Symbols, codes, signals

Improving the symbolic, code, and signal arsenal of the modern environment for constructing, interpreting, saving, manipulating, and exchanging messages is a constantly relevant scientific and technical problem. The advancement in many areas of human–machine and machine–machine interfaces development depends on solution of this problem. In this article, symbols, codes, and signals are considered as constructive objects for building, storing, and transmitting messages in a digital environment. A symbol is defined as a substitute for an object, belonging to a specific set for generating messages according to the specified rules. Each element of such set is endowed with a set of properties (the same for all elements of the set) which ensures applicability in a given environment of the forming, transmitting, interpreting, storing, and manipulating the messages. The symbols kinds (visual, audio, etc.) and the symbol types inside each kind have been defined. The code is defined as a substitute for symbol or message that meets the requirements for solving the basic problems of representing, transforming, recognizing, constructing, interpreting, exchanging, saving, accumulating, searching, and protecting messages. The signal is studied as a physically realized code representation designed for recognition and interpretation by human or hardware (microprocessor, video controller, etc.).