input single
in local area. That is, when input signal approach the
central region of hasis functions, the hidden nodes will
produce the bigger output. Thus, this kind of network
structure has strong local approximation capacity.
Generally, RBF networks can be expressed as follows
In this paper, the basis function applied is Gauss basis
function Rj(x).
where, w,denotes connecting weight values of neural
networks and x is n dimension input vector, and
c, represents the center of the i th membership
function and bean tbe same dimension vector with x ,
and cr, is the i t h pmceptive variable which can be
selected freely, determining the width between the
membership function and the center point. m is the
number of perceptive units. l~-cjl1is the norm of
vector x--cj , representing the distance between
x and e, . R,( x ) has the only maximum value at the
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c, , and with the increase of b-cjll
,
R,(x)decreases to zero quickly. For the given input
x E R” , small parts approaching the center of x can
be activated.
After the structure model of neural networks is chosen,
according to known multisensor data and systematic
fusion knowledge some certain learning methods are
adopted to study and hain the neural networks structure,
determining neural networks connecting weight values
and structure. At last, the traiOed neural networks
architecture can be used in the ml data fusion
applications.
3 Multisensor Data Fusion Based on RBF
Neural Network Applied in the SAMS
3.1 Faults Modes and Learning Samples
The output signals of SAMs are attitude angles of
satellite. Because error, including noise of a sensor and
sensor’s fault information, is mixed with m e value in
the output of the sensor, faults information cannot be
detected accurately and timely if there is only one sensor.
when there are two sensors, although the dispersion
between the senson’ output contains error, the faults
cannot be made out 6 0 m which sensor. Only there are
three or more sensors, ermr information reflecting f a u k
can be detected accurately at the meaning of probability.
So the Multiple sensors must be adopted to ensure the
higher precision and utilizing multisensor data fusion
technology the faults can be judged and analyzed
accurately.
The S A M s includes the hardware and solbare these
two kinds of faults. The usual faults types of sensor
hardware can he classified into abrupt variation and
gradual variation in the light of difference of outputs.
Suppose the main faults of measurement system ws that
the senson’ outputs contsin errors, which form is
constant abrupt variation.
Suppose msensors are used to measure the same
attitude angle and constitute a judgement system firstly,
and then are connected with measurement system.
When m sensors work normally. the weighted average
value of the m sensors' outputs would be connected
with system. If faults appear, the weighted average
value of only normal sensors' outputs would be
connected with system Therefore, as multiple sensors
are used to measure the same variable, assuring the
system still work normally when the certain sensor
produces faults. Thus the systematic reliability is
enhanced. Also, the outputs of multiple sensors are
averaged with weight, the systematic precision can be
improved. Considering reasanable performance-price-
ratio, we choose m value from 3 to 5. In this paper,
m is chosen as 5 . Then faults modes including status of
5 sensors work nnrmally are 16, and 0 represents normal
status, then 1 represents faults.
The S A M s wnsists ofgyros, infrared earth sensors and
sun sensors. Supposing me value of the certain attitude
angle of satellite is x , and output of the i th sensor
measuring x is z, and measurement noise is &,
and ermr reflecting faults is e,. When the i th sensor
has no faults, then e, is zero. Otherwise, e< is step
function. Let His measurement m a h i s then the
equation is as follows
z =Hx+ E +e (3)
z = [ZI,z* ,."(2," I'
where, & = [ E ~ , & , ; . . . & , ~ .
e = [eI,e, ,...,e,
The corresponding least square estimation i of
attitude angle x is expressed as equation (4)
(4)
Then, the subtraction between measurement values
z, and estimation values i, = H i reflects the
measuring faults characteristics. Let the difference 2
is
.?=z-Hi (5)
reflecting faults modes can be regarded as RBF
networks inputs, and RBF networks used to classify the
2 can achieve faults diagnosis and detection of attitude
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measurement system
( I ) original data
The !me attitude angle x is 1000 different
numerical values, whose range is 33.5".
(2) Measurement data
Based on x , according to different sensors (gym,
infrared earth sensor and sun sensor) and faults
modes, sensor outputs z = H x + & + e are
simulated by equation (3). In order to improve
accuracy, in mm of sensors' noise level each
attitude angle is measured time after time to obtain
measuring average, thus m sensors' noise level can
reach basic agreement.
(3) Training samples
Input neurons m is 5 and output neurons n is 16.
Input values of training samples can be gotten
according to equation (4) and (5). If the certain
sensor has faults, output value is 1, otherwise the
output value is 0.
3.2 Simulation Test and Results Analysis
Afler determining the networks structure and obtaining
the study samples, the networks can be trained and
learned. The improved least square algorithm is adopted.
The enwr function of networks outputs is expressed as
follows
Where, T l represents desired output and 0;denotes
the corresponding networks real 0utputs.P is the
number oftraining samples. The goal of the algorithm is
to adjust continuously wnnecting weights and make
m o r function E reach least.
In [I], BP neural networks are applied to process the
signal of SAMs and get desirable results. However, the
BP neural networks only detect faults of one sensor, and
training difticulty of BP neural networks enhances with
the n e t w o k ' expansion. BP neural networks' !raining
speed becomes slow and is pmne to get into local
minimum. Therefore, in order to compare performances
ofthe BP neural networks and RBF neural networks. the
BP neural networks are also adopted to leam training
samples except for using RBF neural networks to study.
The emor precision at the certain training cycles is
compared, and their training comparison diagram is
shown in Figure 2.
(a) Training error of BP neural networks
0)Training error of RBF neml networks
Figure 2 Training mcomparison diagram
From Figure 2, we can see when the training circles are
100, the error of BP neural networks reacbes 0.030,
while at the only 50 training c k l e s , the ermr of RBF
neural networks can reach 0.008. So, the training rate of
RBF neural networks is quicker than BP networks and
can reach smaller global mor. M e r having training the
networks structctule, the simulation test of faults
diagnosis and detection of the sensors can be done. A set
of input data different eom training data can be
produced by equations fi-om (3) to ( 5 ) and he used to
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detect &d classify the faults using BP networks and
RBF networks respectively. Comparing these two
methods, we can get analysis results as follows
(I) The training rate of RBF networks is quicker than
BP networks and a betta precision can be got fast
(2) BP networks can detect and diagnose only one
sensor, which produces faults among three or five
sensors, and the mining difficulty of networks
classifier increases with the augmentation of
networks, and training speed is very slow and tends
to plunge into local minimization“’. whereas, using
RBF neural network. can detect one or two sensors’
faults, and detected rate and diagnostic accuracy
can reach LOO percent.
4 Conclusions
In this paper, multisensor data fusion technology using
RBF networks is used in the diagnosis and detection of
the sensors hardware faults in satellite attitude
measurement system. Also,as multiple sensors are used
to measure the same variable, the system can still work
when the certain sensor produces faults. Thus the
systematic reliability is enhanced. Furthermore, the
outputs of multiple sensors are averaged with weight,
the systematic precision can he improved. And for the
sensors, which measure the same attitude angle, using
the method of firstly integration, then faults diagnosis,
tinally connection with the measurement system, the
performance-price-ratio is also improved. The rate of
neural networks training using RBF networks is faster
than usual BP networks, and RBF networks have the
bigger adaptation and betta approximation capacity.
Adopting RBF networks to detect and diagnose the
sensors’ hardware given faults of satellite attitude
measurement system, results are satisfied.
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