FPGA Based Programmable Synchronous Signal Generation For Multifunction Radars

摘要

The various subsystems of Radar are to be synchronized with respect to radar base clock to define their proper sequence of operation. Type of the synchronous signal generated depends on the subsystem. The signals depend on radar waveform characteristics such as pulse width, pulse repetition frequency, modulation code, number of pulses etc and also on other factors like receive window, zero Km correction etc. These synchronization signals are normally generated by the radar controller (RC). Traditional radar generates one type of waveform for detection of a particular target. Generation of synchronization signals was easily implemented using discrete hardware. But in the modern multifunction radars, to perform multiple functions simultaneously for surveillance and tracking various types of targets, the waveforms are generated dynamically change. For such systems the logic to generate the synchronization signals cannot be frozen. A high-speed programmable hardware is required to cope up with such requirement. In this paper solution to this is provided with a FPGA based design, which can be easily interfaced with microprocessor or Power PC architecture. This design deals with the generation of the basic synchronization signal, which forms the reference, and derivation of all other synchronization signals for various subsystems from this reference signal and the derived clock. This design results in a programmable synchronous signal generator, which is generic in nature with a high degree of flexibility. The paper also emphasizes on the digital implementation aspects, which prove to be superior to the conventional discrete hardware methods.