A general-purpose programmable video signal processor

A general-purpose digital video signal processor (VSP) and associated programming-support tools are described. Its architecture, tailored to real-time video signal processing, makes the VSP a unique component for flexible and design-cost-effective implementations of real-time video systems. At the lowest architectural level various parallel operating and pipelined processing elements communicate via a cross-bar switch, which provides full communication between the processors and the outside world. Processors and cross-bar switch, constituting a ‘module’, are controlled by ‘cyclostatic; programs running at 27 MHz. Modularity is exploited at the two higher levels: the number of modules per chip can be geared to the available IC technology, whereas at the system level the number of identical VSP chips can be geared to the complexity of the respective algorithm. Versatile interactive support tools assist in mapping a video algorithm onto the VSP hardware. A description is given of the interactive mapping tools, comprising a signal-flow-graph editor, a hardware editor, a partitioner and a scheduler, all provided with graphical interface. An automatic assembler produces the final program code. Multi-rate and multi-signal algorithms can be handled in an efficient and user-friendly way. Mapping trajectory and tools are illustrated with the help of an example algorithm.