CP-16-318-01, Issue 1.

DATA SHEET

HPx-400e The HPx-400e is a high-performance PCI express dual-stream radar

acquisition card. The card is capable of capturing and processing
analogue and digital primary radar video from up to two radars. The
Primary Radar Acquisition card may be used with a board support library for basic radar signal
acquisition, or else with Cambridge Pixel’s SPx software for complex
processing, tracking or display requirements.

The HPx-400e card supports a number of multi-channel input modes,

including dual redundancy and fully independent dual-stream capture. This
flexibility allows the number of radar input cards to be reduced while retaining
system capability.

Radar Capture
The HPx-400e interfaces to analogue or digital radar signals, and provides a
flexible set of input options to handle a wide range of radar types. A flexible
mixing capability allows a combination of analogue and digital inputs to be
captured and combined. The HPx-400e card provides a dual set of inputs,
allowing up to two independent radars to be connected to the same card.

The analogue video inputs are captured at up to 100 MHz using high
precision analogue to digital converters at 12 bits resolution. The captured
video can be optionally down-sampled to reduce the data rate before transfer
Features: across the PCI express bus, using high-speed DMA. On the host computer, a
driver and board-support library for Windows or Linux is available.
• PCIe Primary Radar Acquisition Card Additionally, the SPx software suite is available to provide a full complement
• Dual radar inputs, two sets of: of radar processing functions including scan conversion and target tracking.
□ Analogue video
□ Trigger An on-board FPGA provides data processing and control and offers capability
□ ACP/ARP for expanding the data processing functions for customised applications.
• Independent sampling on each channel
• Dual independent sampling on the same Input Signals
channel The HPx-400e accepts radar video, trigger and azimuth signals in the form of
• Dual redundancy support (auto-switch across ACP/ARP or parallel data. A wide variety of signal types and input voltages
channels) are supported, allowing the card to support many different radar models. The
• 100 MHz sample rate card provides a capability to detect missing signals in order to provide
• 12-bit A-to-D for analogue samples software alarms for loss of triggers or azimuth data. The companion HPx-180
• Wide range of input signal support: card may be used with synchro or resolver signals, providing synchro-to-
□ Single-ended, RS422 or open-collector parallel conversion.
□ Single-ended voltages up to 60V
□ 50 Ohm, 75 Ohm or high impedance Board Support Library and SPx Processing
video input A low-level board support library is available to provide a C++ class interface
• Signal status LEDs to configure the board and capture video, providing low-level access to the
• Opto-coupled inputs for noise immunity video samples. Example code is available for Windows and Linux.
• 8-bit digital inputs with clock
• Parallel azimuth Alternatively, Cambridge Pixel’s extensive SPx software is available to
• Optional synchro input from companion provide advanced processing and display of the radar video data. SPx
synchro-to-parallel card (HPx-180) software can be supplied in the form of a library for use in custom application
• Programmable pre-trigger compensation code or as ready-made applications, such as SPx Server, which have built-in
• Optional end-of-range input signal support for the HPx-400e card.
• Programmable mixing of analogue and digital
videos The SPx library provides an extensible toolkit of radar specific functions that
• General purpose input/output lines can be linked together to form a processing chain. Custom functions are
• Loss of signal detection easily incorporated into the processing chain, allowing an application to be
• High-speed DMA transfers built from a combination of SPx library functions and user-written processing
• Supported under Windows and Linux modules. Cambridge Pixel’s ready-to-run applications offer solutions for both
• C/C++ board support package server-side processing and network distribution and for client-side receipt
and display.
• On-board test pattern generator
• Fully supported by SPx software
 ual-Stream Functionality
D
• Wide range of radars supported including:
The HPx-400e provides two fully independent radar input channels, which
• Furuno may be used in a number of ways:
• Kelvin Hughes • Dual sampling of one radar video at different rates – typically this might be
• Terma higher sampling for short ranges, to get maximum close-in detail, with
• JRC lower sampling across the full radar range, to give maximum coverage.
• Koden • Dual redundant mode – software-controlled automatic failover from one
• Sperry input channel to the other in the event of loss of trigger, ACP or ARP signal.
• Raytheon • Dual independent radars – simultaneous, independent capture of two
• Specialist Military Radars separate radars.

cambridgepixel.com
HPx-400e Radar Acquisition
Card Specification CP-16-318-01, V1.0

DATA SHEET

Architecture Connectors
Form Factor: PCIe (x1, half length) Radar Input: 37W D connector for videos, trigger and ACP/ARP
On-board IDC connector for parallel azimuth input
Interface: PCIe Bus
PCIe: Standard PCIe connector (x1) DMA transfers up to
Programming: C/C++ software library
100 MB/sec.
Platform: Windows (7,8,10), Linux

Processor: x86
Performance
Sample Frequency: 100 MHz (for higher capture rates consult factory)
Functional
Maximum input BW: 50 MHz
Radar Video: 2 x Analogue (configurable gain/offset in range -5V +5V),
50 Ohm, 75 Ohm or high impedance termination (link PRF: 0 to 16 kHz
selectable).
8 x Digital (RS422) with clock (7 in dual radar mode) Samples per return: Up to 64k

Azimuth Data: 2x ACP/ARP inputs, configurable for: RS422 differential, Returns per scan: Up to 16k
discrete single-ended signals. Single-ended options for:
Data transfer rate: Up to 100 Mbytes/sec
opto-coupled inputs for electrical isolation, selectable 75
Ohm or high impedance, open collector (1 kOhm pull-up Scan rate: Up to 120 rpm
to 5V)
1x parallel azimuth

Trigger: 2x trigger inputs, configurable for: RS422 differential, Environmental

discrete single-ended signals. Single-ended options for:
opto-coupled inputs for electrical isolation, selectable 75 Cooling: Forced air cooling
Ohm or high impedance, open collector (1 kOhm pull-up
to 5V) Temperature: 0 to 55C
Programmable range zero trigger delay

Video Combiner: Programmable mix of analogue and digital inputs using

LUT Software Support
Test Generation: Built-in test pattern generator Board support library (C/C++)
SPx Development Library
Output: Radar returns onto PCIe bus RadarView Radar Visualisation Client
Radar Capture: Programmable return length up to 64k SPx Server (Distribution, Plot Extraction, Tracking)
Staggered PRFs supported
12-bit A-to-D.

General Purpose 3 general purpose input/output lines, each configurable

IO: as input or output

For more information, please contact:

Cambridge Pixel Ltd +44 (0) 1763 852749

New Cambridge House [email protected]
Litlington Royston www.cambridgepixel.com
Herts SG8 0SS

cambridgepixel.com