FPGA Implementation of Image Ordering and Packing Algorithm for TuMag Camera

Abstract

The TuMag instrument is a Tunable Magnetograph that has been designed to measure the magnetic field of the sun. This instrument and others will be connected to a telescope that will be sent into the stratosphere using a balloon for an uninterrupted observation of the sun for four days in the summer of 2022. The TuMag camera is a new development for implementing the image detector of the instrument. It is based on the GPIXEL GSENSE400-BSI scientific CMOS image sensor and an FPGA device in charge of controlling the image sensor, configuring it and grabbing images. FPGA device consists of an array of Configurable Logic Blocks. However, the sensor does not supply the image data in a row-by-column format. This task has to be done in the FPGA that controls the sensor because the frame grabber has a significant workload with the control of all the instruments, the telescope, the refrigeration, the navigation, and so on. This work describes the FPGA implementation of Image Ordering and Packing algorithm for TuMag Camera concerning the real-time ordering of the images before grabbing and sending to the Data Processing Unit.

Enhanced Channel Calibration for the Image Sensor of the TuMag Instrument

“…The GPIXEL sensor supplies image data in eight-channel format. This task is implemented in the swapping module [ 39 ]. Instead of entering the data image incoming from the sensor, it is possible to enter a test image to debug the design using multiplexers without using the image sensor.…”

“…This work presents a new algorithm for calibrating the channels of the GSENSE image sensor as the main innovation of this work. FPGA devices have proven to be ideal for implementing algorithms for images coming from cameras for astrophysical applications [ 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 ]. We have had to design at a low level (structural level) because the data sent by the image sensor to the FPGA cannot be deserialized with the ISERDES IP available in the Vivado suite.…”