Presented at the THIC Meeting at the Hilton HotelVirginia Beach VA 23451-3528

on October 12, 1999

Data Recorder Design Utilizing AIT Tape Drive Technology -

The AN/BQH-11(V)2 MERS ProgramDavid M. Brooks

DDL OMNI Engineering, LLCPresented For Carderock Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center

8260 Greensboro Drive, Suite 600, McLean, VA 22102Phone: 01-703-918-4362 FAX: 01-703-903-9745

dbrooks@mail.ddlomni.comNSWCCD contact: Mike Robert, Code 7320, Ph: 01-301-227-1563

Logo of Your organization

October 1999 THIC 2

Agenda

• Introduction• THIC Presentation Goals• AN/BQH-11(V) System Overview• AN/BQH-11(V)2 Design & Development

Rationale• Benefits of AIT Drive Technology• Summary

October 1999 THIC 3

THIC Presentation Goals

• Acquaint Industry With the Use of AIT drive in the AN/BQH-11(V)2 MERS.

• Present AN/BQH-11(V)2 Design Features Relative to tape drives.

• Present advantages of AIT drives in these systems.

October 1999 THIC 4

AN/BQH-11(V)2 MERS Overview

• The AN/BQH-11(V)2 Miniature Element Recording System (MERS) is a 2nd generation element recording system. The AN/BQH-11(V)2 is designed to provide expanded capability over preceding systems, i.e. Element Recording Data System (ERDS), and AN/BQH-11(V)1 MERS.

October 1999 THIC 5

AN/BQH-11(V)2 MERS Overview (Cont.)

• This is accomplished with the use of a redesigned internal system architecture and the use of high reliability, high capacity, high speed, and cost-effective AIT drives. – Expanded sensor interfaces to accommodate more

array configurations and wider fleet compatibility.– Improved software interface for improved operator

control of data and to provide support for various single and multi-array record configurations.

October 1999 THIC 6

AN/BQH-11(V)2 MERS Overview (Cont.)

• The AN/BQH-11(V)2 Miniature Element Recording System (MERS) performs the following tasks:

– Interfaces with the submarine sonar system utilizing digital and analog interfaces.

– Formats and records data on magnetic tape in digital format.

October 1999 THIC 7

AN/BQH-11(V)2 MERS Overview (Cont.)

–MERS is Designed To Record:• Primarily digital element data.

– Towed Array (TB-16D/E/F, TB-23, TB-29)

• Selected analog data.– TA (TB-16B) elements, Hull Array staves, CRH, TA

analog beams

• Support data– Advanced Digital Auxiliary Data Set (ADADS) (BQQ-5)– Support Data Interface (SDI) (BSY-1)– Tactical Support Device (TSD) (BQQ-10)– Time Code (TC)

October 1999 THIC 8

AN/BQH-11(V)2 MERS Overview (Cont.)

– MERS systems have been deployed on several missions.

– AIT drives have provided the MERS with expanded capacity.

October 1999 THIC 9

Design and Development Rationale

• AN/BQH-11(V)2 Design and Development Rationale– Provide Element Recording more efficiently– Primary Goals

• Recorder which requires less tape– Smaller media (8mm tape) than current (ERDS) SVHS – Higher data storage capacity– Dramatically reduced tape storage space

requirements• The following table indicates tremendous tape and tape

storage reductions attributable to the use of AIT tape drives and more efficient format of data on tape for various configurations.

• Higher reliability

October 1999 THIC 10

Design and Development Rationale (Cont.)

AN/BQH-11(V)2 RECORDING TIME/TAPE LOAD-OUT REQUIREMENTS COMPARISON

*PER TAPE RECORDING TIME(Hrs.)

TAPE STORAGE REQUIREMENTS(ft3)

ARRAYS ERDS BQH-11(V)1 BQH-11(V)2 ERDS BQH-11(V)1 BQH-11(V)2TB-16D/E/F ONLY

(MPP, BQQ-5, or BSY-1) 1.0 12.0 41.9 23 .84 0.2

TB-23 ONLY(MPP, ASA, BQQ-5, or BSY-1) 1.0 6.0 21.6 23 1.7 0.3

TB-29 ONLY(A-RCI - MPP or BQQ-5E J29) 4.3 1.7

TB-16D/E/F and TB-23(Dual Towed Array) 1.0 4.0 14.2 23 2.5 0.5

TB-16D/E/F and TB-29A-RCI or BQQ-5E, or AFTAS

(Dual Towed Array)3.9 1.8

* Continuous recording for 50 days (1200 hrs.).

October 1999 THIC 11

Design and Development Rationale (Cont.)

• Less operator interaction– 2 Drives per system (ping-pong recording)

• Decreased tape costs• Simpler Installation • Use of COTS Hardware

– Replace Element Recording Data System (ERDS)• Too many tapes required per mission• Insufficient storage space on ships

October 1999 THIC 12

Design and Development Rationale (Cont.)

– AN/BQH-11(V)2 Takes Advantage of Newer Technology• Modular I/O & DSP using embedded controllers and

PLDs• Use of Ethernet data transfer for support data• AIT drives• SCSI interfaces

October 1999 THIC 13

• Benefits of AIT Drive Technology– AIT versus VLDS

• Higher capacity data storage• More flexibility in data types and formatting• SCSI interfaces• Higher Drive reliability• Lower Bit-Error rates• Better, Simpler Interfaces• Cost-effective

Benefits of AIT Drive Technology

October 1999 THIC 14

Benefits of AIT Drive Technology (Cont.)

SONY SDX-300C AIT DRIVE

SONY SDX-T3N AIT CASSETTE

October 1999 THIC 15

Benefits of AIT Drive Technology (Cont.)

– Closer examination of AIT Drives and their benefits and advantages• Larger Data Storage Capacity• Higher transfer rate• Adaptable interface• Future Growth Path• Easy Availability (COTS Sony)• Planned growth path

– Extended capacity 35GB AIT-1 tape (now available) – AIT-2 (now available)

• 12Mbs data rate• 50 GB (native) 100 GB (compressed) capacity• Ultra SCSI • MIC technology

October 1999 THIC 16

Benefits of AIT Drive Technology (Cont.)

• Extended capacity 35GB AIT-1 tape (now available) – Not used now due to following:

• Concern about untested media in rugged shipboard environment

• All AN/BQH-11(V)2 development and operational testing was conducted using the 25 GB tapes. (ie. Not extensively tested for MERS use)

October 1999 THIC 17

Benefits of AIT Drive Technology (Cont.)

FEATURES OF AIT-1 DRIVES/TAPESCharacteristic Specification

• High Capacity Storage 25 GB (native)/50 GB (compr.)• High Data Transfer rate 6 MB/s• Small Form Factor 3.5 inch versus 5.25 inch• Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) 200,000 hours• Head Life 30,000 hours (recording time)• Low error rate 10-17

• Memory In Cassette (MIC) Faster data access/User def. Data• DLC (Diamond like coating) More durable media• Low maintenance Self Cleaning• Lower cost 3.6K (initial price)• Growth path AIT-2 (now available)• Hyper Evaticle Layer 100% cobalt dual Assures high output

magnetic layer

October 1999 THIC 18

Benefits of AIT Drive Technology (Cont.)

• Self Cleaning drives (require less PM)– Tape Formats - Unique to each configuration to maximize

use of available tape.

Data Set Descriptor ValuesData Set Type # bytes/channel # channels/frame # frames/data set Channel Descriptor

TB-16D/E/F 1 58 625 TA Channel No.TB-23 1 103 625 TA Channel No.TB-29 2 466 500 TA Channel No.TB-16B (analog) 2 66 625 1. TA/Aux Channel No.

2. RIU Gain (dB)Hull Array (analog) 2 66 625 1. HA Channel No.

2. RIU Gain (dB)

MERS TAPE DATA FORMAT SPECIFICATIONS

October 1999 THIC 19

Benefits of AIT Drive Technology (Cont.)

BOTSHORTFILEMARKHEADERDATA FILES170m ADVANCED INTELLIGENT TAPE (8mm)SHORTFILEMARKEOTVer ## of Data SetsHeader Si zeTape Desc.OffsetsEtc. . . . Data Files consist of:DATA SET TYPESARRAYSUPPORT TB- 16B TB- 16D/E/F TB- 23 TB- 23 ASA TB- 29 HULL ARRAYADADS/SDITSM

BOTSHORT

FILEMARK

HEADER DATA FILES

170m ADVANCED INTELLIGENT TAPE (8mm)SHORT

FILEMARK

EOT

Ver ## of Data SetsHeader SizeTape Desc.OffsetsEtc. . . .

Data Files consist of:

DATA SET TYPES

ARRAY

SUPPORT

TIME CODE

TB-16B

TB-16D/E/F

TB-23

TB-23 ASA

TB-29

HULL ARRAY

ADADS/SDI

TSM

MERS TAPE - DATA FORMAT MAP

October 1999 THIC 20

Future Growth

• Recent MERS Upgrades– Multi-array Test Signal Generator Function

• Simulate bit patterns and inject them into Combat System• Allows determination of BER and Channel Allocation

– Add AIT drives to Groom PCs allowing data transfer and analysis directly from tape to PC

– Playback Function• Works in conjunction with Multi-array Test Signal

Generator to Playback prerecorded data directly into processors

October 1999 THIC 21

Future Growth (Cont.)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Recording Configurations

Rec

ordi

ng B

andw

idth

(Mb/

s)

ANALOG 3ANALOG 2

ARRAY 5DATA HYPHREF HYPHARRAY 4ARRAY 3ARRAY 2ARRAY 1

Original DriveBandwidthMERS (V)1

Upgraded DriveBandwidth MERS (V)2 (AIT-1)

Next Generation Drive Bandwidth (AIT-2)

MERS RECORD BANDWIDTH REQUIREMENTS

ANALOG 1

October 1999 THIC 22

Future Growth (Cont.)

– Towed Array Cable Simulator (TA/CS)• Used with Auto Groom function to calibrate T/A recording

path• Can be used to playback recorded element data for

training and system testing/evaluation

October 1999 THIC 23

Future Growth (Cont.)

• Possible MERS Upgrades– Use of 35 GB capacity AIT-1 tapes

• Provide expanded sensor capability• Lower mission costs for traditional recording

configurations

– Addition of AIT-2 drives• Augmented Support Data Set• Backward compatibility for playback system

– Expanded bandwidth – MERS SDI word– Voice Track

October 1999 THIC 24

Future Growth (Cont.)

• Possible MERS Upgrades (continued)– STA recording– HTML based VxWorks software development

platform • New user I/F using Windows look and feel • Could reduce size of remote control unit (RC Unit 2) • Easier and more cost effective programming platform

– Store tape information in cassette memory (MIC)• Allow array configurations to change w/o changing tape• Tape diagnostic information

October 1999 THIC 25

Summary

• The AN/BQH-11(V)2 system makes use of the first generation AIT drive technology.– This technology provides expanded capability,

more reliable data and drastically reduced tape storage requirements.

– These benefits are realized in other ways through higher efficiency, lower costs and reduced maintenance.

– Growth potential of AIT technology produces dramatic future expansion of sensor recording for MERS and other mass data collection systems.