Abstract: Apodization parameters for respective transducer elements are generated, for example, at a beam-former, by accessing a select look-up table. An apodization parameter generator circuit includes respective look-up tables for each of multiple window algorithms. The same look-up table is used for a given window algorithm regardless of (i) aperture size; (ii) whether performing transmit or receive beam-forming; and (iii) whether deriving elevation or azimuthal apodization parameters. Each of the multiple tables has a common, fixed number of entries. Such number is at least as big as the number of transducer elements along the longest axis of the host transducer array. For symmetrical tables, the number of entries is halved. A pointer into a look-up table is calculated from the elevational or azimuthal aperture size in elements ("N") and the location of the transducer element of interest ("n") along the aperture.

Abstract: A rank cell array for ranking a series of sample values including a number of identical rank cells (RC1, RC2. . . ) permitting ready modification of the sorting window size in an OS CFAR radar application, for example. Each rank cell (RC1, RC2. . . ) includes a multiplexer (49), a D flip-flop (41), first and second comparators (43, 45), and a multiplexer controller (49). Each clock interval, the foregoing circuitry examines the sample value entering the sorting window, the sample value leaving the sorting window, the sample value in the preceding rank cell, and the sample value in the succeeding rank cell to determine the sample value in the rank cell during the next clock interval.