Digital signal processing means algorithmic processing, representing signals as streams of numbers that can be manipulated by a programmable computer. Since DSP algorithms are programmed, standard computer languages may be used in principle for their implementation. In particular, block diagrams, that are conventionally used to help one grasp the essential elements of complex conventional computer programs, may be useful as DSP description and specification tools as well. | Digital Signal Processing A Computer Science Perspective Jonathan Y. Stein Copyright 2000 John Wiley Sons Inc. Print ISBN 0-471-29546-9 Online ISBN 0-471-20059-X Part III Architectures and Algorithms Digital Signal Processing A Computer Science Perspective Jonathan Y. Stein Copyright 2000 John Wiley Sons Inc. Print ISBN 0-471-29546-9 Online ISBN 0-471-20059-X 12 Graphical Techniques Digital signal processing means algorithmic processing representing signals as streams of numbers that can be manipulated by a programmable computer. Since DSP algorithms are programmed standard computer languages may be used in principle for their implementation. In particular block diagrams that are conventionally used to help one grasp the essential elements of complex conventional computer programs may be useful as DSP description and specification tools as well. It is difficult for people to capture and comprehend the structure of large pieces of algorithmic code with the difficulty increasing rapidly with the length of uninterrupted code the number of conditionals and branches and the inherent complexity of the algorithm. In block diagrams rectangles represent calculations the program may perform straight lines represent possible paths between the calculations and there are also special symbols for control structures. The proponents of block diagrams claim that by looking at a skillfully prepared block diagram the program structure becomes clear. Detractors say that these diagrams are useful only for a certain paradigm of programming that went out with the goto and that they only describe the control structures and not the data structures. Both sides agree that they are essentially a second language in addition to the language in which the program is coded to describe the same functionality and as such the task of keeping them up to date and accurate is arduous. In computer science the use of block diagrams was once pervasive but has gone out of style. In DSP flow graphs which are
