RF Engines Limited, the British high technology company based on the Isle of Wight, UK, has received a second SMART (Small Firms Merit Award For Research and Technology) funding award from the UK Government. The previous award was for a feasibility study into novel signal processing architectures that resulted in the patented
Pipelined Frequency Transform™ (PFT) architecture, which is now being designed in to communications and defence systems.
This latest award is to develop a tunable version of the PFT. This will enable narrow sections of the spectrum of different bandwidths and centre frequencies to be dynamically selected from a broad band of spectrum in real time. The award will also investigate the feasibility of discarding unwanted processing to focus purely on the channels of interest, and the ability to define the final filter characteristics, so improving the efficiency of the design even further.
The Tunable PFT will provide a totally flexible architecture for real time broadband signal processing, and has applications in fixed and mobile communications systems, advanced defence electronics and test and measurement instrumentation.
Speaking about the award Tony Howells who heads the team responsible for SMART awards in the Government Office of the South East, commented: “It is unusual for a company to receive two such awards, however we were very impressed with the high degree of innovation and potential for commercial success of the design approach. There is clearly a market need for this flexible digital signal processing design, as it provides an effective solution to the need for high speed channelisation required by modern communications systems, including mobile and fixed wireless services. It is a great example of British innovation.”
For further information, please see the website at
www.rfel.com or contact RF Engines at Innovation Centre, St Cross Business Park, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 5WB, Great Britain. Tel +44 (0) 1983 550330. E-mail
info@rfel.com
For information on the SMART award scheme, please see the website at
www.go-se.gov.uk/key business/innovation/innovation.htm
Press information and illustrations can be obtained from Nigel Robson, Vortex PR, Island House, Forest Road, Guernsey, GY8 0AB, Great Britain. Tel +44 (0) 1481 233080. E-mail
nigel@vortexpr.com .