Abstract: A signal processor for compressing signal data, including a function shapes generator for receiving as input time and frequency scale parameters, and for generating as output a plurality of shape parameters for a corresponding plurality of localized functions, wherein the shape parameters govern the centers and spreads of the localized functions, a matrix generator for receiving as input the plurality of shape parameters and a sequence of sampling times, and for generating as output a matrix whose elements are the values of the localized functions at the sampling times, a signal transformer for receiving as input an original signal and the matrix generated by the matrix generator, and for generating as output a transformed signal by applying the matrix to the original signal, and a signal compressor for receiving as input the transformed signal, and for generating as output a compressed representation of the transformed signal.