Integration of Novel Processor Architecture in Remote Environments for Data-Fusion (INPARED-F)

This proposal introduces the potential for an improved processing system for the EKV and SBIRS anti-ballistic missile modules. Integrated circuits capable of meeting today''s performance objectives require much power and are still not optimal fordigital signal processing. Power hungry chips often require heavy batteries and complex cooling units in environments where weight and space are at a premium. Today''s Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicles (EKVs) and the Space Based Infrared Systems (SBIRS) useoff the shelf processing components that are limited in their capabilities.Coherent Logix proposes to develop a complete system, similar in function to that which is already in use, translated for use in its massively paralleled HyperX integrated circuit technology to achieve far superior computation efficiency at a smallfraction of the current required power. Superior data fusion processing is the main anticipated benefit of this proposal. Commercial applications include medical imagery, satellite surveillance, and any other application where multiple waveband imagery isused.The target market for the algorithms and software/hardware technologies being proposed is military systems requiring enhanced target acquisition, tracking and discrimination performance. The primary application is to improve the sensor platformscontributing to the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) systems. The developed computation intensive technologies and capabilities will be applicable to the data fusion of multiple sensors in real time that these systems will require, such as the nextgeneration theater missile interceptors for the Navy Theater Wide (NTW) systems and the Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV). The technologies will also be applicable to other military needs such as hyperspectral image processing, image data compression andtransfer, automatic terrain mapping, battlefield damage assessment, and future combat systems supporting the Network Centric Battlefield, Unattended Ground Sensors, Robots, and UAVs. Coherent Logix will seek industrial military partners to help leveragethe developed technologies into the next generation military systems. Raytheon has provided a letter of support.The digital signal processor software and hardware that will be developed is also applicable to the commercial markets where there is a predicted explosion of video signal volume over the next decade, including such consumer products as digitalbroadcasting, personal video recorders, HDTV, advanced medical imaging and video enabled PDAs. Coherent Logix will initially target the digital television market for MPEG processing, image format conversions, and signal processing to address themulti-path and Doppler effects associated with implementing the ATSC 8-VSB demodulation standard.