Plan and start the integration of an FPGA FDAS module into the PSS pipeline

https://confluence.skatelescope.org/display/SE/Integrate+an+FPGA+FDAS+component+into+the+PSS+pipeline 

Who?

• PSS Product Tester; PSS Developer

Why?

• This work will enable the developers of PSS to integrate the FPGA FDAS code into the PSS pipeline (Cheetah), based on detailed information about the design of the FDAS module's interfaces with Cheetah.
• When integrated in future PIs, FPGA FDAS will be used in end-to-end product tests with test vectors, which will enable verification of PSS functional and performance requirements for a wide range of pulsar search use cases.

What?

• The aim of this Goal is to deliver a detailed design and definitions of the FPGA FDAS interfaces, and begin the integration of the FPGA FDAS code into the PSS pipeline (Cheetah) by writing the unit tests.
• Following the delivery of the design, the existing FPGA-based FDAS software will be integrated into Cheetah by implementing the detailed design. This will enable a PSS user to run a Cheetah pipeline that uses the FPGA-based pulsar search code.

Success Metrics

• Agree on a detailed design for the interfaces between the FPGA FDAS firmware code and the Cheetah interface code:
• Decide on the memory management of the FPGA FDAS input and output objects (memory pages)
• Decide on the object structure of the FPGA FDAS input and output objects (Fourier spectra & candidate lists)
• Define the internal control layer within Cheetah needed to interact with the FPGA FDAS code

• PI21 stretch:
  • Write unit tests for the Cheetah interfaces to FPGA FDAS