Real-time signal preprocessor trade-off study

Signal preprocessing for avionics systems has typically consisted of custom hard-wired solutions which offer high performance but little design flexibility. Recently, a preprocessor trade-off study for an infrared (IR) application evaluated two advanced processing architectures both of which can provide not only high-performance, but also design flexibility. The objective of the study was to determine the best preprocessing solution for the Medium Wave IR Array (MIRA) system based on algorithm performance, processing density, “programmability”, cost, and schedule. This study is based on the implementation of two IR algorithms each separately executed and evaluated on both of the architectures. The two architectures which were evaluated are the Lockheed Sanders Configurable-Hardware Algorithm-Mappable Preprocessor (CHAMP), developed under contract with the Wright Laboratory Avionics Directorate, and the Texas Instruments (TI) TMS320C80 Digital Signal Processor. In the last decade, the hardware community has seen the introduction of the field programmable gate array (FPGA) which offers fast reconfigurability and high performance. The CHAMP preprocessor architecture, which is based on FPGA technology, was conceived to produce an alternative preprocessor that can provide high-performance, implementation flexibility, low cost, and a much reduced development cycle. CHAMP provides up to 4 BOPS on a double-sided 6U VME board. CHAMP technology is applicable to preprocessing for IR, forward looking IR (FLIR), imaging, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and mammography, and automatic target recognition (ATR). Recent improvements in the DSP arena, particularly in packaging and performance, have made DSP architectures much more competitive. Texas Instruments (TI) has developed the Multimedia Video Processor (MVP) also known as the TMS320C80 Digital Signal Processor. It is rated at 2 BOPS and is a fully programmable digital signal processor. The MVP architecture contains four integer DSPs as well as a specialized RISC processor. The MVP is targeted for telecommunications, video, graphics, imaging, and audio applications