cutting deployment risk, time & cost 1 Introduction Todays EW - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

 …cutting deployment risk, time & cost

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Today’s EW systems must meet threat environment that are diverse, deceptive & agile. To confront these challenges the systems must offer:

• Ultimate performance for detection and classification
• ability for rapid reconfiguration for handling ever changing threat scenarios
• ability to handle different sensor-types and multi-mission requirements
• ability to scale up to handle increasing processing load as sensor-count and signal

bandwidth increases Most importantly, today’s EW system must reduce deployment risk, time and cost

Introduction

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Conventional Approach Falls Short

The conventional approach of developing EW systems using bus (VME, PCI, etc.) based COTS boards from multiple vendors fails to meet the challenges:

• It takes an enormous amount of time and money to select COTS boards

from multiple vendors, choose a host platform, Operating system, device drivers and then integrate a system, develop application software and perform system testing – the process generally takes years and often results in time and cost overruns.

• A critical issue is that it is often difficult to synchronize multiple bus based

systems (in time and phase), particularly, as the sensor-count and signal bandwidth increases Architectural simplicity is key for meeting the demanding requirements

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Simplicity is the Key

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An approach the circumvents the problems of the conventional approach is presented here Sensor Interface (Modular & Scalable) Data Link(s) (High-Speed) Display Processor (Scalable) Most EW systems, whether, Radar, COMINT, ELINT, Sonar can be partitioned into two parts: a sensor interface part & a processing part. Multi-core server based software (real-time) processing is ideally suited for most EW applications – they are inexpensive, readily available, upgradable and offers reconfigurable processing. Sensor interface subsystem is bus-less, scalable and incorporates one or more data links for transfer of pre-processed data (I & Q data for radio/radar applications) to and from the

• processor. Increasing channel count and/or signal BW may require additional data links.

The questions are: what is an ideal data link and what should be its properties to simplify system development?

10 Gigabit Optical Network (Fiber) is an ideal data link

• It is an open and evolving industry standard
• The data transfer rate per fiber can be as high as 1 Gbyte/s
• The use of optical fiber(s) allows data to be transferred over long distances, permitting

antenna-level digitization

• Better analog performance is achieved as there is no “noisy” computer bus in the analog

section

• It is linearly scalable which means that the throughput rate can be increased by adding more

fibers

• multiple fibers can be synchronized (important for MIMO, DF, Beamforming, etc.)
• Multiple sensor data can be easily fused into a common processor
• It is OS agnostic
• It efficiently leverages the multi-core computer server technology

Advantages The concept of 10 Gigabit Sensor Processing (10 GSP) is based on 10 Gigabit network-attached sensor interface unit & multi-core server based processing. The sensor interface unit may vary from one requirement to another but the concept is the same.

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10 Gigabit Network (Data)

CORE CORE CORE CORE CORE CORE CORE CORE

10 GbE NIC BRIDGE

RAID CONTROLLER

Multi-core Software Processing For Rapid Deployment & Re-configuration

8 TB or 32 TB Storage

1 GbE (Control)

10 GbE Network Attached Sensor Interface

User PC (GUI/Control API)

Common Configuration For Sensor Processing

Pre- installed

Off-The-Shelf Multi-core RAID Server

From / To Sensors

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Any system has two parts: Sensor Interface Part & Processing Part (Sever). One can move from one application to another by changing the software

Drinking From A Fire Hose

Input

• Receives 10GbE data continuously in a ring

buffer in the Input Server Module

• Receiving of data can be abstracted from

the user

• User creates their own processing thread

based from a template class

Output

• Users can add pre-processing Modules to

process data before passing it to the Output Client

• The processing class is created based on a

template class

• Output Client transmits the DAC data over

the 10GbE. Sending of the data is abstracted from the user

PIPE

• Connection between modules and allows

inter-stage data transfer synchronization

• Handles all data transfer between modules

(abstraction for the user)

• Must be used to connect User designed

processing modules to other modules

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Sensor Interface Device Input Server Module

10GbE

User Processing Module Output Client Module

10GbE

User Processing Module

Multiple Pipes allow for load balancing

A Framework For Multi-Core Software Processing Availability of multiple processors, each running at multi-GHz rate with full floating point precisions offers major advantages over FPGA based processing in terms of tremendous cost savings and rapid re-configurability. The challenge is how to program efficiently so each processor is optimally engaged to achieve real-time throughput rates.

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Sensor Interface

(Modular with Minimal Pre-Processing capability)

One or More 10 Gigabit Network(s)

Display Processor

(Server)

10 Gigabit Sensor Processing (10 GSP)

• Real-time multi-core software

processing

• Processing, recording & playback can

be combined

• Port replication for future upgrade
• Rapid upgrade or re-configuration
• Low cost

Appendix A provides sample examples of actual deployed systems that highlights the advantages

• f the 10 GSP approach
• Scalable & Modular network

attached system

• Synchronized operation
• Bus less for better SNR
• Minimal pre-processing capability

for efficient software based system implementation 10 GSP provides fast, scalable & synchronized systems for rapid deployment & fast upgrade

Network Latency

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The 10 GSP concept discussed here is based UDP/IP protocol for high data pay load for high-speed operation. This protocol has lower latency than higher layer TCP/IP protocol. The latency is primarily dependent on the data packet size. For high speed, low interrupt rate operation a jumbo data frame (up to 56 Kbytes) is used. However, the user has total control on the data packet size. COTS bus based boards also has similar latency issues. For extremely low latency applications, FPGA based processing may be unavoidable.

Conclusions

This paper has demonstrated the tremendous advantages of adopting the 10 Gigabit network as data backbone for developing sensor processing systems for EW

• applications. Properly designed network-attached sensor interface subsystem coupled

with commercially available multi-core server can implement virtually any demanding EW system. This approach, termed 10 GSP (10 Gigabit Sensor Processing) offers a multi- core software based solution that offers rapid reconfiguration. In many cases to move from one application to another only the software needs to be changed. With sample examples of actual deployments (as illustrated in Appendix A), the paper has further demonstrated:

• 1. Multi-core software approach for real-time signal processing is a superior approach

in terms of cost, performance & development time to FPGA based alternative

• 2. It is possible to achieve virtually Limitless scalability by building up from a modular

base configuration for meeting the demand of higher channel count and / or signal BW

• 3. Multiple fibers can be operated synchronously for critical phase-coherent

applications

• 4. It is easy to incorporate different sensor types by simply adding appropriate

network attached sensor interface system to the same processing configuration In conclusion, the 10 GSP approach can drastically cut deployment time, cost & risk

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Appendix A

Sample Examples demonstrate 10 GSP Advantages

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Demons nstr trati ation

• n of 1

10 GSP Advantag tages – Synchro chroni nize zed Opera rati tion

• n & Limitless

Record / Playback @ 2 GBytes/s Over 2 Fibers

Compact 1U System

Record / Playback @ 4 GBytes/s Over 4 Fibers

Stackable 2U System Record / Playback @ 8 GBytes/s Over 8 Fibers

2 x DTA-5000-SSD (46 TB)

Synchronization & Scalability

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Synchronized Record/Playback Over Multiple Fibers @ Record Breaking Speed Typical throughput rate is 1 Gbyte/s per fiber. Multiple RAID servers can be stacked to achieve virtually any throughput rate.

DTA-2300S DTA-3200H DTA-2300S DTA-3200H DTA-2300S DTA-3200H DTA-2300S DTA-3200H

Long Range 10GbE fiber

• 90 dB SFDR
• Optical 10GbE network allow long distance transmission with LR optics
• Lengths up to 10km possible
• A cluster of 16 or more channels can be placed in a single location -- improving

sensitivity

• Multiple clusters may be spaced out to match with the actual antenna placement
• Digitized data can be transmitted to common recording / processing station
• Reduces deployment cost and improves RF sensitivity

128-Channel Phased Array HF Radar

HF Conditioning HF To Baseband (I & Q) Processing / Recording

Demonstration of 10 GSP Advantage - Antenna Level Digitization

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10 GbE (Data) 1 GbE (Control)

Demonstrations 10GSP Advantages – Common Platform For Multiple Applications DTA-3290 tunable transceiver connects to any server via the 10 GbE Network for real-time multi- core processing of baseband data for COMS, Radar, COMINT, Spectrum Monitoring, RF Signature Collection, RF Test and others. Only the application software is different from one application to another. X

(20 MHz – 6 GHz)

ADC DAC

FPGA 75 MHz IF, 40 MHz IBW

10 GbE Network (Data) Multi-Core Server with 8 TB Storage

RF / IF IF / Baseband (I & Q) DTA-1000R (1U) (Record/Playback)

DDC & Network

X

LOs 16-Bit ADC & DAC (Fs=100 MHz)

RF In RF Out

1 GbE Control 1 GbE User PC

DTA-3290 (1U)

Replicated 10 Gigabit Network For User Processing While Recording

RFvision-1Block Diagram

14 2015 AOC Europe / D-TA Systems Inc

User PC for Control (GUI / Control API)

10GbE (I & Q Data) 10GbE (I & Q Data) 10GbE (I & Q Data) 10GbE (I & Q Data)

1GbE (Control)

4 X DTA-3290

RF IN Rx & TX Rx & TX Rx & TX Rx & TX

Demonstration of 10 GSP Advantage – Scalability To Increase Channel Count Multiple transceivers can be connected to same server for radar, beamforming, DF, multiple set-on & scan COMINT operations. Only the software in the server changes from one application to the next.

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GPS

RF 1 (20 MHz – 6 GHz)

GPS

RF 2 (20 MHz – 6 GHz)

GPS

RF 3 (20 MHz – 6 GHz)

DTA-5000 RAID Server For Processing & Recording & Data Dissemination

Central Processing Site

10 GbE Fiber 10 GbE Fiber 10 GbE Fiber

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Demonstration of 10 GSP Advantage – TDOA Ready

Demonstration of 10 GSP Advantages – Scalable ELINT Solution

RFvision-2 Ultra-wideband (500 MHz) System X

(500 MHz – 18 GHz)

ADC DAC 2 X V6 FPGAs

500 MHz IBW, 1.2 GHz IF

2 X 10 GbE Networks (I & Q Data) RAID Server with 7.6 TB SSD Storage

RF / IF IF / Baseband (I & Q) DTA-1000-R-SSD (Record/Playback)

DDC, DUC & Network

RFvision-2 System Block Diagram

1.6 GHz LOs

DTA-9590 (Tunable Transceiver)

12-Bit ADC & 12-Bit DAC

RF In

1 GbE Control 1 GbE

DTA-9590 [1U] DTA-1000-R [1U]

User PC Optional Analog Out

8 X (0.5-18 GHz) Tunable Receivers With 500 MHz BW

Common Reference

2 X 10 GbE 16 X 10 GbE

DTA-9590 #2 DTA-9590 #1 DTA-9590 #3 DTA-9590 #8

4 X 10 GbE 6 X 10 GbE

DTA-5000 RAID Server (3U) RF In

Increasing the Stare BW to 4 GHz

Demonst strat ration

• n of 10 G

GSP Advanta tages ges – Ease of Senso sor r Fusion

LF (1 kHz – 1 MHz) HF VHF, UHF & SHF (1 MHz – 6 GHz) L, S, C, X, Ku Bands (500 MHz – 18 GHz, Extendable To 40 GHz)

Multiple Sensors Supported Selectable BWs: 1 MHz; 2.5 MHz; 5 MHz; 10 MHz; 20 MHz & 40 MHz Selectable BWs: 125 MHz; 250 MHz & 500 MHz

DTA-4100 DTA-3290 DTA-9590

DTA-5000 RAID Server (Up To 23 TB SSD Storage)

1U 2U

1 x 10 GbE 2 x 10 GbE 1 x 10 GbE

Replicated 10 GbE links for processing while recording

Displays

1 GbE 4 x 10 GbE

Gapless Spectrum Monitoring from Low Frequency to Super High Frequency

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