Signals and Systems
EC205
Ananya Bonjyotsna
Tezpur University
Introduction to Signals & Sys-
tems
What is a Signal?
A signal (function of one or more independent variable)
contains information about the behaviour or nature of some
phenomenon.
A signal is formally defined as a function of one or more
variables that conveys information on the nature of a
physical phenomenon.
When the function depends on a single variable, the signal
is a 1D signal. Eg: Speech signal.
When the function depends on two or more variables, the
signal is a multidimentional. Eg: Image
Some other examples of signals are - voltage, current, temp,
humidity, wind velocity, ECG, body temp, skin conductivity,
EMG, population of India over 5 yrs, economy, stock market
etc.
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What is a System?
Now we need to think what do we do with these signals!!!
How do we interpret these information!!!
A system responds to particular signals by producing other
signals of some desired behaviour.
A system is a mathematical model of a physical process that
relates the input (or excitation) signal to the output (or
response) signal.
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Classification of Signals
There are conventionally 6 classes of signals.
1. Continuous-time and Discrete-time signal
2. Real and Complex signal
3. Deterministic and Random signal
4. Periodic and Non-periodic signal
5. Even and Odd signal
6. Energy and Power signal
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1. Continuous-time and Discrete-time signals
A signal x(t) is called as continuous-time signal, if t is a
continuous variable.
A signal is called as discrete-time signal, if it is defined at
discrete instances of time and is denoted by x[n], where n is an
integer.
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1. Continuous-time and Discrete-time signals
A signal x(t) is called as continuous-time signal, if t is a
continuous variable.
A signal is called as discrete-time signal, if it is defined at
discrete instances of time and is denoted by x[n], where n is an
integer.
2. Real and Complex signals
A signal x(t) is called a real signal if its value is a real number.
A signal is a complex signal if iots value is a complex number.
x(t) = x1 (t) + jx2 (t)
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3. Deterministic and Random Signal
Deterministic signals are those signals whose values are
completely specified for any given time. Thus, a deterministic
signal can be modeled by a known function of time t.
Random signals are those signals that take random values at any
given time and must be characterized statistically.
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3. Deterministic and Random Signal
Deterministic signals are those signals whose values are
completely specified for any given time. Thus, a deterministic
signal can be modeled by a known function of time t.
Random signals are those signals that take random values at any
given time and must be characterized statistically.
4. Periodic and Non-periodic signals
A continuous-time signal x(t) is said to be periodic with period T
if there is a positive non-zero value of T for which
x(t + T) = x(t) for all t
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5. Even and Odd signals
A signal x(t) or x[n] is referred to as an even signal if
x(−t) = x(t) or x[−n] = x[n]
A signal x(t) or x[n] is referred to as an odd signal if
x(−t) = −x(t) or x[−n] = −x[n]
Any signal x(t) or x[n] can be expressed as a sum of two signals,
one of which is even and one of which is odd.
x(t) = xe (t) + xo (t)
where xe (t) = 21 {x(t) + x(−t)}
and xo (t) = 21 {x(t) − x(−t)}
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6. Energy and Power signal
For an arbitrary continuous-time signal x(t), the normalized
energy content E of x(t) is defined
∫∞ as
E = −∞ | x(t) |2 dt
The normalized average power P of x(t) is defined as
∫ T2
P = limT→∞ T1 −T | x(t) |2 dt
2
Similarly for a discrete-time signal x[n], the normalized energy
content E of x[n] is defined ∑
as
E= ∞ n=−∞ | x[n] |
2
The normalized average power P of x[n] is defined as
1 ∑N
n=−N | x[n] |
P = limN→∞ 2N+1 2
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Based on these definitions of Energy and Power, we can identify
3 categories of signals:
1. x(t) or x[n] is said to be an Energy signal if and only if
0 < E < ∞ and so P=0
2. x(t) or x[n] is said to be a Power signal if and only if
0 < P < ∞, thus implying E = ∞
3. Signal that satisfy neither property are neither Energy nor
Power.
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