Object oriented component and framework architecture for signal processing

Abstract

A reconfigurable distributed signal processing system uses an object-oriented component-framework architecture in which the system permits large-scale software reuse. This is accomplished by the use of a framework and a number of reusable, reconfigurable software components that are hardware independent. The components communicate over a data fabric using open published APIs over one or more data communications mechanisms. Interchangeable software components are used that perform the signal processing. Interchangeability is assured by each component meeting a required interface in which the component inherits the required interface elements from component base classes. This use of inheritance to assure interface compliance also reduces the programming work required for developing a component. Most importantly, the interchangeable components are reconfigurable into various systems at runtime, as defined by a Plan. A Plan is a schematic of the configuration of the various components to be used to solve a particular signal processing problem which includes the list of components, what computer each component is to execute on, how the components are interconnected, and the initial parameter values of the components. The system functionality and capability can be reconfigured at runtime based on a Plan read by a software element of the framework, the Framework Manager. Moreover, the source code for the components is platform independent. The system is able to use heterogeneous commercial off-the-shelf hardware to minimize equipment costs and lower non-recurring engineering costs as well. The system uses the object-oriented programming and software development to reduce time to market and to ensure program success while at the same time exploiting a standard development methodology.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A reconfigurable signal processing system using an object-oriented component-framework architecture, comprising: 
 at least one software component for providing at least one signal processing function;    at least one processor coupled to said component for executing the software of said component;    a processor manager for controlling the operator of said procesor;    a data fabric for providing data communications between said processor and said software component;    a plan for specifying the operation of said signal processing system; and, a framework manager for implementing said plan by deploying said component to said processor.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said signal processing system is a distributed system having multiple software components and multiple processors such that there are multiple software components on a distributed network which interconnects selected processors with selected software components under the control of said framework manager, said framework operating to establish platform independence for the source code for said components such that components are hardware independent and may be added without concern as to compatibility with said processors in a plug-and-play fashion.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said signal includes streaming data.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said data fabric includes a network.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said data fabric includes a switched interconnect.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said data fabric includes a database.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the basic operational capability of said software component is inherited from a component base class, whereby said software component can take advantage of previously developed software in said component base class.  
     
     
         8 . A reconfigurable distributed signal processing system using an object-oriented architecture, comprising: 
 a number of signal processing software components adapted to be coupled to a processor utilizing a layered structure adapted to keep applications independent of infrastructure to permit coupling of a software component to a processor regardless of the type of component or processor, such that said components are interchangeable and platform independent to permit reuse.    
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein said components are reconfigurable at run time in accordance with a plan defining the identity and location of components used to solve a signal processing task.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein said plan includes a list of said components, what processor the components are located on, how said components and processor are interconnected.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein said plan includes initial parameter values.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein said system includes distributed processors, a framework manager for reading said plan and configuring said system to execute said plan and a processor manager on each distributed processor to deploy and control components, maintain status and interact with said framework manager.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , and further including a data fabric having a platform-independent layered structure for connecting components and processors in a platform-independent manner.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein components communicate with other components only through framework-provided services.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein said components inherit respective characteristics from component base classes that insure interface compatibility.  
     
     
         16 . An object-oriented signal processing system having software components executing on processors through the use of a distributed framework having a universal interface such that signal processing can be added through the addition of software components without regard to the platform on which said components are to be run.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein said components are developed using component base classes from which said components inherit their properties, said component base classes ensuring interface compatibility.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein said components and processors are interconnected and run in accordance with a plan.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein said system includes a framework manager for interpreting said plan and for deploying components on the processor specified by said plan such that said framework manager configures said system and commences the execution of the signal processing functions specified by said plan.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein all interface elements of said signal processing system have properties inherited from a respective base class so as to ensure interoperability of all of said elements.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein all of said components are reconfigurable at runtime.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein said signal processing system includes a specialized operating system application programming interface specified for said processor and said data fabric for translating from a common component interface to the native operating system such that each of said components are made platform-independent.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein each of said software components includes an input port, an output port and a transform for processing data on said input port and coupling the processed result to said output port.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 16  wherein each of said software components include well defined ports.  
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein one of said ports is used for setting parameters for said component.  
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein one of said ports is used to generate statistics related to the operation of said components.  
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein one of said ports is used to permit the generation of plots of component operation in graphical form, thus to permit visualization of this operation of said components.  
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein each of said components has an interface to render graphical plots on an external program, and wherein said graphical plots represent one or more input, output, or intermediate signals being processed by said component.  
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the interface that provides for the control of parameters that control the behavior of said components at runtime is self-describing, providing definitions of the parameters in addition to the values of parameters.  
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein each of said components provides statistics on the internal signal processing operations of a component through a common interface.  
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein each of said software components have input and output ports and wherein said input and output ports accept and emit packets representing streaming signal and event data.