Texas Instruments has sponsored the following story
Converting Radar Data is Mission Critical
Conventional radars send data to high-speed ADCs (Analog to Digital Converters). Then, using an interface built on glue logic (embedded digital circuits), data is converted from a parallel signal to a lower frequency serial signal via the Analog Front End (AFE).
Typically these AFE devices transmit to digital circuits via an SFP/SFP+ (Small Form-factor Pluggable/Enhanced SFP transceiver), and then send the signal to a processor via a PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) or SRIO (Serial Rapid Input Output) interface. However, TI has streamlined the process with their TI-HiRel (High Reliability) Defense and Aerospace products. The System-On-Chip (SOC) devices use Keystone II architecture to interface directly with the AFE over a 10 Gbit Ethernet connection.
Hi-Rel operates as a separate business under the TI umbrella. This gives their engineers access to all the latest technology so they can offer quality products, foundry services, advanced packaging and support.
TI's Keystone II Processors Simplify Radar Design
Figure 1 - Proposed radar system with XFP interface
TI's KeyStone II-based processors will introduce 10GbE (Gbit Ethernet) to radar systems. GPS guidance, image processing for target recognition, and real-time flight path guidance computations are easier to design with these built-in 10GbE switches.
The chips can interface directly to the AFE over XFP. This will reduce the external circuitry BOM which saves money and limits complexity.
The Keystone II processors include multicore DSPs and multicore ARM plus DSP. This makes the chips able to process a combined 224 GFLOPS (Floating-Point Operations per Second).
The Keystone II processors are equipped with the following common features:
- Network packet and security co-processors
- Cache-coherent Multicore Shared Memory Controller (MSMC)
- 1MB per core Level 2 RAM/cache
- TeraNet - on-chip interconnect providing more than two terabits per second throughput
- Low power consumption; 6 to 14 Watts
TI's Keystone II Processor for Military Radar Signal Control
The 66AK2H14 Keystone II System-On-Chip (SOC) is unique in that it combines four-Cortex A15 processors with up to eight DSP cores. That is more than enough processing power for data and network activity.
Along with a three-port 10GbE switch and a five-port 1GbE switch, it has multiple high speed I/O connections that will help ensure that data can interface with the DSPs.
The 66AK2H14 has networking capabilities and on board memory. This means the chip is designed to handle both data and networking needs. This also makes the 66AK2H14 a candidate for embedded infrastructure applications like cloud computing, media processing (medical, security and video imaging), and high-performance computing (automation of avionics, defense, gaming, and virtual desktop applications).
Keystone II Processors for Industrial Control
The 66AK2E05 Keystone II SOC has all the networking capabilities of the 66AK2H14, offers up to four - A15 processors, but has only one DSP core. The SOC has a two port 10GbE switch which is able to interface with the DSP. However, the SOC still has a good bit of processing power and is competitive in the market.
It offers ARM's best-in-class single-thread performance for control processing. This makes applications, such as digital video recording, video analysis, industrial control processing, and enterprise voice gateways easier and cheaper to design.
Keystone II Processors for Commercial Control
The AM5K2E04 Keystone II SOC has all the networking capabilities of the 66AK2H14 except that it offers a dual or quad A15 processors combined with a 4MB Level 2 RAM/cache. The SOC also has a two port 10GbE switch and several other options for interfacing.
Though not as strong as the previous SOC options, the AM5K2E04 Keystone II might be just right for your design if you are developing routers, switches, wireless transport, or wireless core networks. Even industrial sensor networks, cloud infrastructure and networking control plane designs can be streamlined with this SOC.
If you are not sure which SOC is right for your application; you can compare the chips below:
Incorporating optical fiber connections over the Keystone Architecture
For users that want to implement optical fibers over the SFP/SFP Keystone II architecture, they will need TI's DS100DF410. The optical fibers' connection over the SFP/SFP+ interfaces provides high bandwidth data exchange when converting the XFI and SFI signals. The chip has 4 independent 10GbE channel re-timers that provide signal conditioning.
Figure 2 - DS100DF410 Data Path Block Diagram - One of Four Channels
Each channel on the DS100DF410 uses Continuous-Time Linear Equalizer (CTLE). This equalizer helps to compensate for optical signals that become dispersed between the signal source and the channel input.
To handle non-linear equalization (not resolved by the CTLE), crosstalk, and inter-symbol interference, each channel also includes a self-calibrating 5-tap Decision Feedback Equalizer (DFE).
Additionally, each channel contains an output driver with settable differential and de-emphasis outputs allowing you to make any adjustments needed for your design.
Finally, a Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) is used by the DS100DF410 to lock on to the incoming data clock signal. It attenuates or significantly reduces high-frequency jitter helping to clean up the clock signal. The new, clean clock signal is then used to re-time and clean up the incoming data stream.
Overall, TI Hi-Rel's products can maximize system performance and design productivity. Applications from wide band radar receivers, weather radars, boat radars, and air traffic control can all be implemented with TI's Keystone II line of processors. And with a 10Gbit Ethernet ports for optical interfacing, you will not be short on bandwidth.
Texas Instruments has sponsored this post. They have no editorial input to this post - all opinions are mine. Christine Halsey