Leading Board Technology
ACRA CONTROL’s ground stations use leading edge bit synchronizers coupled with Smart Source Selector technology to yield best in class bit error rates. The 100% digital design reduces the effects of temperature and noise that are normally inherent to analog systems and produces the same performance at all rates and for all codes.
The bit synchronizer’s programmable matched filtering and inter-symbol interference compensation reconstruct a serial PCM data stream to a BER within 0.25dB of theory. Combined with Smart Source Selector technology, ACRA CONTROL’s dual-channel ground station systems achieve a possible BER of 3dB better than theory when using a pair of diverse receivers (spatial, polar or frequency). Smart Source Selector technology outperforms diversity combiners and simple best data selectors by offering a previously unavailable alternative. Signal to noise metrics are used to decide which channels contain constructive data. The selected data streams are then aligned using large buffers to compensate for variable delays and combined using soft-bit metrics on a bit by bit basis. This innovative Smart Source Selector technology also supports the use of encrypted data. Reconstructed data is decommutated into minor frames which are time tagged using an IRIG-B source. The PCM decom supports variable word length, parity and bit orientation per word and all standard PCM codes.