SPx Server

SPx Server is a Windows or Linux PC-based server for radar video processing applications. It accepts radar video from signals or a network, processes the video, distributes it to remote clients over standard Ethernet and optionally provides fully automatic target extraction and tracking. Key features of SPx Server include:

  • Radar input from signals or network
  • Radar processing
  • Radar record/replay to local disk
  • Built-in radar scan converter and display tools (Windows or Linux)
  • Clutter processing
  • Radar compression and distribution
  • Target Extraction using multi-hypothesis tracker
  • Fully configurable and programmable
  • Network-based reporting: heartbeat, status, video, track reports
  • Optional GUI for configuration and control
  • Comprehensive user and programmer information with C++ -based API

SPx Server - Radar Signal Input

SPx Server can receive radar video signals from many commercial radars using the highly configurable HPx-100/150/200/250 radar interface cards. The cards provide digitised radar video through a Windows or Linux driver into the SPx Server software

SPx Server - Network Video Input

Where the radar provides a direct network source of Ethernet video, the SPx Server can receive this directly. A number of proprietary formats are supported as standard. For an unsuported radar input, Cambridge Pixel can write a network interface module to receive the new format.

SPx Server - Radar Processing

SPx Server provides a number of built-in radar processing functions including FTC, STC, area masking, clutter processing and thresholding. These processes are fully configurable through run-time parameters.

GUI Configuration

SPx Server can be configured to run as a background application with no user involvement. However, for configuration and system monitoring a user interface provides a display of system activity, including the display of scan converted video, plots and tracks (where configured for target extraction). Status information is provided for the hardware input and network channels used for radar video distribution.

SPx Server - Radar Distribution

SPx Server can compress and distribute radar video on a Ethernet network. The compression uses either ZLIB or Cambridge Pixel's ORC (Open Radar Coding), which both offer lossless radar coding. Optional proprocessing of the video can reduce noise and aid compressibility of the video (at the expense of some loss). The parameters of the radar compression can be configured through a configuration file read at start-up of the server, or may be adjusted interactively through the GUI, where status and network loading can be displayed to aid system configuration.

SPx Server - Target Extraction and Tracking

SPx Server offers a high-performance radar tracking capability that automatically extracts plots from the incomign video and initiates and maintains target tracks. A sophisticated multi-hypothesis tracker provides a highly robust tracking solution that considers multiple interpretations of the plot data simultaneously, ensuring that the tracker can remain sensitive to target manoeuvering, whilst also filtering measurement nosie for improved tracking accuracy. Read more about the target tracker here.