Apparatus and methods for designing, analyzing or simulating signal processing functions

A method of designing, analyzing or simulating signal processing operations, said method comprising the steps of:

• storing at least one application data file containing application data available to be processed;
• storing at least one header file, each corresponding to a respective one of said application data files and each containing a plurality of attributes associated with said application data of said corresponding application data file;
• selecting at least one of said application data files to be read in its entirety for a signal processing operation;
• selecting one of a plurality of different signal processing operations to be performed using the application data read in its entirety from said selected application data file;
• selecting a set of attributes from the plurality of attributes read in its entirety from the header file corresponding to said selected application data file, said selected set of attributes being only those necessary to perform said selected signal processing operation, said selected set of attributes being smaller than said plurality of attributes;
• and
• performing said selected signal processing operation using the application data read in its entirety from said selected application data file.

Apparatus for designing, analyzing or simulating signal processing functions, said apparatus comprising:

• application data file storage means for storing a plurality of application data files each containing application data available to be processed, said application data files respectively comprising digital video signal data comprising a plurality of video data elements, digital audio data comprising a plurality of audio data values, digital finite impulse response filter coefficient data comprising a plurality of finite impulse response filter coefficient values, infinite impulse response filter data representing a transfer function of a first polynomial divided by a second polynomial, and digital frequency response data comprising a plurality of digital frequency response data values;
• header file storage means for storing a plurality of header files, each corresponding to one of said application data files and each containing a plurality of attributes associated with said application data of said corresponding application data file;
• application data file selection means for selecting at least one of said application data files to be read in its entirety for a signal processing operation;
• signal processing operation selection means for selecting one of a plurality of signal processing operations, said signal processing operations including analyzing the response of a finite impulse response filter, analyzing the response of an infinite impulse response filter, convolving two one-dimensional filters into a two-dimensional filter, filtering video image data, taking the difference of two video images, scaling the difference of two video images, and spectral analysis;
• and
• signal processing means for performing said selected signal processing operation using the application data read in its entirety from said selected application data file and for selecting a set of attributes from the plurality of attributes read in its entirety from the header file corresponding to said selected application data file, said selected set of attributes being only those necessary to perform said selected signal processing operation, said selected set of attributes being smaller than said plurality of attributes.

A method of designing, analyzing or simulating signal processing functions, said method comprising the steps of:

• storing a plurality of application data files each containing application data available to be processed, said data application files respectively comprising digital video signal data comprising a plurality of video data elements, digital audio data comprising a plurality of audio data values, digital finite impulse response filter coefficient data comprising a plurality of finite impulse response filter coefficient values, infinite impulse response filter data representing a transfer function of a first polynomial divided by a second polynomial, and digital frequency response data comprising a plurality of digital frequency response data values;
• storing a plurality of header files, each corresponding to one of said application data files and each containing a plurality of attributes associated with said application data of said corresponding application data file;
• selecting at least one of said at least one application data files to be read in its entirety for a signal processing operation;
• selecting one of a plurality of signal processing operations, said signal processing operations including analyzing the response of a finite impulse response filter, analyzing the response of an infinite impulse response filter, convolving two one-dimensional filters into a two-dimensional filter, filtering video image data, taking the difference of two video images, scaling the difference of two video images and spectral;
• selecting a set of attributes from the plurality of attributes read in its entirety from the header file corresponding to said selected application data file, said selected set of attributes being only those necessary to perform said selected signal processing operation, said selected set of attributes being smaller than said plurality of attributes;
• and
• performing said selected signal processing operation using the application data read in its entirety from said selected application data file.