Abstract: A plurality of special multi-element registers, called "vector registers" herein, are incorporated into a scalar computer. The vector registers are controlled to sequence the transfer of vector data between a main memory and a processing unit of the computer to occur one element at a time until an entire array of vector data has been processed. The vector registers operate concurrently with the processing unit and the main memory. A common address scheme is used between the vector registers and the scalar registers of the computer so the vector registers are visible in the scalar register address space. Pointers are used in the vector registers to keep track of the order of the array elements during processing. Vector registers are used to store intermediate results of the vector processing operations.

Abstract: A system for determining the modal characteristics of a structure in which a plurality of driving signals which have a common preselected frequency and a preselected set of amplitudes and phases corresponding to the estimated parameters of a mode of interest are applied to the structure. The common preselected frequency is in general a complex frequency. The response of the structure to the driving signals are then sensed. Means are provided for receiving the driving signals and the sensed responses, for generating a set of transfer functions characteristic of the structure corresponding to the mode of interest and for obtaining from such set of transfer functions improved estimates of the complex frequencies and complex residues of the mode of interest, that is the damping, frequency, magnitudes and phases of the mode of interest.

Abstract: A system for determining the location of poles in the complex s-plane and their residues from empirical data is disclosed. The system utilizes the impulse response or similar data of a specimen and through repeated differentiations of a frequency domain representation of this response locates the frequency of the poles. The results of any two consecutive differentiations are used to determine the location of the poles in the s-plane and their residues.