BEC++: a software tool for increased flexibility in algorithm development

Sometimes, there is little interest by algorithm developers in creating a fixed-point simulation from a floating-point algorithm. However, often it is vital that high levels of speech quality be maintained in a fixed-point application. The process of converting floating-point simulations to fixed-point is time consuming, expensive, and if not done well, a state-of-the-art algorithm may never see product implementation. There is a critical need for software tools that reduce the time and effort that algorithm developers spend on floating-point to fixed-point software conversion. Bit-Exact C++ (BEC++) is just such a tool. This paper discusses a fixed-point software implementation tool, BEC++, with syntax similar in look and feel to that of floating-point C. Based on the ETSI Bit-Exact C (BEC) software now commonly used in industry, BEC++ extends the capabilities of BEC through the introduction of C++ language features and object-oriented techniques. This paper also details how to use the software, providing comparisons between BEC++ and BEC implementations.