Zeitfrequenzdarstellung

ZeitFrequenzDa... is a hypothetical open standard and framework for encoding and exchanging time-frequency representations of signals. It is proposed as a unified approach to describe, store, and share data that capture how a signal’s frequency content evolves over time, across different domains such as audio, neuroscience, and geophysics.

The core idea of ZeitFrequenzDa... is to provide a data model that combines multi-dimensional time-frequency data with rich metadata. Data can take forms such as spectrograms from short-time Fourier transforms, scalograms from wavelet decompositions, or other time-frequency representations. The model specifies axes for time and frequency (or scale), and may include optional dimensions for channels, trials, or sensors. Common payload elements include magnitude, phase, or complex values, along with normalization and transformation parameters. Metadata fields cover sampling rate, windowing details, transform type, units, provenance, preprocessing history, and instrument or sensor information to support reproducibility.

Format and interoperability focus on enabling cross-tool exchange. ZeitFrequenzDa... proposes standardized axis naming, unit conventions, and a container or serialization scheme that can accommodate different representations while preserving essential context. While various communities use their own formats, the framework aims to reduce fragmentation by defining a core subset usable across software libraries, datasets, and workflows.

Applications span audio analysis, biomedical signal processing, seismology, radar, and communications, where time-frequency information is fundamental. Critics note potential complexity and the challenge of achieving universal adoption given existing domain-specific practices. See also time-frequency analysis, spectrogram, wavelet transform, and data standards for scientific datasets.