Configuration Options

Introduction

This section covers the primary configuration options which dictate the performance of SafeGuard™.

This page also has options to download and upload a SafeGuard™ configuration file.

Contents

Configuration Options

There are several configuration options. These are as follows:

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Output Format: Select the Navigation Output Format. The CA-CFAR Mode output is an alternative to the standard Navigation Mode output.

Navigation Mode: This is the default setting. Nav mode outputs data over TCP/IP to the client. Fore more information about Nav Points please see: TCP Networking | Navigation Data Message.

CA-CFAR Mode: This mode outputs data over UDP. Please refer to: UDP Networking | Point Cloud Data for more information about Point Cloud data.

None: When this option is selected, there will be no output of data.

IP Address: If CA-CFAR Mode has been selected as the Output Format, then you will be able to amend the IP address. This is used in conjunction with the Sensor Port parameter and defines the endpoint that the UDP messages are sent to.

Port: This field echoes the Sensor Port field shown on the FFT Data. In general we do not recommend customers change this port.

Threshold: The Threshold is the global threshold used to exclude noise and unwanted clutter. Only returns from targets that exceed this threshold will be considered for extraction. Anything below this threshold will be ignored.

The threshold can be a value from 0 - 127dB. The value is a float and depending on the radar model, this can be expressed in half decibel steps (i.e. 65.5dB) or a finer resolution of up to 1/127 dB. 

Bins to Operate on: This is the window size, in range bins, that is used to identify peaks. This window "slides" along each azimuth sample and is processed to identify peaks. If a signal peak is found then the curve fitting algorithm is applied to the sub-resolve the most accurate range to this peak. If no peaks are found then the window moves onto the next 5 bins. This approach helps eliminate minor secondary peaks which often appear either side of the primary peak.

Min. Bins to Operate on: This is the minimum bin from which to start the target extraction process. Any targets / peaks which are closer than this bin will not be processed. Typical navigation or safety systems ignore very close targets as these can be misleading for example they may be part of the structure on which the radar is mounted.

Use Area 6 for Health Status: By default, this option is disabled. Enabling this option disables area checking for SafeGuard Area 6. In addition, it uses the Modbus relay output for Area 6 to indicate overall system health as a binary healthy / not-healthy. If any of the system health measures are indicating Warning or Unhealthy, the overall system health status will report Unhealthy.

When enabled, the radar log will show AC - Area 6 for system health [Enabled], as in the example below:

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Fail-Safe Mode: By default, this option is disabled. Enabling this option sets the Modbus relays into Fail-Safe mode. This mode affects the relays and it inverts the logic on the relays so that they are powered open. So, if there is a fault or power cut, for example, the relays close into a safe state.

When enabled the radar log will show Relay Controller - fail-safe mode [on], as in the example below:

Changing the Navigation Output Format

To change the Output Format:

1. Select the drop-down arrow in the Output Format field.

2. There are three options; Navigation Mode, CA-CFAR Mode and None:
   
   

    

3. You can then amend any available parameters as desired and click Apply. (If you have selected CA-CFAR Mode there will be an additional IP Address and Port options.
   
   

    

4. A confirmation message will be displayed. Select Commit Changes:
   
   

    

5. A Data Applied confirmation message will be displayed:
   
   

    

6. You will then need to reboot the system for the Navigation Output Format changes to take affect:
   
   

    

7. Click Reboot:
   
   

    

Download and Upload Options

Download SafeGuard Config

You can download a copy of the SafeGuard�� configuration file by clicking the Download SafeGuard Config button.

You will receive a download message like the example below:

Upload SafeGuard Config

To replace a SafeGuard™ configuration file, click the Upload SafeGuard Config button. This will display the SafeGuard File Upload dialogue:

Click the Choose File field to browse and select the new SafeGuard™ config file. A message will be displayed showing that the file upload is working:

A notification will briefly be displayed once the config file has been saved:

SafeGuard™ Configuration File Information

The configuration file format is in JSON.

Typically, the key values for each area which are likely to be amended, are highlighted below:

Threshold, Bins to Operate On and Min Bin to Operate On. These options have been documented earlier on this page.

Buffer Mode: This option is for Staring Radars, when the radar is in fixed mode (not rotating). This buffer enables us to aggregate the data before sending it across the network. This is useful because when the radar is not rotating it is taking a large number of samples of the same view, in a short period of time. There are three options:

BUFFER_OFF: If this setting is selected then the system sends data as it comes; therefore there is no aggregation.

BUFFER_AVERAGE: All the data values in the buffer are averaged and the resulting value is sent out across the network.

BUFFER_MAX: The maximum value in the buffer is sent out across the network.

Buffer Length: This is the size of the buffer being used for aggregating the data.

Enabled: To enable object detection in this area, ensure this option is selected. To prevent detection in this area, clear the check box.

Invert Break Logic: The default logic for each detection area is that on each scan, if an object is detected in the area, then this will trigger an alarm. Once the object moves out of the area the alarm will stop. The Invert Break Logic inverts this logic and instead an object is expected to be in the area at all times. If no objects are detected then an alarm is raised and is only cleared when one or more objects are detected.

A typical use case for this logic is to ensure the performance of the radar is optimal at all times. By using a fixed target in a known location, you can place an area over this target and ensure the Invert Break Logic is active. If the performance of the radar drops to such an extent that it can no longer detect the fixed target an alarm will be raised.

Threshold Delta: This delta is the additional threshold to add to the global threshold check in this area. This allows for greater thresholds in each area but it can't be lower than the global threshold. For example if the area Threshold Delta is 15 and the global Threshold is 65 then the actual threshold used in the area will be 80. All targets that fall below this new area threshold will be ignored, only targets which match or exceed the threshold will count as detections.

Allowance Decrement: This value provides the speed at which the break count starts to decrease when there are no detections. Adjusting this value will effect the speed at which an area will go into an alarm or re-alarm. For example, if the break allowance is 16 and the decrement is also 16, then it will take 16 consecutive hits on a target to generate an alarm, but as soon as a scan is missed this will value be decremented by 16 and effectively reset.

Example Config File

Here is an example SafeGuard™ configuration file: