Composite signal flow: a computational model combining events, sampled streams, and vectors

The composite signal flow model of computation targets systems with significant control and data processing parts. It builds on the data flow and synchronous data flow models and extends them to include three signal types: nonperiodic signals, sampled signals, and vectorized sampled signals. Vectorized sampled signals are used to represent vectors and computations on vectors. Several conversion processes are introduced to facilitate synchronization and communication with these signals. We discuss the severe implications, that these processes have on the causal behaviour of the system. We illustrate the model and its usefulness with three applications. A co-modelling and co-simulation environment combining Matlab and SDL; a high level timing analysis as a consequence of the operations on vectors; conditions for a parallel, distributed simulation