Systems, apparatuses, and methods for processing sensor return data
Systems, apparatuses, and methods for processing sensor data are provided. For example, a sensor of an antenna array may generate return data to be processed. The return data may be processed using one or more channels, which may each be comprised of a DDR, a FIFO, and a FFT. The processed return data may generate frequency data that may locate and track a target. In various embodiments, an FPGA may be comprised of the FIFO and the FFT for each of the channels while the DDR of each channel may not be in the FPGA.
1. A system comprising:
a first channel of one or more channels, wherein the first channel comprises a first DDR memory, a first FIFO, and a first FFT;
an FPGA comprising at least the first FIFO and the first FFT;
wherein the first DDR memory is configured to receive a burst of return data from at least one sensor, to store the burst of return data in a plurality of first DDR memory cells, to read out sample data from the plurality of first DDR memory cells, and to transmit the sample data to the first FIFO;
wherein the first FIFO is configured to receive the sample data from the first DDR memory, to store the sample data in a plurality of first FIFO memory cells, to read out sample data stored in the plurality of first FIFO memory cells in an order the sample data was stored, and to transmit the read out sample data from the first FIFO to the first FFT;
and wherein the first FFT of the first channel is configured to generate frequency data based on the sample data transmitted from the first FIFO.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first DDR memory is further configured to store the burst of return data in the first DDR memory in a plurality of rows and to read out sample data from columns of the plurality of first DDR memory cells.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is comprised of at least three channels, and wherein the first channel is associated with return data representing azimuth data, a second channel is associated with return data representing elevation data, and a third channel is associated with return data representing sum data.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is comprised of at least four channels.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to locate a target based at least on the frequency data.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the system is further configured to determine a range and a velocity of the target based on the frequency data.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is an antenna array.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the antenna array is comprised of a plurality of phased antennas.
9. The system of claim 8 further comprising a sensor controller to generate a plurality of signals, wherein each of the plurality of signals is associated with at least one of the plurality of phased antennas.
10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the antenna array is configured to transmit radar pulses and receive radar returns.
11. A method comprising:
providing a first channel of one or more channels, wherein the first channel comprises a first DDR memory, a first FIFO, and a first FFT, and wherein the first FIFO and the first FFT are on an FPGA;
receiving, at the first DDR memory, a burst of return data from at least one sensor;
storing, at the first DDR memory, the burst of return data in a plurality of first DDR memory cells;
reading out, at the first DDR memory, sample data from the plurality of first DDR memory cells;
transmitting the sample data from the first DDR memory to the first FIFO;
receiving, at the first FIFO, the sample data from the first DDR memory;
storing, at the first FIFO, the sample data in a plurality of first FIFO memory cells;
reading out, at the FIFO, the sample data stored in the plurality of first FIFO memory cells in an order the sample data was stored;
transmitting the read out sample data from the first FIFO to the first FFT;
and generating, by the first FFT of the first channel, frequency data based on the sample data transmitted from the first FIFO.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein storing, at the first DDR memory, the burst of return data in the DDR memory cells comprises storing the burst of return data in a plurality of rows, and
wherein reading out, at the first DDR memory, sample data from the plurality of first DDR memory cells comprises reading out sample data from columns of the plurality of first DDR memory cells.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the one or more channels include at least three channels; and
wherein the first channel is associated with return data representing azimuth data, a second channel is associated with return data representing elevation data, and a third channel is associated with return data representing sum data.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the one or more channels includes at least four channels.
15. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
locating a target based at least on the frequency data.
16. The method of claim 15 further comprising: determining a range and a velocity of the target based on the frequency data.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the sensor is an antenna array.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the antenna array is comprised of a plurality of phased antennas.
19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:
providing a sensor controller;
generating, by the sensor controller, a plurality of signals, wherein each of the plurality of signals is associated with at least one of the plurality of phased antennas.
20. The method of claim 17 further comprising:
transmitting, with the antenna array, a plurality of radar pulses; and
receiving, with the antenna array, a plurality of radar returns.