Yassin Elhillali

An MPSoC architecture for the Multiple Target Tracking application in driver assistant system

This article discusses the design of an application specific MPSoC architecture dedicated to multiple target tracking (MTT). This application has its utility in driver assistant systems, more precisely in collision avoidance and warning systems. An automotive-radar is used as the front end sensor in our application. The article examines the tradeoffs that must be taken into consideration in the realization of the entire MTT application in an embedded system. In our implementation of MTT, several independent parallel tasks have been identified and mapped onto a multiprocessor architecture to ensure the deadlines imposed by the application. Our study demonstrates that the joint utilization of reconfigurable circuits (namely FPGA) and MPSoC, facilitates the development of a flexible and efficient MTT system.

Evaluation of coding's methods for the development of a radar sensor for localization and communication dedicated to guided transport

To explore possibilities of new exploitation modes of automatic guided transport, our laboratories designed formerly a sensor radar called DIREP (Detection et Identification des Rames En Panne: detection and identification of broken-down trains). This system is founded on the principle of a co-operative radar using a transponder inside targets. It is based on a numerical correlation receiver and has a very broad band from 50 to 100 MHz. which remains unexploited. Thus we propose to benefit from this band to establish high flow communication. The proposed system is made of microwave transmitting and receiving equipment fixed on each train, one ahead and other behind. The two trains exchange data and specific signals coded that make the system able: to deduce the distance between the trains; to identify the state of the train (broken-down or not); and to allow the transmission of pictures or audio-video records with a high data flow. The aim of this work is to propose technical solutions for multiplexing communication data and localization code in order to allow high data flow transfer. Simulations are computed to evaluate the systems performance: BER, computing time and complexity.

Trade-Off Exploration for Target Tracking Application in a Customized Multiprocessor Architecture

This paper presents the design of an FPGA-based multiprocessor-system-on-chip (MPSoC) architecture optimized for Multiple Target Tracking (MTT) in automotive applications. An MTT system uses an automotive radar to track the speed and relative position of all the vehicles (targets) within its field of view. As the number of targets increases, the computational needs of the MTT system also increase making it difficult for a single processor to handle it alone. Our implementation distributes the computational load among multiple soft processor cores optimized for executing specific computational tasks. The paper explains how we designed and profiled the MTT application to partition it among different processors. It also explains how we applied different optimizations to customize the individual processor cores to their assigned tasks and to assess their impact on performance and FPGA resource utilization. The result is a complete MTT application running on an optimized MPSoC architecture that fits in a contemporary medium-sized FPGA and that meets the applications real-time constraints.

Real time implementation of reconfigurable correlation radar for road anticollision system

Car anti-collision systems are becoming very popular in automotive industry as well as in research. Furthermore, this device could become mandatory aboard vehicle in the next years. The principle of this system is to avoid collision between the equipped vehicle and the one in front, or other kind of obstacles (pedestrians, animals, etc.). As a consequence, this will reduce accidents and enhance road safety. Such systems are studied by the INRETS-LEOST* within the framework of the GRRT, Regional Group for Transportation Research. Those systems use radar detection to measure distance to obstacle and the obstaclepsilas relative speed. Many radar antennas were developed in the INRETS-LEOST* in collaboration with the IEMN**. Most of the microwave sensors were carried out by the IEMN-DHS**. Correlation radar is the most recent radar developed in the LEOST. This paper concerns real time implementation of this radar. We will give the principle of distance measurement using this sensor as well as the implementation of the correlation function on an FPGA. The main contributions of this paper concern the reconfigurable aspect of the correlator, using a VHDL code generator, and enhancements in the correlator architecture.

A Real Time Signal Processing for an Anticollision Road Radar System

This paper describes the real time processing unit used for an anticollision road radar system. This radar based on a numerical correlation between the transmitted signal and the received signal is under development. The signal uses orthogonal codes to ensure a multiple access communication between all vehicles in near area. In this paper, a real time processing unit associated to an original anticollision radar is presented. The studied radar is based on spreading spectrum coded radar waveforms at 76-77 GHz and a numerical correlation receiver. This sensor associated to other sensors like Lidar and Camera will be used on-board vehicles for more safety on road. The studied receiver computes the numerical crosscorrelation between the received signal and a replica of the transmitted code to allow an optimal detection. The appropriate coding and processing have been used to implement a laboratory radar mock-up. The real time processing is tested in order to show their performances and disadvantages when applied to obstacles detection. The main idea is to achieve an efficient real time detection using a simple and low cost system.

Embedded architecture with hardware accelerator for target recognition in driver assistance system

This paper presents a new Radar-based recognition system, which is able to identify obstacles during a vehicle movement. Obstacles recognition gives the benefits of avoiding false alarms and allows generating alarms that take into account the identification of the obstacle in front of the vehicle. In this paper, we first identify hotspots in the target recognition application. Then, we propose an optimized version of the multiple target recognition algorithm to respect the real time constraints of the application while simplifying the underlying hardware platform. We also propose a flexible embedded architecture with hardware accelerator that supports the proposed algorithm. Using a low cost FPGA-based System-on-Chip, our system is able to detect and recognize more than 10 obstacles of different types in a time limit of 25 mSec.

Radar based collision avoidance system implementation in a reconfigurable MPSoC

This paper discusses the design and optimization of an FPGA based MPSoC dedicated to Multiple Target Tracking (MTT) aimed at Driver Assistance applications. The use of MTT in DASs has not been sufficiently investigated before. After designing the application we propose a multi-processor system-on-chip (MPSoC) architecture for its physical implementation in FPGA. We formulate strategies to improve the system speed and reduce its demand for configurable resources. We identify performance bottlenecks and gradually optimize the hardware and software to meet system constraints. The result is a complete embedded MTT application running on a multiprocessor system that fits in a contemporary medium sized FPGA device.

UWB System Based on the M-OAM Modulation in IEEE.802.15.3a Channel

Known for many years but unexploited in the field of communications, ultra wideband systems (UWB) can be a solution to the saturation of the frequency bands. The advantage of such systems is that they are inexpensive in energy because of the limitations imposed by the standard. Our work is to design a high data rate IR-UWB system, through the use of modulation M-OAM (Orthogonal Amplitude Modulation), and the study of the system performances by adding the effect of the propagation channels dedicated to the UWB. The channel modeling is an important step in the implementation of any system, especially for those in development, as is the case of UWB systems. Although this model is one of the key elements of the overall chain system, it must take into account the distance between the two antennas, multipath and signal type. In this paper, we discover the existing models suitable for UWB channels and their implementation on our M-OAM system. The introduction of real channels in our chain of transmission reduces the quality of our system. Therefore, a RAKE receiver is proposed as a solution to improve performance.

Driver assistance system design and its optimization for FPGA based MPSoC

This paper discusses the design and optimization of an FPGA based MPSoC dedicated to Multiple Target Tracking (MTT) application. MTT has long been used in various military and civilian applications but its use in automotive safety has been little investigated. The system attains a desired processing speed and uses minimum FPGA resources. We profile the software to identify performance bottlenecks and then gradually tune the hardware and software to meet system constraints. The result is a complete embedded MTT application running on a multiprocessor system that fits in a contemporary medium sized FPGA device.

Embedded localization and communication system designed for intelligent guided transports

Nowadays, many embedded sensors allowing localization and communication are being developed to improve reliability, security and define new exploitation modes in intelligent guided transports. This paper presents the architecture of a new system allowing multiuser access and combining the two main functionalities: localization and high data flow communication. This system is based on cooperative coded radar using a transponder inside targets (trains, metro, etc). The sensor uses an adapted digital correlation receiver in order to detect the position, compute the distance towards the preceding vehicle, and get its status and identification. To allow multiuser access and to combine the two main functionalities, an original multiplexing method inspired from direct sequence-code division multiple access (DS-CDMA) technique and called sequential spreading spectrum technique (SSS2) is introduced. This study is focused on presenting the implementation of the computing unit according to limited resources in embedded applications. Finally, the measurement results for railway environment will be presented.