Specifications

Introduction and Specifications
RVP8 User’s Manual
March 2006
1–35
1.8 Open Architecture and Published API
SIGMET recognizes that certain users may require the ability to write their own signal
processing algorithms which will run on the RVP8. To accommodate this, the RVP8 software is
organized to allow separately compiled plug-in modules to be statically linked into the running
code. The application program interface (API) allows user code to be inserted at the following
stages of processing:
S Tx/Rx waveform synthesis and matched filter generation— The API allows the transmit
waveforms to be defined from pulse to pulse, along with the corresponding FIR
coefficients that will extract (I,Q) from that Tx waveform. This allows users to
experiment with arbitrary waveforms for pulse compression and frequency agility.
S Time series and spectra processing from (I,Q)- The API allows you to modify the default
time series and spectra data, e.g., to perform averaging or windowing in a different way.
S Parameter generation from (I,Q)- This is probably where the greatest activity will occur
for user–supplied code. The API allows you to redefine how the standard parameters
(dBZ, Velocity, Width, PHIDP, etc.) are computed from the incoming (I,Q) time series.
You may also create brand new parameter types that are not included in the basic RVP8
data set.
Note that the standard SIGMET algorithms are not made public in this model. Rather, the
interface hooks and development tools are provided so that users can add their own software
extensions to the RVP8 framework. Many of the library routines that are fundamental to the
RVP8 are also documented and can be called by user code; but the source to these routines is not
generally released. Development tools which are not under public license must be purchased
separately by the customer.
While most customers will use the signal processing software supplied by SIGMET, the new
open software architecture approach employed by the RVP8 will be very useful to those research
customers who want to try innovative new approaches to signal processing, or to those OEM
manufacturers who are interested in having their own “custom” stamp on the product.