C. A.

Bouman: Digital Image Processing - January 12, 2015

Continuous Time Fourier Transform (CTFT)

F (f ) =

f (t) =

!
!

f (t)ej2f tdt

F (f )ej2f tdf

f (t) is continuous time. (Also known as continuous parameter.)

F (f ) is a continuous function of frequency < f <
.

C. A. Bouman: Digital Image Processing - January 12, 2015

Useful Continuous Time Signal Definitions

Rect Function
1.2

Rect function: rect(t) =

"

1 for |t| 1/2

0 otherwise

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0.2
3

Step Function

"

1 for t 0
Step function: u(t) =
0 for t < 0

for t > 0
1
for t = 0
Sign function: sgn(t) = 0

1 for t < 0
0.5

0.5

Sign Function

0.5

0.5

Sinc Function

1.2

sin(t)
Sinc function: sinc(t) =
t
"
1 |t| for |t| 1
Lambda function: (t) =
0
for |t| > 1
1

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0.2

Lambda Function
1.2

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0.2
3

C. A. Bouman: Digital Image Processing - January 12, 2015

Continuous Time Delta Function

The function (t) is actually not a function.
(t) is defined by the property that for all continuous functions g(t)
!

(t)g(t)dt

g(0) =

Intuitively, we may think of (t) as a very short pulse with

unit area.
'
! &
1
g(0) = lim
rect(t/) g(t)dt
0
Intuitively (but not rigorously)
1
(t) = lim rect(t/)
0

C. A. Bouman: Digital Image Processing - January 12, 2015

Useful CTFT Relations

(t)

CT F T

CT F T

(f )

CT F T

sinc(f )

CT F T

rect(f )

CT F T

sinc2(f )

rect(t)
sinc(t)
(t)

C. A. Bouman: Digital Image Processing - January 12, 2015

CTFT Properties
Property
Linearity
Conjugation
Scaling
Shifting
Modulation
Convolution
Multiplication
Duality

Time Domain Function

af (t) + bg(t)
f (t)
f (at)
f (t t0)
exp {j2f0t} f (t)
f (t) g(t)
f (t)g(t)
F (t)

Inner product property

!
!
f (t)g (t)dt =

CTFT
aF (f ) + bG(f )
F (f )
1
|a| F (f /a)
exp {j2f t0} F (f )
F (f f0)
F (f ) G(f )
F (f ) G(f )
f (f )

F (f )G(f )df