General-purpose signal-processing devices-an introduction

The architecture of early microprocessors did not suit signal-processing applications. This was because data and instructions were present on the same bus and the multiple multiplication/addition operations needed for signal-processing applications were realised in software. Both these severely limited speeds of operation. As a consequence, the manufacturers of microprocessors have developed devices where data and instruction buses are separate and which contain at least one hardware multiplier. Such devices are now accepted to be general-purpose signal-processing microprocessors. The author discusses the signal-processing problem, the hardware implications, and software and tools