Cambridge Pixel’s new HPx-346 radar-to-network converter provides a compact and single-board solution for the conversion of naval radar signals into a standard ASTERIX CAT-240 network format. This solution includes all of the radar acquisition, processing and embedded processing on a 5W circuit card, which can be provided as a board or box-level product. The card is self-contained and requires single-rail DC power.
Configuration and monitoring is managed through a standard web browser, with all settings saved to non-volatile memory for switch-on-and-go operation. Typical applications include the update of legacy radars to provide easier integration with modern displays in naval command and control, as well as maritime bridge systems and air traffic control. For multiple radar configurations, several HPx-346 cards can be installed into a low-profile 1U 19in rack mount unit.
The HPx-346 is compatible with Cambridge Pixel’s target tracking product SPx Server, which provides a multihypothesis, multimodel target extractor for static and moving radar applications. The network output of the HPx-346 may be input directly into the SPx Server, which handles plot detection, and track initiation and maintenance. SPx Server’s output is ASTERIX CAT 10 or 48 tracks.
David Johnson, Cambridge Pixel’s managing director, says that the new HPx-346 development is part of the company’s product family for radar acquisition, processing and display. "We aim to provide modules of expertise that encapsulate advanced processing in easy to use software or hardware components," he says. "Our customers can use a single module, such as an acquisition card, a scan converter or our target tracker, or we can provide complete display applications, including RadarWatch, which integrates radars and cameras to provide a maritime security solution." RadarWatch provides a highly focused set of capabilities for radar and camera integration, with electronic navigational charts and sophisticated alarm options to identify targets of interest. Of particular note is RadarWatch’s provision of augmented reality, which uses information from radar or automatic identification system sensors to overlay context and position-dependent graphics onto camera images, thus improving the interpretation of camera images.