Modular Multi-Signal Tracking Pulse Descriptor Word (PDW) Generator with Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) Implementation

As signal spectra become dense, the task of tracking and identifying radars becomes increasingly cumbersome. The variety of radars in modern theaters of war compound the task due to simultaneous operation. Real-time processing of large data sets prove difficult for sequential systems, and the parallelism of Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) becomes an attractive option. To mitigate the increasing complexity of this task, this design proposes an FPGA architecture to produce pulse descriptor words (PDW) for up to eight independent radio frequency signals that can be used in near-real-time processing. Focusing on digital hardware techniques and modular design allow for flexibility to target specific signal aspects such as carrier frequency (F), signal amplitude (A), time of arrival (TOA), and pulse width (PW)