Digital Signal Processing

Chapter 1

History and Overview

Subtopic 1: Historical Background
Subtopic 2: From Analog to Digital
Subtopic 3: Applications of DSP
Subtopic 4: Milestones in DSP

3
This instructional material is intended solely for the CPE 414 class of President Ramon Magsaysay
State University – Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, Academic Year 2025–2026, First
Semester. Unauthorized copying, distribution, or sharing of any part of this document is strictly
prohibited.
Chapter 1

History and Overview

Introduction

Digital Signal Processing (DSP) did not emerge overnight—it evolved from decades of
exploration, innovation, and engineering breakthroughs that transformed how signals are
processed, analyzed, and interpreted. In this opening chapter, you will explore the historical
progression from analog to digital systems, uncover the foundational motivations for digitizing
signals, and appreciate the roles of technology pioneers whose work laid the groundwork for
today’s digital world.
You will learn how DSP became indispensable across industries—from
telecommunications and audio processing to biomedical engineering and aerospace—making
signal interpretation faster, more accurate, and increasingly adaptable. This chapter will
provide context for the rest of the course, showing how concepts you're about to learn were
built on generations of scientific thought and practical need.
We will also explore the advantages that digital systems offer over analog, including
precision, programmability, and noise resilience—key reasons why DSP continues to be
central to engineering design today.

Specific Objectives

At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:

- Trace the historical development of signal processing from analog to digital.

- Explain the key motivations behind the shift to digital signal processing.
- Identify major application areas where DSP has made significant impacts.
- Differentiate between analog and digital signal processing techniques.
- Describe the growth of DSP in relation to computing and communication technologies.

4
This instructional material is intended solely for the CPE 414 class of President Ramon Magsaysay
State University – Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, Academic Year 2025–2026, First
Semester. Unauthorized copying, distribution, or sharing of any part of this document is strictly
prohibited.
Lesson Proper

Digital Signal Processing (DSP) is the science of using digital computers to process
signals. Signals are functions that convey information about the behavior or attributes of some
phenomenon. In engineering, signals often refer to time-varying quantities such as electrical
voltages or sound waves.

Historical Background

The history of signal processing dates back

to the early 20th century, with analog techniques
being dominant. Analog signal processing
involved the manipulation of continuous signals
using electrical components like capacitors,
resistors, and inductors. This method was limited
in flexibility, accuracy, and the ability to implement complex systems.

The digital era began with the invention of the digital computer. One of the most
influential developments in DSP history was the creation of the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT)
algorithm by James Cooley and John Tukey in 1965. The FFT dramatically reduced the
computational complexity of frequency analysis, making
real-time signal processing feasible.

The 1970s saw the advent of digital signal processors, custom-built chips capable of
real-time DSP. Early DSP chips like the Texas Instruments TMS320 series enabled the
implementation of filters, spectral analysis, and other DSP algorithms in hardware, making
DSP more accessible and practical for real-world applications.

5
This instructional material is intended solely for the CPE 414 class of President Ramon Magsaysay
State University – Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, Academic Year 2025–2026, First
Semester. Unauthorized copying, distribution, or sharing of any part of this document is strictly
prohibited.
From Analog to Digital

Several key advantages drove the shift from analog to digital:

Flexibility: Algorithms can be modified through

software.
Reproducibility: Digital systems provide consistent
results.
Storage and Transmission: Digital signals are less
prone to degradation.
Cost and Size: Digital components can be mass-produced at lower costs.

Despite these advantages, digital systems also introduced new challenges such as quantization
error, the need for high-speed ADCs/DACs, and increased power consumption in early
systems.

Applications of DSP

Digital Signal Processing is now a cornerstone in many engineering fields. Key application
areas include:
Audio and Speech Processing: Noise reduction,
compression (e.g., MP3), and synthesis.
Telecommunications: Modulation/demodulation,
channel equalization.
Image and Video Processing: Enhancement,
compression (e.g., JPEG, MPEG).
Medical Imaging: MRI, CT scan signal processing.
Industrial Control and Monitoring: Sensor data
filtering and analysis.
Radar and Sonar: Target detection and classification.

6
This instructional material is intended solely for the CPE 414 class of President Ramon Magsaysay
State University – Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, Academic Year 2025–2026, First
Semester. Unauthorized copying, distribution, or sharing of any part of this document is strictly
prohibited.
 Milestones in DSP Evolution

Year Development
1965 FFT algorithm introduced (Cooley & Tukey)
1978 First commercial DSP chip (TI TMS32010)
1985 MATLAB launched for algorithm simulation
Emergence of software-based DSP and multimedia
1990s
applications
2000s DSP integrated into mobile and embedded systems
2020s AI and Machine Learning integration in DSP

7
This instructional material is intended solely for the CPE 414 class of President Ramon Magsaysay
State University – Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, Academic Year 2025–2026, First
Semester. Unauthorized copying, distribution, or sharing of any part of this document is strictly
prohibited.
References/Additional Resources/Readings

Kuo, S. M., Lee, B. H., & Tian, W. (2013). Real-Time Digital Signal Processing:
Fundamentals, Implementations, and Applications (3rd ed.). Wiley. Retrieved July 2025, from:
https://students.aiu.edu/submissions/profiles/resources/onlineBook/H7Y7t7_Real-
Time_Digital_Signal_Processing_Applications-_3rd.pdf

Parker, M. (2017). Digital Signal Processing 101: Everything You Need to Know to Get Started
(2nd ed.). Elsevier. Retrieved July 2025, from:
https://picture.iczhiku.com/resource/eetop/sYkSzhfSWyLrfBcB.pdf

Stock images from Canva. (2025). Canva. Retrieved July 2025, from https://www.canva.com
Texas Instruments. (2020). TMS320C55x DSP Generation Overview. Retrieved from
https://www.ti.com/

The MathWorks, Inc. (2023). MATLAB Documentation. Retrieved from

https://www.mathworks.com/help/

8
This instructional material is intended solely for the CPE 414 class of President Ramon Magsaysay
State University – Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, Academic Year 2025–2026, First
Semester. Unauthorized copying, distribution, or sharing of any part of this document is strictly
prohibited.
Activity
Activity 1

Name: _______________________________________________Score: ________________

Program/Year/Section: _____ ________ Course Code:_________ Date: _________________

Direction:
● Carefully read each question and ensure you understand the requirements before answering.
Provide clear and concise responses, adhering to the specified word counts for each question.
Where applicable, include diagrams, timelines, or examples to support your answers.
● Include citations where necessary using APA format.
● All answers must be handwritten on A4 size bond papers before converting into a digital format.
● Submit your answers in a single PDF document through the GClassroom by the deadline using
the file name <Surname,First Name_Course Code_Activity#>. Ensure your document is well-
organized and labeled with your name and activity title.

Questions:
1. Which of the following best describes the primary motivation for transitioning from analog to
digital signal processing? Justify your answer in a minimum of 100 words.
a. Digital systems are easier to manufacture.
b. Digital systems offer greater precision, programmability, and noise resilience.
c. Analog systems are no longer used in modern applications.
d. Digital systems are cheaper than analog systems.
2. Who is considered one of the key pioneers in the development of Digital Signal Processing?
Explain his contributions in not less than 100 words.
a. Isaac Newton
b. Claude Shannon
c. Nikola Tesla
d. Albert Einstein
3. Which of the following is a key advantage of digital signal processing compared to analog
signal processing? Justify your answer in more than 100 words.
a. Digital signal processing is less accurate than analog signal processing.
b. Digital signal processing is more prone to noise interference.
c. Digital signal processing allows for programmability and flexibility in system design.
d. Digital signal processing is limited to audio applications only.

9
This instructional material is intended solely for the CPE 414 class of President Ramon Magsaysay
State University – Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, Academic Year 2025–2026, First
Semester. Unauthorized copying, distribution, or sharing of any part of this document is strictly
prohibited.