Chapter 1

Chapter:1
INTRODUCTION OF SIGNALS AND
SYSTEMS

UNIKL BMI- SIGNALS AND SYSTEMS - 2015

1.0 Introduction of Signals and Systems

Definition
i)

A signal:

A variation of a quantity (e.g. pressure, temperature, position, colour, voltage, heart

rate, neuron firing, etc.)
Conveys information regarding the state, the characteristics, the composition, the
trajectory, the evolution or the intension of the source.
Is a mean to convey information
ii)

A system:

A mathematical model or a physical process that relates the input signal to the output
The output may be enhanced, manipulated, modified, and transformed version of the
input, or the information that is extracted from the input.

Model Of Signals And Systems

Mathematical model of signals and systems

Application Areas
Telecommunications

Speech
Processing

and

Specific Uses of Signals and Systems

Answering machine, modem, fax machine, cell phones, speakers
phones.

Audio Voice mail, speaker verification, synthetic speech,

compression, speech recognition, speech coding, etc.

audio

Automotive

Engine control, antilock breaking systems, active suspension, airbag

control, system diagnosis, etc.

Medical

Heart firing, hearing aids, remote monitoring, ultrasound imaging,

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), etc.

Image Processing

3D animation, image enhancement, image compression (JPEG),

video compression (MPEG), high definition TV, etc.

Control Systems

Head positioning in disc drives, laser control , robots, engine and

motor controls, etc.

Military and Aerospace

Radar and sonar, navigation systems, secure communications,

missile guidance, battlefield sensors, etc.

Signals Classification
Continuos-Time (CT) signals

Discrete-Time (DT) signals

Continuous-time
signal
is
indicating
the
definition
of
independent variable x(t) , (t) is
continuous
value,
such
as
amplitude, frequency, and phase.

The discrete-time signals are

defined only at discrete time, and
the independent variable x[n], n]
takes only a discrete set of
values integer values.

Deterministic vs. Random

Periodic vs Aperiodic

where T is the period in second

1.2 Basic Signals

1.

Real-valued exponential signals:

The time constant is the time required for the
exponential t0 decrease by a factor of 1/ e, which is
approximately 0.3679.

2.

x(t ) Ae t /

Complex exponential signals:

x(t ) Aej e j0t

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3. Sinusoids:

x(t ) A sin( 0 t )

Where :
- A is the amplitude (A, V, W)
- w0 = 2pf0 is the angular frequency (rad/s),
- f0 is the carrier frequency (Hz),
- T is the period (s) with f0 = 1/T,
- f is the phase (rad).
Using Euler`s equation:
We can derive:

e ja cos( a) j sin( a)

sin( 0 t )

1 j0t
(e
e j 0 t )
2j

Sampled sinusoid: y ( n) A sin( 2f 0 nTs ),

cos( 0 t )

1 j 0 t
(e
e j 0 t )
2

n = 1,2,3,.,

Where Ts is the sampling time and fs= 1/Ts is the sampling frequency.

In practice, fs > 2 f0 ( Nyquist Theorem).

4.

Step function (Heaveside Unit function)

Signals

Analogue signal

Digital signal

Step function

5.

Rectangular Pulse

Signals

Analogue signals

Digital signals

Rectangular
pulse

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6.

Unit Impulse function ( Dirac-delta impulse)

Properties of Dirac-delta function:

i) Even function :
ii) Sampling Property:

,
=

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7.

Sign function

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1.4

Energy-type vs Power-type

Signal energy:
Energy signal :

Deterministic aperiodic signals are energy-type signals.

Power signal :

Periodic and random signals are power-type signals.

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2.6 Even and Odd

if x(- t) = x(t) for all , then the signal is even.

if x(-t) = -x(t) for all t, then the signal is odd.

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1.5 Transformations of the Independent Variable

central concept in signal and system analysis is that of the
A
transformation of a signal.
i) Time-shift
A time-shift in continuous-time signal, which two signals

that are

identical in shape, but that are displaced or shifted relative to each

other; where

is represents a delayed if

is positive, or advanced if

is negative.

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ii) Time Reversal.

Starting from the signal in continuous time, time reversal refers to the
operation that gives us the signal that is a reflection of about

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ii) Time Scaling.

Starting from the signal in continuous time, time scaling refers to the
operation that gives us the signal that is;
linearly stressed if ,
linearly compressed if and
reversed in time if

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Example

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Continuous-Time Systems
A system is a mathematical model or a physical process that relates the input signal to
the output signal.
A continuous-time system is a system in which continuous-time input signals are
applied and result in continuous-time output signals. A discrete-time system is a
system in which discrete-time signals are applied and result in discrete-time output
signals.
x(t) input
output y(t)
System

The input voltage produces an output voltage.

E(t)
V0(t)
input

output

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Interconnection of systems
1. Series or cascade interconnection. The output of System 1 is the output to System 2.

Intput

System 1

Output

System 2

2. Parallel interconnection
The same input signal is applied to System 1 and System 2
System 2
Intput

+
System 1

Output

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3. Combination of both cascade and parallel interconnection.

System 1

System 2

Intput

Output
System 4

System 3

4. Feedback interconnection. The output of System 2 is fed back and added to the external
input to produce the actual input to System 1
Intput

System 1

System 2

Output

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Properties of System
- To show that the system has one of the properties, it is generally necessary to show
that the property holds for all possible input signals.
1.

Systems with and without memory

Memoryless systems.
The output at instant t for continuous-time systems depends only on the
value of
input at the same instant t.
For example :
Systems with memory.
The output at instant t for continuous-time systems depends not only on the
value
of input at the same instant t, but also on past or future values of the input.
For example:

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Example:
1. y(t)=3x(t) 4x2(t-1)
Since the output depends on current x(t) and past value of inputs (x(t-1)) system
is not memoryless or system with memory
2. y(t) = 4x(t-1) + 8x (t-2)
Since the output depends on past values of inputs, system is not memoryless.0

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2. Causal System
A system is causal if (and only if) the current output is only a function of present and
past inputs.
the current output does not depend on future inputs(or outputs).

Anti-causal system
System is anti-causal if is not causal.
Current output is depends on the future input.
Most system are causal.
Causality is important when dealing with online system because the system does
not know the future value. Thus, it is impossible to compute the unknown value.
However non-causal system is not a problem to an offline system where the input
signal has been stored earlier.

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Example:
1. y(t) = x(t+1)
This system is noncausal since the value y(t) of the output at time t depends on the
value

x(t+1) of the input at time (t+1 ) .

[y(5)=x(6), y depends on future]

. noncausal

2. y(t) = x2(t-1)
This system is causal since the value of the output at time t depends only on the
value of the input at time (t-1)
[ y(5) depends on x(4)]

causal

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3. Time-invariant and time-varying systems

Time-invariant (TI) systems.
A TI system is one in which if y(t) is the output when the input x(t) is applied, then
y(t t0) is the output when x(t-t0) is applied.
A system is TI if the behaviour and the characteristics of the system are fixed over
time. For example the system y(t) = ax(t).
Time-varying systems.
A time-varying system is one in which if y(t) is the output when the input x(t) is
applied, then y(t t0) is not necessarily the output when x(t-t0) is applied.
For example consider the system y(t) = ax(t). In that case if y1(t) is the output to
the input x1(t), then the output to the input
.
Thus, the system is not time-invariant.

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x(t)

y(t)
system

x(t-t0)

y(t-t0)

The are two transformation involved:

i) Shifting a signal
ii) Putting the signal through the system

x1(t)

shifting
system

y1(t)

y1(t-t0)

Shifting of x1(t)
x2(t)

x1(t-t0)

system

y2(t)=y2(t-t0)

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4. Linear and non-linear systems

Linear systems.
A linear system is one that possesses the property of superposition, i.e., if the input
consists of the sum of several signals, then the output is the sum of the responses of
the system to each of those signals.
A linear system possesses the following two properties.
i)

Additivity property. If the response to x1(t) is y1(t) and the response to

x2(t) is y2(t) then the response to the signal x1(t) +x2(t) is y1(t) + y2(t)

ii) Homogeneity property. If the response to x1(t) is y1(t), then the response
to the signal x1(t) is y1(t) where is any complex constant.
Non-linear systems.
At least one of the above properties does not hold.
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A linear system is a system that posses the superposition property.

x1(t)
x2(t)

x(t)= a1x1(t)+a2x2(t)

Linear
syste
m
Linear
syste
m
Linear
syste
m

y1(t)
y2(t)

y(t)=a1y1(t)+a2y2(t)

x1(t)

Non-Linear
system

y1(t)

x2(t)

Non-Linear
system

y2(t)

x(t)= a1x1(t)+a2x2(t)

Non-Linear
system

y(t) a1y1(t)+a2y2(t)

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Exercises
1. Sketch the following functions.
a) x(t) = 5
c) y =-2t

b) f(t) = t
d) f(t) = 2-t

e) x(t ) 2
0

0t 2
otherwise

t2

f) f (t ) 2 t
0

2t 0
0t 2
otherwise

2 t 0,

2t4

g) f(t) = 2[ u(t) - u(t-1)] [u(t - 2) - u(t - 3)]

h) f(t) = 3u(t) + tu(t) [t - 1]u(t - 1 ) - 5u(t - 2).

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2. Sketch the transformation of the signal as depicted Figure 1;

x(t)

2
2
1

-2

-1

1
1

-1

-1

-1

(a)

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)

-2

x (t )
x(t 2)
x (t 2)
x(2t 2)
x(t/2 -1)

(b)

Figure 1

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3. The trapezoidal pulse x(t) shown in Figure 4 is defined by

5 t,
4t5
1,
4t 4

x (t )
5 t 4
t 5
0,
otherwise
Determine the total energy of x(t).

Figure 4
4. Determine if the following systems are memoryless, causal, time-invariant or linear.
a) y(t) = x(4t - 3)
b) y(t) = sin (x(t))
c) y (t ) x(t 1) sin(3t 2) when 0
d) y (t ) cos( x(t )u (t )) .
e)

y (t ) 2 x (t ) 2 x 2 (t 2)

g) y (t ) cos[ x (t 3)]

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