Representing Signals

Classification of signals :1.1

Introduction
 Signals Convey information or
massage regarding to physical
quantity or variable. Example: Voice,
light intensity, Video…etc.
 Electrical Signals are easy to measure,

transfer, and provide a suitable

means to represent physical variable.
Introduction
 Inthis course we are going to talk
about Electrical Signals. Transducer
are used to convert physical quantity
into an electrical signal. Example:
Microphone, camera, Sensors …etc.

Physical Transducer Electrical

quantity Signals
:Objectives
After completing this session, you will be able to:
1. To know the classification of the signals;
◦ Continuous/ Discrete-time Signals.
◦ Even/ Odd Signals.
◦ Periodic/ Aperiodic Signals.
◦ Energy/ Power Signals.
2. To know how to classify the signals
graphically.
3. To know how to classify the signals
mathematically.
4. To be aware why we classify the signals.
Continuous & Discrete time Signals )1

 Continuous-time Signal will have values for

the signal x(t) at all time.
e.g. x(t)=sin(t)
t

which usually called “Analog Signal ”.

Continuous & Discrete time Signals )1
 Discrete- time Signals will take values at
selected time values, this time defined by (T).

T 2T 3T 4T ...........

we can represent this mathematically by:

x(kT)=sin(kT)
Where k=0,1,2…etc
Continuous & Discrete time Signals )1
 The time (T) is called the sampling time;
because the origin of any signal is analog
then we take samples from it every T second
to become a discrete signal.
 A digital signal is a discrete-time signal for

which not only the time but also the

amplitude has been made discrete.
 The process of converting a continuous-

valued to discrete-time signal then to a

digital (discrete-valued discrete-time) signal
is known as analog-to-digital conversion.
Even & Odd Signals )2
 Even Signals: if the signal x(t ) has symmetry
about the y-axis, then the signal is even signal.
x(t )
 Mathematically:
x(t )  x(t )
 e.g.: t
y-axis
x(t )  cos(t )
Even & Odd Signals )2
 That means if we reflect the signal x(t ) about the
y-axis it will be the same signal.
Even & Odd Signals )2 x(t )

 Odd Signals if:

x(t )   x(t ) x-axis
t

 e.g.:
x(t )  sin(t ) y-axis
Even & Odd Signals )2
 That means if we reflect the signal x(t ) about
the y-axis then we reflect it again about the
x-axis it will be the same signal.
Even & Odd Signals )2
 If the above two conditions are not applicable
on a certain signal; then this signal is Neither
odd nor even signal. In other word, the signal
in this case has no symmetry.
 Classifying the signals to even/odd Signals

are important in many areas of mathematical

analysis, especially the theory of power series
and Fourier series.
Even & Odd Signals )2
 Any Signal can be Expressed as the sum of an
even part and an odd part; that is,
x(t )  xe (t )  xo (t )

 Where xe (t ) is even and xo (t ) is odd with:

xe (t )  12 [ x(t )  x(t )]

xo (t )  12 [ x(t )  x(t )]
Even & Odd Signals )2
 Example 1: write and draw xe (t ) and xo (t ) for:
x(t )  e  t   t  

Sol: [e t  e  t ]
xe (t ) 
2

[e t  e  t ]
xo (t ) 
2
:Exercise 1
Determine the type of symmetry of each of the
following signals:
Periodic & Aperiodic Signal )3
 x(t) is periodic with period T>0 if:
x(t )  x(t  nT ) where n  1, 2, 3, ...etc.
 The minimum value of the period T>0 that
satisfies the above equation is called the
fundamental period.
x(t)
2T
T

T t
Periodic & Aperiodic Signal )3
 The number of times the signal repeat it self
per second is called the frequency.
1
f  ( Hertz )
T
&   2f ( rad / sec)
 e.g.: the frequency of the following signal is

2Hz.

..... .....

0.5 1 1.5 t (sec)

Periodic & Aperiodic Signal )3
 If there is no T that satisfies the above
equation, x(t) is called Aperiodic. Where:

T 
 e.g.

t (sec)
Periodic & Aperiodic Signal )3
:Summation of two Periodic Signals
 Sum of two periodic signals can be periodic
only if the ratio of the respective periods of
each signal can be expressed as a rational
number.
 Some of the irrational numbers:

2 , 3 , 5 , 7 , ....

22

7
Periodic & Aperiodic Signal )3
:Summation of two Periodic Signals
 Note that if the summation of to periodic
signals produce periodic signal; the new
period is equal or larger than the largest
period.
 The new period is equal to the lowest

common denominator (LCD) of the two

periods.
 Non-linear operations (e.g. multiplication) of

periodic signals produce periodic signal with

different fundamental frequency.
Example 2
 Consider the following signals:

x1 (t )  sin(10t ) , x2 (t )  cos(25t ) , x3 (t )  cos(20t )

calculate the new period of the follow:

I. x1 (t )  x2 (t ) .
II. x1 (t )  x3 (t ) .
III. x1 (t ) * x3 (t ) .
Example 2
 By applying the condition of the periodic
signals we find out that the three signals are
periodic.

T1  1  0.2
5
T2  1  0.08
12.5
T3  
10
Example 2
I. The ratio of T1 T2 or T2 T1 gives rational
number. So, the new period using the LCD is:
T  0.4 s
Using MATLAB to draw x1 (t )  x2 (t ) signal:
>> t=0:0.001:10;
>> x1=sin(10*pi*t);
>> x2=cos(25*pi*t);
>> x=x1+x2;
>> plot(t,x)
>> axis([0 1 -2 2])

T
Example 2
II. The ratio of T1 T3 or T3 T1 gives irrational.
For that reason there is no LCD for T1 & T3 .
So, the produced signal is not periodic.
III. The result of the multiplication of the two
signals x1 (t ) * x3 (t ) can be obtained by
calculating the trigonometric identities first
then the LCD.
sin(10t ) * cos(20t )  12 [sin(10  20)t  sin(10  20)t ]
 12 [sin(51.416t )  sin(11.416t )]
now the period can be calculated by LCD.
Exercise 2
which of the following functions (signals) is
periodic?

1. x1 (t )  t sin(t ) .

sin(t )
2. x2 (t )  e .
Energy & Power Signal )4
 Energy Signal:
 Since we often think of signal as a function of
varying amplitude through time, it seems to
reason that a good measurement of the
strength of a signal would be the area under
the curve (The Energy of the signal).
 However, this area may have a negative part.
This negative part does not have less strength
than a positive signal of the same size. This
suggests either squaring the signal or taking
its absolute value, then finding the area under
that curve.
Energy & Power Signal )4
 It turns out that what we call the energy of a
signal is the area under the squared signal.


E f   ( f (t ) ) .dt
2


Energy & Power Signal )4
 Power Signal:
 Our definition of energy seems reasonable,

and it is. However, what if the signal does not

decay? In this case we have infinite energy for
any such signal.
 Does this mean that a sixty hertz sine wave

feeding into your headphones is as strong as

the sixty hertz sine wave coming out of your
outlet? Obviously not. This is what leads us to
the idea of signal power.
Energy & Power Signal )4
 Power is a time average of energy (energy per
unit time). This is useful when the energy of
the signal goes to infinity.
T
1 2
Pf  Lim  ( f (t ) ) .dt
2
T  T
T
2
Energy & Power Signal )4
 Note:
1. Aperiodic Signals Could be Energy signal if E
is finite & P=0.
2. Periodic Signals are always called power
signals because if:
E & P0
3. If E is infinite, P is not finite. So, f(t) is
neither energy nor power signal.
:Example 3
 Given an exponential signal as defined below,
find its energy.

f (t )  A. exp(k .t ) for 0  t
Solution:
 The solution is expressed by the equation:
 2  2
A
E f   f ( t ) .dt   [ A . exp(  k .t )] 2 .dt 
 0
2k
 An exponential signal is an energy signal,
since its energy is a finite, non-zero value.
:Example 4
 Given a sinusoidal signal as defined by the
equation:
x(t )  A. sin t
Find its power.
Solution:
 A sinusoidal signal is a power signal, since the

its power over a cycle is a finite, non-zero

value. The energy associated with the sinusoidal
signal is infinite.
T T 2
1 2 1 A
Px 
T 
0
x(t ) .dt   ( A. sin(.t )) 2 .dt 
T 0 2
:Example 5
 Given a square-wave signal as defined by the
equation:  A  T  t  0
 2
f (t )  
 A 0t T
2
find its power.
Solution:
 A periodic square-wave signal is a power

signal, since the its power over a cycle is a

finite, non-zero value. The energy associated
with the square-wave signal is infinite.
T T
1 2
2 1 2

Pf 
T 
T
f ( t ) .dt 
T 
T
A 2 .dt  A 2
2 2
:Exercise 3
 Consider x(t) shown below, determine if the
signal is Energy or power Signal.
x(t)
6

2 t (sec)
:Exercise 4
 Consider x(t) shown below, determine if the
signal is Energy or power Signal.
x(t)
6

-2 2 4 t (sec)
:Exercise 5
 For x (t )  t sin  t , check if the signal is:
A. Even or odd.
B. Discrete or continuous.
C. Periodic or Aperiodic.
D. Power or Energy Signal.
:Exercise 6
 Is x(t)=3cos(3πt)+sin(4πt)+5 periodic? If yes,
what is the Period of this signal? Then
compute the power.