CFAR OS detection hardware with comparison circuitry

A method comprising:

• receiving data samples into a register of a plurality of cells, wherein as each incoming data sample is received into a first cell in the register, previously received data samples are shifted downstream by one cell, the receiving and shifting continuing at least until a first incoming data sample is in a cell under test (CUT) of the register and subsequently received data samples are in respective cells of a first window of cells on an upstream side of the CUT, the register further including a second window of cells on a downstream side of the CUT;
• computing a noise level of data samples in the register including:
• sorting data samples from the register to provide sorted data samples;
• and
• selecting a Kth ranked data sample from among the sorted data samples as the noise level, wherein a value of K varies in accordance with a number of data samples from the first window of cells and the second window of cells used in the sorting;
• and
• comparing the data sample in the CUT to the noise level.