Overhaul mode A/C matching to be much cheaper.

The old matching process which tracked mode A values as pseudo-aircraft
got very, very expensive with a large number of mode A/C messages (and
with lots of single-bit errors, which seems common with a Beast doing
the reception)

Instead just count A/C messages directly into a 4096-entry array (which
is very fast) and periodically scan the mode S aircraft list to see if
we can match anything up (which is fixed overhead + cost proportional
to the number of mode S aircraft)

dump1090.h

@@ -105,12 +105,6 @@ typedef struct rtlsdr_dev rtlsdr_dev_t;
 #define MODEAC_MSG_SAMPLES       (25 * 2)                     // include up to the SPI bit
 #define MODEAC_MSG_BYTES          2
 #define MODEAC_MSG_SQUELCH_LEVEL  0x07FF                      // Average signal strength limit
-#define MODEAC_MSG_FLAG          (1<<0)
-#define MODEAC_MSG_MODES_HIT     (1<<1)
-#define MODEAC_MSG_MODEA_HIT     (1<<2)
-#define MODEAC_MSG_MODEC_HIT     (1<<3)
-#define MODEAC_MSG_MODEA_ONLY    (1<<4)
-#define MODEAC_MSG_MODEC_OLD     (1<<5)
 
 #define MODES_PREAMBLE_US        8              // microseconds = bits
 #define MODES_PREAMBLE_SAMPLES  (MODES_PREAMBLE_US       * 2)

interactive.c

@@ -111,12 +111,8 @@ void interactiveShowData(void) {
         if ((now - a->seen) < Modes.interactive_display_ttl)
             {
             int msgs  = a->messages;
-            int flags = a->modeACflags;
 
-            if ( (((flags & (MODEAC_MSG_FLAG                             )) == 0                    ) && (msgs > 1  ) )
+            if (msgs > 1) {
-              || (((flags & (MODEAC_MSG_MODES_HIT | MODEAC_MSG_MODEA_ONLY)) == MODEAC_MSG_MODEA_ONLY) && (msgs > 4  ) ) 
-              || (((flags & (MODEAC_MSG_MODES_HIT | MODEAC_MSG_MODEC_OLD )) == 0                    ) && (msgs > 127) ) 
-              ) {
                 char strSquawk[5] = " ";
                 char strFl[7]     = " ";
                 char strTt[5]     = " ";
@@ -153,13 +149,9 @@ void interactiveShowData(void) {
                     double signalAverage = (pSig[0] + pSig[1] + pSig[2] + pSig[3] + 
                                             pSig[4] + pSig[5] + pSig[6] + pSig[7]) / 8.0; 
 
-                    if ((flags & MODEAC_MSG_FLAG) == 0) {
                     strMode[0] = 'S';
-                    } else if (flags & MODEAC_MSG_MODEA_ONLY) {
+                    if (a->modeA_hit) {strMode[2] = 'a';}
-                        strMode[0] = 'A';
+                    if (a->modeC_hit) {strMode[3] = 'c';}
-                    }
-                    if (flags & MODEAC_MSG_MODEA_HIT) {strMode[2] = 'a';}
-                    if (flags & MODEAC_MSG_MODEC_HIT) {strMode[3] = 'c';}
 
                     if (trackDataValid(&a->position_valid)) {
                         snprintf(strLat, 8,"%7.03f", a->lat);
@@ -184,6 +176,37 @@ void interactiveShowData(void) {
         }
         a = a->next;
     }
+
+    if (!Modes.interactive_rtl1090 && Modes.mode_ac) {
+        for (unsigned i = 1; i < 4096 && count < Modes.interactive_rows; ++i) {
+            if (modeAC_match[i] || modeAC_count[i] < 100)
+                continue;
+
+            char strMode[5] = "  A ";
+            char strFl[7] = " ";
+            unsigned modeA = indexToModeA(i);
+            int modeC = modeAToModeC(modeA);
+            if (modeC != INVALID_ALTITUDE) {
+                strMode[3] = 'C';
+                snprintf(strFl, 7, "%5d ", convert_altitude(modeC * 100));
+            }
+
+            printf("%7s %-4s  %04x  %-8s %6s %3s  %3s  %7s %8s %5s %5d %2s\n",
+                   "",    /* address */
+                   strMode, /* mode */
+                   modeA, /* squawk */
+                   "",    /* callsign */
+                   strFl, /* altitude */
+                   "",    /* gs */
+                   "",    /* heading */
+                   "",    /* lat */
+                   "",    /* lon */
+                   "",    /* signal */
+                   modeAC_count[i], /* messages */
+                   "");    /* seen */
+            count++;
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 //

mode_s.c

@@ -1806,7 +1806,7 @@ void useModesMessage(struct modesMessage *mm) {
             // If this is the second message, and we
             // squelched the first message, then re-emit the
             // first message now.
-            if (!Modes.net_verbatim && a->messages == 2) {
+            if (!Modes.net_verbatim && a && a->messages == 2) {
                 modesQueueOutput(&a->first_message, a);
             }
             modesQueueOutput(mm, a);

net_io.c

@@ -710,7 +710,7 @@ static void send_sbs_heartbeat(struct net_service *service)
 void modesQueueOutput(struct modesMessage *mm, struct aircraft *a) {
     int is_mlat = (mm->source == SOURCE_MLAT);
 
-    if (!is_mlat && mm->correctedbits < 2) {
+    if (a && !is_mlat && mm->correctedbits < 2) {
         // Don't ever forward 2-bit-corrected messages via SBS output.
         // Don't ever forward mlat messages via SBS output.
         modesSendSBSOutput(mm, a);
@@ -728,7 +728,7 @@ void modesQueueOutput(struct modesMessage *mm, struct aircraft *a) {
         modesSendBeastOutput(mm);
     }
 
-    if (!is_mlat) {
+    if (a && !is_mlat) {
         writeFATSVEvent(mm, a);
     }
 }
@@ -1027,10 +1027,6 @@ char *generateAircraftJson(const char *url_path, int *len) {
                   Modes.stats_current.messages_total + Modes.stats_alltime.messages_total);
 
     for (a = Modes.aircrafts; a; a = a->next) {
-        if (a->modeACflags & MODEAC_MSG_FLAG) { // skip any fudged ICAO records Mode A/C
-            continue;
-        }
-
         if (a->messages < 2) { // basic filter for bad decodes
             continue;
         }

track.c

@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@
 
 /* #define DEBUG_CPR_CHECKS */
 
+uint32_t modeAC_count[4096];
+uint32_t modeAC_lastcount[4096];
+uint32_t modeAC_match[4096];
+
 //
 // Return a new aircraft structure for the linked list of tracked
 // aircraft
@@ -76,16 +80,6 @@ struct aircraft *trackCreateAircraft(struct modesMessage *mm) {
     a->fatsv_emitted_bds_30[0] = 0x30;
     a->fatsv_emitted_es_acas_ra[0] = 0xE2;
 
-    // mm->msgtype 32 is used to represent Mode A/C. These values can never change, so 
-    // set them once here during initialisation, and don't bother to set them every 
-    // time this ModeA/C is received again in the future
-    if (mm->msgtype == 32) {
-        a->modeACflags = MODEAC_MSG_FLAG;
-        if (!mm->altitude_valid) {
-            a->modeACflags |= MODEAC_MSG_MODEA_ONLY;
-        }
-    }
-
     // Copy the first message so we can emit it later when a second message arrives.
     a->first_message = *mm;
 
@@ -520,6 +514,13 @@ static void updatePosition(struct aircraft *a, struct modesMessage *mm, uint64_t
 struct aircraft *trackUpdateFromMessage(struct modesMessage *mm)
 {
     struct aircraft *a;
+
+    if (mm->msgtype == 32) {
+        // Mode A/C, just count it (we ignore SPI)
+        modeAC_count[modeAToIndex(mm->squawk)]++;
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
     uint64_t now = mstime();
 
     // Lookup our aircraft or create a new one
@@ -542,20 +543,20 @@ struct aircraft *trackUpdateFromMessage(struct modesMessage *mm)
         a->addrtype = mm->addrtype;
 
     if (mm->altitude_valid && mm->altitude_source == ALTITUDE_BARO && accept_data(&a->altitude_valid, mm->source, now)) {
-        unsigned modeC = (a->altitude + 49) / 100;
+        if (a->modeC_hit) {
-        if (modeC != a->altitude_modeC) {
+            int new_modeC = (a->altitude + 49) / 100;
-            a->modeCcount = 0;               //....zero the hit count
+            int old_modeC = (mm->altitude + 49) / 100;
-            a->modeACflags &= ~MODEAC_MSG_MODEC_HIT;
+            if (new_modeC != old_modeC) {
+                a->modeC_hit = 0;
+            }
         }
 
         a->altitude = mm->altitude;
-        a->altitude_modeC = modeC;
     }
 
     if (mm->squawk_valid && accept_data(&a->squawk_valid, mm->source, now)) {
         if (mm->squawk != a->squawk) {
-            a->modeAcount = 0;               //....zero the hit count
+            a->modeA_hit = 0;
-            a->modeACflags &= ~MODEAC_MSG_MODEA_HIT;
         }
         a->squawk = mm->squawk;
     }
@@ -636,24 +637,6 @@ struct aircraft *trackUpdateFromMessage(struct modesMessage *mm)
         updatePosition(a, mm, now);
     }
 
-    if (mm->msgtype == 32) {
-        int flags = a->modeACflags;
-        if ((flags & (MODEAC_MSG_MODEC_HIT | MODEAC_MSG_MODEC_OLD)) == MODEAC_MSG_MODEC_OLD) {
-            //
-            // This Mode-C doesn't currently hit any known Mode-S, but it used to because MODEAC_MSG_MODEC_OLD is
-            // set  So the aircraft it used to match has either changed altitude, or gone out of our receiver range
-            //
-            // We've now received this Mode-A/C again, so it must be a new aircraft. It could be another aircraft
-            // at the same Mode-C altitude, or it could be a new airctraft with a new Mods-A squawk.
-            //
-            // To avoid masking this aircraft from the interactive display, clear the MODEAC_MSG_MODES_OLD flag
-            // and set messages to 1;
-            //
-            a->modeACflags = flags & ~MODEAC_MSG_MODEC_OLD;
-            a->messages    = 1;
-        }
-    }
-
     return (a);
 }
 
@@ -661,85 +644,50 @@ struct aircraft *trackUpdateFromMessage(struct modesMessage *mm)
 // Periodic updates of tracking state
 //
 
-//
+// Periodically match up mode A/C results with mode S results
-//=========================================================================
+static void trackMatchAC(uint64_t now)
-//
-// Periodically search through the list of known Mode-S aircraft and tag them if this
-// Mode A/C  matches their known Mode S Squawks or Altitudes(+/- 50feet).
-//
-// A Mode S equipped aircraft may also respond to Mode A and Mode C SSR interrogations.
-// We can't tell if this is a Mode A or C, so scan through the entire aircraft list
-// looking for matches on Mode A (squawk) and Mode C (altitude). Flag in the Mode S
-// records that we have had a potential Mode A or Mode C response from this aircraft. 
-//
-// If an aircraft responds to Mode A then it's highly likely to be responding to mode C 
-// too, and vice verca. Therefore, once the mode S record is tagged with both a Mode A
-// and a Mode C flag, we can be fairly confident that this Mode A/C frame relates to that
-// Mode S aircraft.
-//
-// Mode C's are more likely to clash than Mode A's; There could be several aircraft 
-// cruising at FL370, but it's less likely (though not impossible) that there are two 
-// aircraft on the same squawk. Therefore, give precidence to Mode A record matches
-//
-// Note : It's theoretically possible for an aircraft to have the same value for Mode A 
-// and Mode C. Therefore we have to check BOTH A AND C for EVERY S.
-//
-static void trackUpdateAircraftModeA(struct aircraft *a)
 {
-    struct aircraft *b = Modes.aircrafts;
+    // clear match flags
+    for (unsigned i = 0; i < 4096; ++i) {
+        modeAC_match[i] = 0;
+    }
 
-    while(b) {
+    // scan aircraft list, look for matches
-        if ((b->modeACflags & MODEAC_MSG_FLAG) == 0) {  // skip any fudged ICAO records 
+    for (struct aircraft *a = Modes.aircrafts; a; a = a->next) {
+        if ((now - a->seen) > 5000) {
+            continue;
+        }
 
-            // If both (a) and (b) have valid squawks...
+        // match on Mode A
-            if (trackDataValid(&a->squawk_valid) && trackDataValid(&b->squawk_valid)) {
+        if (trackDataValid(&a->squawk_valid)) {
-                // ...check for Mode-A == Mode-S Squawk matches
+            unsigned i = modeAToIndex(a->squawk);
-                if (a->squawk == b->squawk) { // If a 'real' Mode-S ICAO exists using this Mode-A Squawk
+            if ((modeAC_count[i] - modeAC_lastcount[i]) > TRACK_MODEAC_MIN_MESSAGES) {
-                    b->modeAcount   = a->messages;
+                a->modeA_hit = 1;
-                    b->modeACflags |= MODEAC_MSG_MODEA_HIT;
+                modeAC_match[i] = (modeAC_match[i] ? 0xFFFFFFFF : a->addr);
-                    a->modeACflags |= MODEAC_MSG_MODEA_HIT;
-                    if ( (b->modeAcount > 0) &&
-                       ( (b->modeCcount > 1)
-                      || (a->modeACflags & MODEAC_MSG_MODEA_ONLY)) ) // Allow Mode-A only matches if this Mode-A is invalid Mode-C
-                        {a->modeACflags |= MODEAC_MSG_MODES_HIT;}    // flag this ModeA/C probably belongs to a known Mode S                    
             }
         }
 
-            // If both (a) and (b) have valid altitudes...
+        // match on Mode C
-            if (trackDataValid(&a->altitude_valid) && trackDataValid(&b->altitude_valid)) {
+        if (trackDataValid(&a->altitude_valid)) {
-                // ... check for Mode-C == Mode-S Altitude matches
+            int modeC = (a->altitude + 49) / 100;
-                if (  (a->altitude_modeC     == b->altitude_modeC    )     // If a 'real' Mode-S ICAO exists at this Mode-C Altitude
+            unsigned modeA = modeCToModeA(modeC);
-                   || (a->altitude_modeC     == b->altitude_modeC + 1)     //          or this Mode-C - 100 ft
+            if (modeA) {
-                   || (a->altitude_modeC + 1 == b->altitude_modeC    ) ) { //          or this Mode-C + 100 ft
+                unsigned i = modeAToIndex(modeA);
-                    b->modeCcount   = a->messages;
+                if ((modeAC_count[i] - modeAC_lastcount[i]) > TRACK_MODEAC_MIN_MESSAGES) {
-                    b->modeACflags |= MODEAC_MSG_MODEC_HIT;
+                    a->modeC_hit = 1;
-                    a->modeACflags |= MODEAC_MSG_MODEC_HIT;
+                    modeAC_match[i] = (modeAC_match[i] ? 0xFFFFFFFF : a->addr);
-                    if ( (b->modeAcount > 0) &&
-                         (b->modeCcount > 1) )
-                        {a->modeACflags |= (MODEAC_MSG_MODES_HIT | MODEAC_MSG_MODEC_OLD);} // flag this ModeA/C probably belongs to a known Mode S                    
                 }
             }
         }
-        b = b->next;
     }
-}
-//
-//=========================================================================
-//
-static void trackUpdateAircraftModeS()
-{
-    struct aircraft *a = Modes.aircrafts;
 
-    while(a) {
+    // reset counts for next time
-        int flags = a->modeACflags;
+    for (unsigned i = 0; i < 4096; ++i) {
-        if (flags & MODEAC_MSG_FLAG) { // find any fudged ICAO records
+        if ((modeAC_count[i] - modeAC_lastcount[i]) <= TRACK_MODEAC_MIN_MESSAGES) {
-
+            modeAC_lastcount[i] = modeAC_count[i] = 0;
-            // clear the current A,C and S hit bits ready for this attempt
+        } else {
-            a->modeACflags = flags & ~(MODEAC_MSG_MODEA_HIT | MODEAC_MSG_MODEC_HIT | MODEAC_MSG_MODES_HIT);
+            modeAC_lastcount[i] = modeAC_count[i];
-
-            trackUpdateAircraftModeA(a);  // and attempt to match them with Mode-S
         }
-        a = a->next;
     }
 }
 
@@ -808,6 +756,6 @@ void trackPeriodicUpdate()
     if (now >= next_update) {
         next_update = now + 1000;
         trackRemoveStaleAircraft(now);
-        trackUpdateAircraftModeS();
+        trackMatchAC(now);
     }
 }

track.h

@@ -59,6 +59,11 @@
 /* Maximum validity of an aircraft position */
 #define TRACK_AIRCRAFT_POSITION_TTL 60000
 
+/* Minimum number of repeated Mode A/C replies with a particular Mode A code needed in a
+ * 1 second period before accepting that code.
+ */
+#define TRACK_MODEAC_MIN_MESSAGES 3
+
 typedef struct {
     datasource_t source;     /* where the data came from */
     uint64_t updated;      /* when it arrived */
@@ -82,7 +87,6 @@ struct aircraft {
 
     data_validity altitude_valid;
     int           altitude;        // Altitude (Baro)
-    unsigned      altitude_modeC;  //  (as a Mode C value)
 
     data_validity altitude_gnss_valid;
     int           altitude_gnss;   // Altitude (GNSS)
@@ -134,9 +138,8 @@ struct aircraft {
     double        lat, lon;       // Coordinated obtained from CPR encoded data
     unsigned      pos_nuc;        // NUCp of last computed position
 
-    long          modeAcount;     // Mode A Squawk hit Count
+    int           modeA_hit;   // did our squawk match a possible mode A reply in the last check period?
-    long          modeCcount;     // Mode C Altitude hit Count
+    int           modeC_hit;   // did our altitude match a possible mode C reply in the last check period?
-    int           modeACflags;    // Flags for mode A/C recognition
 
     int           fatsv_emitted_altitude;         // last FA emitted altitude
     int           fatsv_emitted_altitude_gnss;    //      -"-         GNSS altitude
@@ -159,6 +162,13 @@ struct aircraft {
     struct modesMessage first_message;  // A copy of the first message we received for this aircraft.
 };
 
+/* Mode A/C tracking is done separately, not via the aircraft list,
+ * and via a flat array rather than a list since there are only 4k possible values
+ * (nb: we ignore the ident/SPI bit when tracking)
+ */
+extern uint32_t modeAC_count[4096];
+extern uint32_t modeAC_match[4096];
+
 /* is this bit of data valid? */
 static inline int trackDataValid(const data_validity *v)
 {