Abstract: A computer and a method of operating a computer is disclosed which allow manipulation of data values in the context of the execution of so-called "packed instructions". Packed instructions are carried out on packed operands. A packed operand comprises a data string consisting of a plurality of sub-strings, each defining a particular data value or object. The invention relates to a restructuring instruction which allows objects to be reorganized within a data string thereby minimizing loading and storing operations to memory.

Abstract: A video signal memory holds blocks of data representing luminance and first and second chrominance signals, the first and second chrominance signals being held in interleaved rows within the blocks, data being transferred from said blocks to a temporary store for use by a processor in predicting picture frames from the stored data.

Abstract: A method of effecting a matrix transpose operation in a computer is described. The method uses a computer instruction which restructures a data string by retaining first and last sub-strings of the data string in unchanged positions and interchanges the position of at least two intermediate sub-strings. The data string is formed from sub-strings each representing one or more data value in a matrix.The computer instruction can be effected in a single register store having a predetermined bit capacity addressable by a single address, or in a pair of such register stores.The data restructuring instructions include "flip", "zip" and "unzip" instructions.