Waveform analysis

A method of extracting information from a signal comprising the steps of:

• converting the signal to a digital format to produce a digitized signal having a number of digital points,
• sampling a number of the digital points of the digitized signal to produce digital samples,
• transforming a digital sample to produce a transform of the digital sample having a number of transform coefficients,
• sampling a number of the transform coefficients to produce a transform sample,
• determining signal information from the transform sample, the determining comprising the steps of:
• assuming a number of shapes characterize the transform sample, each shape having a characteristic mathematical relation, and
• performing a test of statistical significance on the transform sample using one or more shapes, and
• outputting signal information based on the test of statistical significance.

A method of analyzing a signal comprising:

• digitizing the signal to produce a digitized signal, the digitized signal having a number of digital points,
• selecting a number of digital points to form a signal sample,
• transforming the signal sample to produce a transform of the signal sample, the transform of the signal sample having a number of transform coefficients,
• selecting a number of transform coefficients to form a transform sample,
• evaluating the transform sample, the evaluation comprising the steps of:
• assuming the transform sample includes a number of characteristic shapes, and
• determining a number of signal parameters from the number of shapes using a predetermined analysis technique, the analysis technique using parameter weighting, the number of characteristic shapes, and criteria for significance testing, and
• extracting at least one signal parameter from the signal.

A method of determining signal information from a signal comprising the steps of:

• digitizing the signal to produce a digital signal,
• sampling the digital signal to produce digital signal samples,
• transforming a digital signal sample to produce a transform of the digital signal sample including a number of transform coefficients having real and imaginary components,
• fitting one or more functions to a number of transform coefficients, each function having real and imaginary components, and
• outputting signal information based on the result of the fitting step, the signal information having a relation to a ratio of a real to an imaginary component of one or more transform coefficients.