Acceleration of TLM through signal processing and parallel computing

The transmission line matrix method (TLM) has been used extensively for modelling closed electromagnetic structures by authors such as by Johns (1986). Johns matrix techniques are now extending its applications to partially open structures, and the modelling of planar antenna configurations becomes feasible. The TLM process yields the time response of a structure to impulsive excitation, which must usually be transformed into the frequency domain using Fourier transform techniques. The authors propose and describe two complementary procedures designed to significantly reduce computational expenditure. The first exploits the localised nature of the TLM process through parallel processing (implementation on the connection machine), and the other is based on the numerical processing of the TLM output using the Prony-Pisarenko method. Both measures may be applied to accelerate other time domain methods such as FD-TD.<>