Systems Based on Software Designed Instruments for Wideband Signal Analyis and Recording

1. ni.com
Systems Based on Software Designed Instrumentation
for Wideband Signal Analysis and Recording
Raffaele Fiengo, BDM Aerospace/Defence
Bertalan Eged, Principal SE Aerospace/Defence
Henrik Ulfhielm, CEO, Novator
Marija Demitrijevic, SE, Novator

2. Agenda
 Introduction: Engineering Challenges in SIGINT and Enabling Technology
 Software Designed Instrumentation for Wideband Signal Detection and
Analysis
 Demo and Conclusion

3. Engineering Challenges in SIGINT
Radar
Terrestrial and Satellite
Communications
• LPI Waveforms
• Frequency Agility
GNSS
Positioning, Navigation, Timing
• Wideband Instantaneous Bandwidth
• Real-Time Signal Processing
• Multi-channel Phase Alignment

4. Economic Impact of GNSS
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/619545/17.3254_Economic_impact_to_UK_of_a_disruption_to_GNSS_-_Showcase_Report.pdf
GNSS Benefit GNSS Loss
The economic impact to the UK of a five-day
disruption to GNSS has been estimated at
£5.2bn.
Quantified direct benefits to the UK of GNSS
(business-as-usual) have been monetised at
£6.7bn per annum. This is made up of a
£1.2bn boost to GVA plus £5.5bn worth of
utility benefits.

5. SIGINT
Signal Acquisition
Receiver
• Sensitivity
• Wide Instantaneous
Bandwidth
Signal Detection
and Classification
Signal Analysis and
Recording
• Real-Time Signal
Processing
• Real-Time Recording
Emitter
Localization
System Architecture
• Multichannel Phase
Aligned Receiver
• Real-Time Signal
Processing

6. NI Platform for SIGINT
Signal Acquisition and Analysis
Data
Storage
Signal Processing for
Intereference Classification
CPU , FPGA
RF/Microwave IF/Baseband
ADC Data Link
Signal
Conditioning
Down-
Converter
Data Link
Vector Signal Analyzers (VSA)
Solid State Hard Drive
Channelizer
RTSA
PXIe Chassis
FlexRIO

7. Real Time Spectrum Analyzer (RTSA)
• Signals with very short duration
• 100% probability of intercept – 1.5 µs
• Hidden signals

8. Why Channelize?
To Extract the Signals of Interest in the
Spectrum
Reducing the Processing Power in
Signal Classification

9. Peer-to-Peer
765 MHz RTBW
3.2 GB/s
Real-Time Spectrum Monitoring

10. NCR-2000 Channelizer Server
Wideband 320 MHz Receivers with High Performance Channelizer (2048 chs)

11. Demo
VSA 26.5 GHz – 765 MHz
FlexRIO - FPGA
VST – up to 1 GHz IBW

13. Multi-Channel Phase Coherent Measurement System
NI’s Approach
IF Digitizer
26.5 GHz VSA up to
765 MHz of ist. BW
Shared Local Oscillator For Correlated
Phase Noise
Aligned sample clocks Minimizes Ch-to-
Ch Delay
IF Filter in FPGA Removes Group Delay

14. 4-Channel Phase-Coherent Acquisition System

15. Contacts
 National Instruments
 Email: raffaele.fiengo@ni.com
 Linkedin: rfiengo
 Novator
 Email: henrik.ulfhielm@novatorsolutions.se