Lecture

Discrete-Time
Signals and Systems

1
1. Discrete-Time Signals and Systems

• signal classification -> signals to be applied in digital filter

theory within our course,
• some elementary discrete-time signals,
• discrete-time systems: definition, basic properties review,
discrete-time system classification, input-output model of
discrete-time systems -> system to be applied in digital filter
theory within our course,
• Linear discrete-time time-invariant system description in
time-, frequency- and transform-domain.

2
1.1. Basic Definitions

3
 1.1.1. Discrete and Digital Signals
1.1.1.1. Basic Definitions
Signals may be classified into four categories depending
on the characteristics of the time-variable and values
they can take:

• continuous-time signals (analogue signals),

• discrete-time signals,
• continuous-valued signals,
• discrete-valued signals.

4
Continuous-time (analogue) signals:

Time: defined for every value of time t  R,

Descriptions: functions of a continuous variable t: f (t ),
Notes: they take on values in the continuous
interval f (t )  (a, b) for a, b   .
Note: f (t )  C
f (t )    j
  (a, b) and   (a, b)
a, b  

5
Discrete-time signals:

Time: defined only at discrete values of time: t  nT,

Descriptions: sequences of real or complex
numbers f (nT )  f (n) ,
Note A.: they take on values in the continuous
interval f (n)  (a, b) for a, b  ,
Note B.: sampling of analogue signals:
• sampling interval, period: T ,
• sampling rate: number of samples per
second,
• sampling frequency (Hz): f S  1/ T .
6
Continuous-valued signals:

Time: they are defined for every value of time or

only at discrete values of time,
Value: they can take on all possible values on
finite or infinite range,
Descriptions: functions of a continuous variable
or sequences of numbers.

7
Discrete-valued signals:

Time: they are defined for every value of time or

only at discrete values of time,
Value: they can take on values from a finite set of
possible values,
Descriptions: functions of a continuous variable or
sequences of numbers.

8
Digital filter theory:
Discrete-time signals:
Definition and descriptions: defined only at discrete
values of time and they can take all possible
values on finite or infinite range (sequences of
real or complex numbers: f (n) ),
Note: sampling process, constant sampling period.
Digital signals:
Definition and descriptions: discrete-time and
discrete-valued signals (i.e. discrete -time
signals taking on values from a finite set of
possible values),
Note: sampling, quatizing and coding process i.e.
9
process of analogue-to-digital conversion.
 1.1.1.2. Discrete-Time Signal Representations
A. Functional representation:

 1 for n  1,3  0 for n  0

 
x(n)   6 for n  0,7 y (n)   0,6n for n  0,1, ,102
0  1 n  102
 elsewhere 

B. Graphical x ( n)
representation

n
10
C. Tabular representation:

n … -2 -1 0 1 2
x(n) … 0.12 2.01 1.78 5.23 0.12

D. Sequence representation:

x ( n)   0.12 2.01 1.78 5.23 0.12 

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1.1.1.3. Elementary Discrete-Time Signals
A. Unit sample sequence (unit sample, unit impulse,
unit impulse signal)

1 for n  0
 ( n)  
0 for n  0

 ( n)

n
12
B. Unit step signal (unit step, Heaviside step sequence)

1 for n  0
u ( n)  
0 for n  0

u ( n)

13
C. Complex-valued exponential signal
(complex sinusoidal sequence, complex phasor)

2 f .n
x ( n)  e j nT
, x(n)  1, arg  x(n)   nT  2 f .nT 
fS
where

  R, n  N , j  1 is imaginary unit
and
T is sampling period and f S is sampling frequency.

14
1.1.2. Discrete-Time Systems. Definition
A discrete-time system is a device or algorithm that
operates on a discrete-time signal called the input or
excitation (e.g. x(n)), according to some rule (e.g. H[.])
to produce another discrete-time signal called the output
or response (e.g. y(n)).

y ( n)  H  x ( n) 

This expression denotes also the transformation H[.]

(also called operator or mapping) or processing
performed by the system on x(n) to produce y(n).
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 Input-Output Model of Discrete-Time System
(input-output relationship description)

x ( n) discrete-time y ( n)
system
input signal H . output signal
excitation response
y ( n)  H  x ( n) 

x(n) 
H
 y ( n)

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1.1.3. Classification of Discrete-Time
Systems
1.1.3.1. Static vs. Dynamic Systems. Definition
A discrete-time system is called static or memoryless if its output
at any time instant n depends on the input sample at the same time,
but not on the past or future samples of the input. In the other case,
the system is said to be dynamic or to have memory.
If the output of a system at time n is completly determined by the
input samples in the interval from n-N to n ( N  0 ), the system is
said to have memory of duration N.
If N  0 , the system is static or memoryless.
If 0  N  , the system is said to have finite memory.
If N   , the system is said to have infinite memory.
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Examples:
The static (memoryless) systems:

y (n)  nx(n)  bx3 (n)

The dynamic systems with finite memory:

N
y ( n)   h( k ) x ( n  k )
k 0

The dynamic system with infinite memory:


y ( n)   h( k ) x ( n  k )
k 0
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1.1.3.2. Time-Invariant vs. Time-Variable Systems.
Definition
A discrete-time system is called time-invariant if its input-output
characteristics do not change with time. In the other case, the
system is called time-variable.
Definition. A relaxed system H [.] is time- or shift-invariant if
only if
y ( n)  H  x ( n)  x(n) 
H
 y ( n)
implies that
y (n  k )  H  x(n  k )  x(n  k ) 
H
 y (n  k )
for every input signal x(n) and every time shift k .

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Examples:
The time-invariant systems:

y (n)  x(n)  bx3 (n)

N
y ( n)   h( k ) x ( n  k )
k 0

The time-variable systems:

y (n)  nx(n)  bx3 (n  1)

N
y ( n)   h N  n ( k ) x ( n  k )
k 0

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1.1.3.3. Linear vs. Non-linear Systems. Definition
A discrete-time system is called linear if only if it satisfies the linear
superposition principle. In the other case, the system is called non-
linear.
Definition. A relaxed system H [.] is linear if only if
H  a1x1 (n)  a2 x2 (n)  a1H  x1 (n)  a2 H  x2 (n) 

for any arbitrary input sequences x1 (n) and x2 (n) , and any
arbitrary constants a1 and a2 .

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Examples:
The linear systems:

N
y ( n)   h( k ) x ( n  k ) y (n)  x(n 2 )  bx(n  k )
k 0

The non-linear systems:

N
y (n)  nx(n)  bx3 (n  1) y (n)   h(k ) x(n  k ) x(n  k  1)
k 0

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1.1.3.4. Causal vs. Non-causal Systems. Definition
Definition. A system is said to be causal if the output of the system
at any time n (i.e., y(n)) depends only on present and past inputs
(i.e., x(n), x(n-1), x(n-2), … ). In mathematical terms, the output of a
causal system satisfies an equation of the form

y (n)  F  x(n), x(n  1), x(n  2), 

where F [.] is some arbitrary function. If a system does not satisfy
this definition, it is called non-causal.

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Examples:
The causal system:

N
y ( n)   h( k ) x ( n  k ) y (n)  x (n)  bx(n  k )
2

k 0

The non-causal system:

10
y (n)  nx(n  1)  bx3 (n  1) y (n)   h( k ) x ( n  k )
k 10

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1.1.3.5. Stable vs. Unstable of Systems. Definitions
An arbitrary relaxed system is said to be bounded input - bounded
output (BIBO) stable if and only if every bounded input produces
the bounded output. It means, that there exist some finite numbers
say M x and M y, such that

x ( n)  M x    y ( n )  M y  

for all n. If for some bounded input sequence x(n) , the output y(n)
is unbounded (infinite), the system is classified as unstable.

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Examples:
The stable systems:

N
y ( n)   h( k ) x ( n  k ) y ( n)  x ( n 2 )  3 x ( n  k )
k 0

The unstable system:

y (n)  3n x3 (n  1)

26
1.1.3.6. Recursive vs. Non-recursive Systems.
Definitions
A system whose output y(n) at time n depends on any number of the
past outputs values ( e.g. y(n-1), y(n-2), … ), is called a recursive
system. Then, the output of a causal recursive system can be
expressed in general as

y(n)  F  y(n  1), y(n  2), , y(n  N ), x(n), x(n  1), , x(n  M )

where F[.] is some arbitrary function. In contrast, if y(n) at time n

depends only on the present and past inputs

y (n)  F  x(n), x(n  1), , x( n  M ) 

then such a system is called nonrecursive. 27

Examples:
The nonrecursive system:

N
y ( n)   h( k ) x ( n  k )
k 0

The recursive system:

N N
y ( n)   b( k ) x ( n  k )   a ( k ) y ( n  k )
k 0 k 1

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1.2. Linear-Discrete Time Time-Invariant
Systems (LTI Systems)

1.2.1. Time-Domain Representation

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1.2.1.1 Impulse Response and Convolution

 ( n) h(n)  H  (n)
LTI system

H .
unit impulse impulse response

LTI system description by convolution (convolution sum):

 
y ( n)   h( k ) x ( n  k )   x ( k ) h ( n  k )  h ( n ) * x ( n )  x ( n ) * h ( n )
k  k 

Viewed mathematically, the convolution operation satisfies the

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commutative law.
1.2.1.2. Step Response

u ( n) LTI system g ( n)  H  u ( n) 
unit step step response
H . unit-step
response
 n
g ( n)   h(k )u(n  k )   h(k )
k  k 

These expressions relate the impulse response to the step response

of the system.

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1.2.2. Impulse Response Property and
Classification of LTI Systems
1.2.2.1. Causal LTI Systems
A relaxed LTI system is causal if and only if its impulse response is
zero for negative values of n , i.e.

h(n)  0 for n  0

Then, the two equivalent forms of the convolution formula can be

obtained for the causal LTI system:
 n
y ( n)   h( k ) x ( n  k )   x ( k ) h( n  k )
k 0 k 

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1.2.2.2. Stable LTI Systems
A LTI system is stable if its impulse response is absolutely
summable, i.e.


 h( k ) 
2

k 

33
1.2.2.3. Finite Impulse Response (FIR) LTI Systems
and Infinite Impulse Response (IIR) LTI
Systems
N
Causal FIR LTI systems: y ( n)   h( k ) x ( n  k )
k 0

IIR LTI systems: y ( n)   h( k ) x ( n  k )
k 0

34
1.2.2.4. Recursive and Nonrecursive LTI Systems

N
Causal nonrecursive LTI: y ( n)   h( k ) x ( n  k )
k 0

Causal recursive LTI:

N M
y ( n)   b( k ) x ( n  k )   a ( k ) y ( n  k )
k 0 k 1

LTI systems:
characterized by constant-coefficient difference equations

35
1.3. Frequency-Domain Representation of
Discrete Signals and LTI Systems

x(n)  e jn LTI system y ( n)

complex-valued h( n) LTI system output
exponencial
signal

impulse response

y ( n)   h( k ) x ( n  k )
k 

36
LTI system output:
 
y ( n)   h( k ) x ( n  k ) 
k 
 h
k 
( k ) e j ( n  k )

 
  h (
k 
k ) e  j k j n
e  e j n
 h (
k 
k ) e  j k

y (n)  e jn H (e j )


Frequency response: H (e j )   h
k 
( k ) e  j k

37
H (e j )  H (e j ) e j ( )

H (e j )  Re  H (e j )   j Im  H (e j ) 

 

H (e )   h(k )cos k  j    h(k )sin k 
j

k   k  

Re  H (e j )    h(k )cosk
k 

Im  H (e j )     h(k )sin k
k 

38
 Magnitude response:

j j 2 j 2
H (e )  Re  H (e )   Im  H (e ) 

Phase response:
Im  H (e j ) 
 ( )  arg  H (e j )   arctg j
Re  H (e ) 


Group delay function:

d ( )
 ( )  
d
39
1.3.1. Comments on relationship between the impulse
response and frequency response
The important property of the frequency response
 
H (e j )  
k 
h ( k ) e  j k
  h ( k )e
k 
 j  2 l 
 H (e
j  2 l 
)

is fact that this function is periodic with period 2  .

In fact, we may view the previous expression as the exponential

j
Fourier series expansion for H (e ) , with h(k) as the Fourier series
coefficients. Consequently, the unit impulse response h(k) is related
j
to H (e ) through the integral expression

1
h( n) 
2 
 H (e j  )e j  n d 

40
1.3.2. Comments on symmetry properties
For LTI systems with real-valued impulse response, the magnitude
response, phase responses, the real component of and the imaginary
j
component of H (e ) possess these symmetry properties:

The real component: even function of  periodic with period 2 

Re  H (e j )   Re  H (e j ) 

The imaginary component: odd function of  periodic with period

2
Im  H (e j )    Im  H (e j ) 

41
The magnitude response: even function of  periodic with period 2 

H (e j )  H (e j )
The phase response: odd function of  periodic with period 2 

arg  H (e j )    arg  H (e j ) 

Consequence:
If we known H (e ) and  ( ) for 0    , we can describe
j

these functions ( i.e. also H (e j ) ) for all values of  .

42
Symmetry Properties H (e j ) EVEN


4 3 2  0  2 3 4

 ( ) ODD


4 3 2  0  2 3 4

43
1.3.3. Comments on Fourier Transform of Discrete Signals
and Frequency-Domain Description of LTI Systems

x(n), X (e j ) LTI system y (n), Y (e j )

input signal H (e j  ) h ( n ) output signal

frequency response impulse response

44
The input signal x(n) and the spectrum of x(n):
 
1
j
X (e )   x ( k )e
k 
 j k
x ( n) 
2 

X (e j  )e j  n d

The output signal y(n) and the spectrum of y(n):


 1

j jn
y ( n)  d
j
Y (e )   y ( k )e
k 
 j k
2 
Y ( e ) e

The impulse response h(n) and the spectrum of h(n):

 


1
H (e j )  
 j k
h ( k ) e h( n)  H (e j  )e j  n d 
k  2 

Frequency-domain description of LTI system:

Y (e j )  H (e j ) X (e j ) 45
1.3.4. Comments on Normalized Frequency
It is often desirable to express the frequency response of an LTI
system in terms of units of frequency that involve sampling
interval T. In this case, the expressions:

 


1
H (e j )  
 j k
h ( k ) e h( n)  H (e j  )e j  n d 
k  2 
are modified to the form:

H (e jT )   h (
k 
kT ) e  j kT

 /T
T
h(nT ) 
2 
 /T
H (e jT )e jnT d
46
H (e jT ) is periodic with period 2  / T  2 F, where F is
sampling frequency.
Solution: normalized frequency approach: F / 2  

Example:

F  100 kHz F / 2  50 kHz 50kHz  

20 x103 2
f1  20 kHz 1  3
  0.4 
50 x10 5
25 x103 
f 2  25kHz 2  3
   0.5
50 x10 2
47
1.4. Transform-Domain Representation of
Discrete Signals and LTI Systems

48
 1.4.1. Z -Transform
Definition: The Z – transform of a discrete-time signal x(n)
is defined as the power series:

X ( z)  
k 
x ( n) z  k X ( z )  Z [ x(n)]

where z is a complex variable. The above given relations

are sometimes called the direct Z - transform because
they transform the time-domain signal x(n) into its
complex-plane representation X(z).
Since Z – transform is an infinite power series, it exists
only for those values of z for which this series converges.
The region of convergence of X(z) is the set of all values
of z for which X(z) attains a finite value.
49
The procedure for transforming from z – domain to the
time-domain is called the inverse Z – transform. It can
be shown that the inverse Z – transform is given by

1
x ( n)   X ( z ) z n1dz x(n)  Z 1  X ( z )
2 j C

where C denotes the closed contour in the region of

convergence of X(z) that encircles the origin.

50
1.4.2. Transfer Function

The LTI system can be described by means of a constant

coefficient linear difference equation as follows

N M
y ( n)   b( k ) x ( n  k )   a ( k ) y ( n  k )
k 0 k 1

Application of the Z-transform to this equation under

zero initial conditions leads to the notion of a transfer
function.

51
 input signal output signal
x ( n) LTI System y ( n)
h( n) H ( z)
X ( z )  Z  x ( n)  Y ( z )  Z  y ( n) 

H ( z )  Z  h( n) 

Transfer function: the ratio of the Z - transform of the

output signal and the Z - transform of the input signal of
the LTI system:
Y ( z ) Z [ y (n)]
H ( z)  
X ( z ) Z [ x(n)] 52
LTI system: the Z-transform of the constant coefficient
linear difference equation under zero initial
conditions:
N M
y ( n)   b( k ) x ( n  k )   a ( k ) y ( n  k )
k 0 k 1
N M
Y ( z )   b( k ) z  k X ( z )   a ( k ) z  kY ( z )
k 0 k 1

The transfer function of the LTI system:

N

Y ( z)  b ( k ) z k

H ( z)   k 0
M
1   a(k ) z  k
X ( z)
k 1
H(z): may be viewed as a rational function of a complex
variable z (z-1). 53
1.4.3. Poles, Zeros, Pole-Zero Plot
Let us assume that H(z) has been expressed in its
irreducible or so-called factorized form:
N N

 b ( k ) z k
b0 N  M (z  z )
k
H ( z)  k 0
M
 z k 1
M
1   a(k ) z  k (z  p )
a0
k
k 1 k 1

Zeros of H(z): the set {zk} of z-plane for which H(zk)=0

Poles of H(z): the set {pk} of z -plane for which H ( pk )  
Pole-zero plot: the plot of the zeros and the poles of H(z)
in the z-plane represents a strong tool for LTI system
description.
54
Example: the 4-th order Butterworth low-pass filter,
cut off frequency 1   .
3

b =[ 0.0186 0.0743 0.1114 0.0743 0.0186 ]

a =[ 1.0000 -1.5704 1.2756 -0.4844 0.0762 ]
N N

z1= -1.0002, z2= -1.0000 + 

k k
b (
0.0002jk ) z b ( k ) z
H ( z )  k 0M H ( z )  k 0M
1   a(k ) z 1   a(k ) z  k
z3= -1.0000 - 0.0002j, z4= -0.9998  k
k 1 k 1
p1= 0.4488 + 0.5707j, p2= 0.4488 - 0.5707j
p3= 0.3364 + 0.1772j, p4= 0.3364 - 0.1772j
55
 Magnitude Response: Linear Scale
H (e j )


Phase Response
 ( )

 56
Magnitude Response: Logarithmic Scale (dB)
20log H (e j )


Group Delay Function
 ( )

 57
 Pole-Zero
Plot

Zeros
Poles

Unit Circle
58
Pole-Zero Plot:
Zeros

59
1.4.4. Transfer Function and Stability of LTI Systems

Condition: LTI system is BIBO stable if and only if the

unit circle falls within the region of convergence of the
power series expansion for its transfer function. In the
case when the transfer function characterizes a causal LTI
system, the stability condition is equivalent to the
requirement that the transfer function H(z) has all of its
poles inside the unit circle.

60
Example 1: stable system
1  0.9 z 1  0.18 z 2
H ( z) 
1  0.8 z 1  0.64 z 2
z1  0.3 p1  0.4000  0.6928 j p1  0.8 1
z2  0.6 p2  0.4000  0.6928 j p2  0.8  1
Example 2: unstable system
1  0.16 z 2
H ( z) 
1  1.1z 1  1.21z 2
z1  0.4 p1  0.5500  0.9526 j p1  1.1 1
z2  0.4 p2  0.5500  0.9526 j p2  1.1  1
61
1.4.5. LTI System Description. Summary
Time – Domain:
constant coefficient linear difference equation
N M
y ( n)   b( k ) x ( n  k )   a ( k ) y ( n  k )
k 0 k 1

h(n)
Z – Domain: Frequency – Domain:
transfer function Z FT frequency response
N N

 b( k ) z k

Z-1 FT-1  b ( k )e  j k

H ( z)  k 0
M
H (e j )  k 0
M
1   a(k ) z  k 1   a (k )e  j k
k 1
z  e j e j  z k 1
62
 Time – Domain: impulse response h(k )
 
H (e j )   h
k 
( k ) e  j k
H ( z)   h (
k 
k ) z k

Z – Domain: transfer function H ( z )

H e   H  z ze jw 1

j n 1
h( n)  H ( z ) z dz
2 j C

Frequency – Domain: frequency response H  e j 


H ( z)  H  e  1

j
h( k )  H ( e j  )e j  k d 
e j  z 2 
63