High speed digital image processing functions for a realtime synthetic aperture radar processor

Realtime Synthetic Aperture Radar Processing requires high speed implementation of basic image processing functions such as Lowpass/Bandpass Filtering, Correlation/Convolution, Fourier Transformation, Imaging Memories, Interpolation/Resampling, Complex Multiplication/Accummulation and Processing Control. The hardware concept is based on modular processing units which allow the construction of different algorithms by simply combining the appropriate modules of the processing family in a pipeline structure. Each module is designed by taking advantage of the most advanced integrated digital circuits like fast multiplier/accummulators, ALS TTL and High speed CMOS control logic, 64 K/256 K dynamic memories, fast CMOS memories and integrated signal processors. The basic architecture of some of the processing modules (FIR-Filter, Image Memory, FFT/IFFT) will be presented together with the practical results in terms of operational speed, work length, power consumption and board sizes. Additionally, the structure of the realtime SAR Processor based on these processing functions are discussed in detail showing the flexibility of the hardware approach.