International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 25-28, 1993 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / The performance and cost effectiveness of em bedded processing has greatly enhanced the personal computer's (PC) capability, particularly when used for real-time satellite data acquisition, telemetry processing, command and control operations. Utilizing a transputer based parallel architecture, a modular, reusable, and scalable control system is attainable. The synergism between the personal computer and embedded processing results in efficient, low cost desktop workstations up to 1000 MIPS of performance.

Over the last decade, research into unmanned and autonomous vehicles has greatly increased. With applications ranging from science and exploration to humanitarian and military efforts, the rising need for autonomous vehicles demands constant innovation and growth. The Intelligent Dependable Embedded Architectures (IDEA) lab at the University of Kentucky is continually launching research oriented programs [1]. A few key projects focus on the development of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). Through this research, at the University of Kentucky, the need to develop a reliable, lightweight, node based hardware for use in light UAVs and other unmanned and autonomous vehicles became apparent. This paper addresses the design and implementation of a network processing node for light UAVs. This system utilizes a Controller Area Network (CAN) noise tolerant communications bus, a low power ZigBee Wireless Network for expanded inner plane communications and Silicon Laboratories C8051F041 microcontrollers to provide the necessary inputs/output and data processing. The final result will be a flight ready light UAV featuring distributed processing nodes to handle the servo communications and controls.

O uso de veículos aéreos não tripulados (VANTs) tem se tornado cada vez mais comum, principalmente em aplicações de uso civil. No cenário militar, o uso de VANTs tem focado o cumprimento de missões específicas que podem ser divididas em duas grandes categorias: sensoriamento remoto e transporte de material de emprego militar. Este trabalho se concentra na categoria do sensoriamento remoto. O trabalho foca a definição de um modelo e uma arquitetura de referência para o desenvolvimento de sensores inteligentes orientados a missões específicas. O principal objetivo destas missões é a geração de mapas temáticos. Neste trabalho são investigados processos e mecanismos que possibilitem a geração desta categoria de mapas. Neste sentido, o conceito de MOSA (Mission Oriented Sensor Array) é proposto e modelado. Como estudos de caso dos conceitos apresentados são propostos dois sistemas de mapeamento automático de fontes sonoras, um para o caso civil e outro para o caso militar. Essas fontes podem ter origem no ruído gerado por grandes animais (inclusive humanos), por motores de combustão interna de veículos ou por atividade de artilharia (incluindo caçadores). Os MOSAs modelados para esta aplicação são baseados na integração de dados provenientes de um sensor de imageamento termal e uma rede de sensores acústicos em solo. A integração das informações de posicionamento providas pelos sensores utilizados, em uma base cartográfica única, é um dos aspectos importantes tratados neste trabalho. As principais contribuições do trabalho são a proposta de sistemas MOSA, incluindo conceitos, modelos, arquitetura e a implementação de referência representada pelo sistema de mapeamento automático de fontes sonoras. / The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) has become increasingly common, particularly in civilian applications. In the military scenario, the use of UAVs has focused the accomplishment of specific tasks in two broad categories: remote sensing and transport of military material. This work focuses the remote sensing category. It address the definition of a model and reference architecture for the development of smart sensors oriented to specific tasks. The main objective of these missions is to generate thematic maps. This work investigates processes and mechanisms that enable the automatic generation of thematic maps. In this sense, the concept of MOSA (Mission Oriented Sensor Array) is proposed and modeled. As case studies, we propose two automatic mapping systems for on-the-ground generated sound sources, one for the civilian case and one for the military case. These sounds may come from the noise generated by large animals (including humans), from internal combustion engine vehicles or from artillery activity (including hunters). The MOSAs modeled for this application integrate data from a thermal imaging sensor and an on-the-ground network of acoustic sensors. The fusion of position information, provided by the two sensors, into a single cartographic basis is one of the key aspects addressed in this work. The main contributions are the proposed MOSA systems, including concepts, models and architecture and the reference implementation comprised by the system for automatic mapping of sound sources.

O uso de veículos aéreos não tripulados (VANTs) tem se tornado cada vez mais comum, principalmente em aplicações de uso civil. No cenário militar, o uso de VANTs tem focado o cumprimento de missões específicas que podem ser divididas em duas grandes categorias: sensoriamento remoto e transporte de material de emprego militar. Este trabalho se concentra na categoria do sensoriamento remoto. O trabalho foca a definição de um modelo e uma arquitetura de referência para o desenvolvimento de sensores inteligentes orientados a missões específicas. O principal objetivo destas missões é a geração de mapas temáticos. Neste trabalho são investigados processos e mecanismos que possibilitem a geração desta categoria de mapas. Neste sentido, o conceito de MOSA (Mission Oriented Sensor Array) é proposto e modelado. Como estudos de caso dos conceitos apresentados são propostos dois sistemas de mapeamento automático de fontes sonoras, um para o caso civil e outro para o caso militar. Essas fontes podem ter origem no ruído gerado por grandes animais (inclusive humanos), por motores de combustão interna de veículos ou por atividade de artilharia (incluindo caçadores). Os MOSAs modelados para esta aplicação são baseados na integração de dados provenientes de um sensor de imageamento termal e uma rede de sensores acústicos em solo. A integração das informações de posicionamento providas pelos sensores utilizados, em uma base cartográfica única, é um dos aspectos importantes tratados neste trabalho. As principais contribuições do trabalho são a proposta de sistemas MOSA, incluindo conceitos, modelos, arquitetura e a implementação de referência representada pelo sistema de mapeamento automático de fontes sonoras. / The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) has become increasingly common, particularly in civilian applications. In the military scenario, the use of UAVs has focused the accomplishment of specific tasks in two broad categories: remote sensing and transport of military material. This work focuses the remote sensing category. It address the definition of a model and reference architecture for the development of smart sensors oriented to specific tasks. The main objective of these missions is to generate thematic maps. This work investigates processes and mechanisms that enable the automatic generation of thematic maps. In this sense, the concept of MOSA (Mission Oriented Sensor Array) is proposed and modeled. As case studies, we propose two automatic mapping systems for on-the-ground generated sound sources, one for the civilian case and one for the military case. These sounds may come from the noise generated by large animals (including humans), from internal combustion engine vehicles or from artillery activity (including hunters). The MOSAs modeled for this application integrate data from a thermal imaging sensor and an on-the-ground network of acoustic sensors. The fusion of position information, provided by the two sensors, into a single cartographic basis is one of the key aspects addressed in this work. The main contributions are the proposed MOSA systems, including concepts, models and architecture and the reference implementation comprised by the system for automatic mapping of sound sources.

Companies developing integrated circuits are expected to enhance their products’ performance at every new release, while reducing size and power consumption. The demand for more elaborate and diverse functionality, together with a reduced time-to-market, irremediably raises costs and increases the probability of bugs. Even high-performance ASICs are not immune: the complexity of the design flow implies significant non-recurring engineering and production costs. Similar challenges affect the FPGA design flow, where the allocation of programmable logic requires considerable engineering effort. Moreover, due to the limited visibility of internal operations, isolating and back-tracing malfunctions are open challenges. Ericsson AB is exploring novel approaches to deal with this complex ecosystem.This thesis investigates the feasibility and the benefits of a flexible design approach, by developing and characterizing a Proof-of-Concept (PoC) transceiver handler for highspeed link applications. The flexibility lies in the software-based controller, exploited to handle the reset and dynamic reconfiguration of a transceiver physical layer (PHY). The objective of the software implementation is to simplify error detection and on-the-fly modification compared to a traditional HW-based controller. The firmware, running on a Nios II soft-core processor, drives the control signals while monitoring the transceiver’s status. Unexpected synchronization losses are handled by a dedicated Interrupt Service Routine.The correct HW/SW interaction has been tested through simulation, whereas the software profiling proves that the timing requirements are met (only 167µs are spent on the reset sequence). Finally, the PoC has been benchmarked against an analogous system with a traditional HW-based controller, to evaluate the drawbacks of the introduction of a soft-core processor (in terms of logic utilization and power consumption).Despite the promising engineering effort reduction, further research is required to scale up the system and move from the PoC stage towards product release. / Företag som utvecklar integrerade kretsar förväntas öka prestandan i nya produkter, och samtidigt reducera storlek samt effektförbrukning. Efterfrågan på mer komplicerad funktionalitet, tillsammans med förkortad time-to-market, orsakar oundvikligen högre kostnader och ökad sannolikhet för buggar. Även högprestererande ASICs drabbas av detta: det komplicerade designflödet resulterar i signifikanta engångskostnader för teknisk utveckling samt tillverkning. Liknande utmaningar påverkar designflödet hos FPGA:er, där allokeringen av programmerbar logik kräver påtagligt utvecklingsarbete. Eftersom insynen i interna operationer är begränsad är isolation och spårning av fel aktuella utmaningar. Ericsson AB utforskar nya tillvägagångssätt för att hantera sådana komplexa ekosystem.Det här examensarbetet undersöker genomförbarheten och fördelarna med ett flexibelt tillvägagångssätt för design, genom utveckling och karaktärisering av ett konceptbevis för en transceiver-hanterare för höghastighetslänkar. Flexibiliteten realiseras med en mjukvarubaserad kontroller som används för att hantera återställningssignaler och dynamisk rekonfigurering av en transceiver (PHY). Målet med mjukvaruimplementationen är att förenkla feldetektion samt modifikation i realtid, jämfört med en traditionell hårdvarubaserad kontroller. Mjukvaran, som körs på en Nios II soft-coreprocessor, driver styrsignaler och övervakar transceiverns status. Oväntade synkroniseringsförluster hanteras av en dedikerad avbrottshanteringsrutin. Simulationer har gjorts för att testa korrekt interaktion mellan hårdvara och mjukbara. Profilering av mjukvara visar att timingkraven uppfylls (återställningssekvensen tar endast 167 µs). Avslutningsvis har konceptbeviset jämförts med ett likvärdigt hårdvarubaserat system för att utvärdera nackdelarna med introduktionen av Nios II (vad gäller resursanvändningen och effektförbrukningen).Trots lovande resultat är den begränsade detaljnivån i konceptbeviset en tydlig begränsning. Vidare arbete måste göras för att skala upp systemet och generalisera det här nya tillvägagångssättet.

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