The Inverse z-Transform

In science one tries to tell people, in such a way

as to be understood by everyone, something
that no one ever knew before.
But in poetry, it's the exact opposite.
Paul Dirac

Content and Figures are from Discrete-Time Signal Processing, 2e by Oppenheim, Shafer, and Buck, 1999-2000 Prentice Hall Inc.

The Inverse Z-Transform

Formal inverse z-transform is based on a Cauchy integral
Less formal ways sufficient most of the time
Inspection method
Partial fraction expansion
Power series expansion

Inspection Method
Make use of known z-transform pairs such as

anun Z

1
1 az 1

z a

Example: The inverse z-transform of

1
X z
1
1 z 1
2

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1
z
2

1
xn un
2

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Inverse Z-Transform by Partial Fraction Expansion

Assume that a given z-transform can be expressed as
M

X z

b z

k 0
N

k
a
z
k

k 0

Apply partial fractional expansion

X z

M N

B z

r 0

s
Ak
Cm

1
1
k 1,k i 1 dk z
m 1 1 d z
i
N

First term exist only if M>N

Br is obtained by long division

Second term represents all first order poles

Third term represents an order s pole
There will be a similar term for every high-order pole

Each term can be inverse transformed by inspection

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Partial Fractional Expression

X z

M N

B z

r 0

s
Ak
Cm

1
1
1

d
z
k 1,k i
m 1 1 d z
k
i
N

Coefficients are given as

Ak 1 dk z 1 X z z d

Cm

s m! di

s m

ds m
s
1

d
w
X
w

i
s m
dw

w di1

Easier to understand with examples

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Example: 2nd Order Z-Transform

X z

1
1 1
1 1

z
1

4
2

ROC : z

1
2

Order of nominator is smaller than denominator (in terms of z -1)

No higher order pole

X z

A1
A2

1 1
1 1

1 z
1 z
4
2

1 1
A1 1 z X z

1
4

1 1 1

2 4

A 2 1 z 1 X z

1
2

z
2

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1
1 1 1

4 2

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Example Continued
X z

1
2

1 1
1 1

z
1

4
2

1
2

ROC extends to infinity

Indicates right sided sequence

1
1
xn 2 un - un
2
4

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Example #2

1 2z 1 z 2
1 z 1
X z

3
1
1
1 z 1 z 2 1 z 1 1 z 1
2
2
2

z 1

Long division to obtain Bo

2
1

1 2 3 1
2
1
z z 1 z 2z
2
2
z 2 3z 1 2

5z 1 1

A 1 1 z 1 X z
9
2
1

X z 2

1 5z 1
1 1
1 z 1 z 1
2

A1
A2
X z 2

1 1 1 z 1
1 z
2

A 2 1 z 1 X z

z 1

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Example #2 Continued
X z 2

9
8

1 1 1 z 1
1 z
2

z 1

ROC extends to infinity

Indicates right-sides sequence

1
xn 2n 9 un - 8un
2

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Inverse Z-Transform by Power Series Expansion

The z-transform is power series

X z

xn z

In expanded form

X z x 2 z2 x 1 z1 x0 x1 z 1 x2 z 2
Z-transforms of this form can generally be inversed easily
Especially useful for finite-length series
Example
1

1 n 2
X z z 2 1 z 1 1 z 1 1 z 1
1
2

2 n 1

1
1 1
2

x
n

z z 1 z
1 n 0
2
2
1
n1

2
1
1
0
xn n 2 n 1 n n 1
n2

2
2

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Z-Transform Properties: Linearity

Notation

xn Z X z

ROC R x

Linearity

ax1 n bx2 n Z aX1 z bX2 z

ROC R x1 R x2

Note that the ROC of combined sequence may be larger than

either ROC
This would happen if some pole/zero cancellation occurs
Example:
n
n

xn a un - a un - N

Both sequences are right-sided

Both sequences have a pole z=a
Both have a ROC defined as |z|>|a|
In the combined sequence the pole at z=a cancels with a zero at z=a
The combined ROC is the entire z plane except z=0

We did make use of this property already, where?

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Z-Transform Properties: Time Shifting

xn no Z z no X z

ROC R x

Here no is an integer
If positive the sequence is shifted right
If negative the sequence is shifted left

The ROC can change the new term may

Add or remove poles at z=0 or z=

Example

X z z

1
1 z 1
4

xn

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n-1

1
z
4

un - 1

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Z-Transform Properties: Multiplication by Exponential

zno xn Z X z / zo

ROC zo R x

ROC is scaled by |zo|

All pole/zero locations are scaled
If zo is a positive real number: z-plane shrinks or expands
If zo is a complex number with unit magnitude it rotates
Example: We know the z-transform pair
1
Z
un
ROC : z 1
-1
1- z
Lets find the z-transform of

xn r n cos onun
X z

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n
1 jo n
1
re
un re jo un
2
2

1/2
1/2

1 re jo z 1 1 re jo z 1

z r

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Z-Transform Properties: Differentiation

dX z
nxn z
dz
Z

ROC R x

Example: We want the inverse z-transform of

X z log 1 az 1

z a

Lets differentiate to obtain rational expression

dX z
az 2
dX z
1
1

z
az
1
dz
dz
1 az
1 az 1
Making use of z-transform properties and ROC

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nxn a a

n 1

xn 1

an
un 1
n

n 1

un 1

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Z-Transform Properties: Conjugation

x* n Z X* z*

ROC R x

Example

X z

x
n
z

X z

xn z

x n z

x n z x n z

X z

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Z x n

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Z-Transform Properties: Time Reversal

x n Z X1 / z

ROC

1
Rx

ROC is inverted
Example:

xn anu n
n
Time reversed version of a un

1
- a-1z 1
X z

1 az 1 - a-1z 1

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z a1

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Z-Transform Properties: Convolution

x1 n x2 n Z X1 z X2 z

ROC : R x1 R x2

Convolution in time domain is multiplication in z-domain

Example:Lets calculate the convolution of

x1 n anun and x2 n un
1
1
X1 z
ROC
:
z

X
z

2
1 az 1
1 z 1
Multiplications of z-transforms is
1
Y z X1 z X2 z
1 az1 1 z 1

ROC : z 1

ROC: if |a|<1 ROC is |z|>1 if |a|>1 ROC is |z|>|a|

Partial fractional expansion of Y(z)
1
1
1

Y z

asume ROC : z 1

1
1
1 a 1 z
1 az
1
yn
un an1un
1a

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