Mixed-signal module boosts wideband performance
By Warren Webb, Technical Editor -- EDN, August 30, 2006
Mercury Computer Systems' new Echotek Series ECV4-RFT VME module combines high-speed ADC and DAC technology, FPGA silicon, and fiber communications to coordinate data streams to and from distributed sensors. The ECV4-RFT resides near sensors or antennas while communicating with a remote signal-processing subsystem. It accepts two analog inputs and produces two analog outputs. After conversion to a digital signal, the input data stream moves to a Virtex-4 SX55 FPGA, which can function as a digital receiver or preprocessor. The digital IF signal then travels over a fiber-optic connection to the signal-processing subsystem. After analysis, the signal returns over the fiber link to another FPGA and finally through the DACs and into the antenna as an analog signal.
Three onboard Xilinx FPGAs enable users to deploy custom algorithms, such as frequency conversion, FFTs, or signal filtering, directly on the board. The 6U VME board needs no backplane interface other than input power. The ADC interfaces operate as fast as 1.5G samples/sec at 8 bits resolution, and the DAC interfaces deliver as much as 1.2G samples/sec at 14 bits resolution. The ECV4-RFT is available now, and prices start at $13,300 (OEM quantities).
