Hybrid Digital Receiver

BANC3's Hybrid Digital Receiver is at the core of every one of our TrueSignalDetect systems. This unique, real-time digital receiver architecture operates on the input RF signal using both a Real Time Spectrum Analyzer (RTSA) and Digital Instantaneous Frequency Measurement (DIFM) receivers in parallel. These pipelined receivers implemented in a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) ensure 100% of the digital data stream is processed continuously and without interruption. The RTSA provides the user with max-hold and average spectra data while the DIFM provides Pulse Descriptor Word (PDW) data detailing frequency, amplitude, pulse width and time of arrival for every RF event including pulses down to 50 ns up to Continuous Wave (CW).  

The Hybrid Digital Receiver complements our extremely wide instantaneous bandwidth (IBW) systems, with the receiver core having been successfully tested at speeds up to 3 GSPS using 14-bit ADC data. Our novel data processing logic intelligently analyzes and reduces the data to allow transfer over traditional UDP/TCP-IP interfaces.  

The combination of time synchronized spectra and pulse descriptor word data offers a distinct analysis advantage over traditional RTSAs.  Our receiver data set can be used for low latency, memory efficient signal of interest (SOI) detection and capture, while Machine Learning (ML) signal classification operating on the PDW stream ensures accurate and consistent pulse deinterleaving and emitter tracking. For missions that require detecting low probability of intercept, short duration signals in dense signal environments – our Hybrid Digital Receiver is your best choice.

• Instantaneous bandwidth of up to 1.5 GHz with 14-bit, 3 GSPS digitization dynamic range up to 60 dB
• Digital Instantaneous Frequency Measurement (DIFM) process uses correlator array with variable time delays and amplitude detector to generate pulse descriptor words quantifying frequency, amplitude, pulse width and TOA on each pulse down to 80 ns
• Real Time Spectrum Analyzer (RTSA) process uses pipelined FFT architecture with 50% overlap to generate frequency spectra data continuously 
• Simultaneous Signal Detection (SSD) from RTSA to identify and flag possible error condition in DIFM
• Data Process collects and reduces PDWs from the DIFM and spectra from the RTSA to create sorted PDW groups, max-hold spectrum, and average spectrum over 100 ms integration period for transmit over UDP network interface to software application 

High-speed ADC card featuring four (4) RF channels, 10 MHz external reference, variable gain amplifiers for input signal level adjustment, digitization rate up to 3 GSPS, and 100 Gb/s fiber optic interfaces

Digital Receiver card featuring four (4) channels, 100 Gb/s fiber optic interfaces, dual FPGAs, and gigabit ethernet interface

The Hybrid Digital Receiver uses the Intel® Stratix® 10 FPGA (https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/details/fpga/stratix/10.html) and Analog Devices AD9208 high-speed ADC (https://www.analog.com/en/products/ad9208.html#product-overview). This hardware configuration provides flexibility and expansion supporting customization of the receiver architecture to meet new or changing requirements. For example, leveraging the Digital Downconverter (DDC) and built-in FIR filter capability of the AD9208 allows us to implement four digital sub-channels to process a single RF channel in the system while the Stratix® 10 FPGA provides enough logic gates to replicate and scale the receiver pipelines for each sub-channel. Our latest development efforts are focused on doubling the IBW of the Hybrid Digital Receiver to 3 GHz using the Intel® Agilex™ FPGA and the Analog Devices AD9207 and AD9213 ADCs. This new receiver will be offered in 3U/6U VPX form factor to facilitate integration into existing tactical platforms

BANC3 has applied for a US patent for the Hybrid Digital Receiver and related technology.

For more information on Banc3's leveraging of Intel Stratix® 10 FPGA look at the Wide Instantaneous Bandwidth Digital RF Spectrum Monitoring whitepaper

Please contact us at to set up a demonstration or request more detailed information. 

rfsystems@banc3.com or 609-759-1900 x 208