SBIR-STTR Award

This proposal responds to SBIR MDA04-53 and offers a method to develop advanced image processing software and the required test platform hardware to support high resolution and two-color infrared (IR) imagery for improved seeker target detection and discrimination. Phase I efforts will focus on development of a preliminary test platform hardware thermal design that provides sustained, controlled active cooling for an advanced systolic array seeker system currently in development. This new seeker system supports massively parallel pixel processing by using high-density electronic component packaging to provide a four-fold increase in processing elements in the same form-factor as previous systems. This new systolic array seeker electronics system will provide significant improvements in missile seeker detection and discrimination capabilities using existing sensor technologies. With a test platform that will support extended run-times, system software development (to be developed in Phase II) can be accomplished. The Phase I and II efforts will result in development of advanced missile seeker algorithms to provide the benefits of increased image processing capability, resulting in high-precision target discrimination and end-game homing for interceptors

Tessera, Inc. and Lockheed Martin Corporation are currently developing an advanced systolic array missile seeker system for massively parallel resolution of IR images for end-game targeting. The program involves the utilization of Tessera’s high density advanced packaging to allow expansion from the 1024 processing elements on the current Lockheed Martin SPAR-X module, to 4096 processing elements. This fourfold increase in processing elements will provide a processing platform suitable for executing pixel abstraction software, providing significant improvements in missile seeker detection and discrimination capabilities using existing sensor technologies. Tessera was awarded a Phase I SBIR program to analyze and design a thermal management solution for a software development platform that will allow continuous operation of the new processing module to support advanced pixel abstraction software development. Since the missile processing electronics are passively cooled to operate only for the short times associated with an interceptor mission, active electronics cooling methods must be developed to allow continuous operation needed for software development. This Phase II proposal offers to fabricate the actively cooled software development platforms as designed in the Phase I effort, and to demonstrate system operation through development of pixel abstraction software on the development platform. The pixel abstraction software will be developed by Lockheed Martin through a Tessera subcontract.

Keywords:
Systolic Array, Package Stacking, Massive Parallel