Fourier Series

and
Fourier Transform
• Complex exponentials
• Complex version of Fourier Series
• Time Shifting, Magnitude, Phase
• Fourier Transform
Copyright © 2007 by M.H. Perrott
All rights reserved.
M.H. Perrott © 2007 Fourier Series and Fourier Transform, Slide 1
 The Complex Exponential as a Vector
Q

Note:

e jωt
sin(ωt)

ωt
I
cos(ωt)

• Euler’s Identity:

• Consider I and Q as the real and imaginary parts

– As explained later, in communication systems, I stands
for in-phase and Q for quadrature
• As t increases, vector rotates counterclockwise
– We consider ejwt to have positive frequency
M.H. Perrott © 2007 Fourier Series and Fourier Transform, Slide 2
 The Concept of Negative Frequency
Q
Note:

cos(ωt)
I
−ωt

-sin(ωt)
e-jωt

• As t increases, vector rotates clockwise

– We consider e-jwt to have negative frequency
• Note: A-jB is the complex conjugate of A+jB
– So, e-jwt is the complex conjugate of ejwt
M.H. Perrott © 2007 Fourier Series and Fourier Transform, Slide 3
 Add Positive and Negative Frequencies
Q
Note:

ejωt
2cos(ωt)
I

e-jωt

• As t increases, the addition of positive and

negative frequency complex exponentials leads to a
cosine wave
– Note that the resulting cosine wave is purely real and
considered to have a positive frequency
M.H. Perrott © 2007 Fourier Series and Fourier Transform, Slide 4
 Subtract Positive and Negative Frequencies
Q
Note:

2sin(ωt)

-e-jωt ejωt
I

• As t increases, the subtraction of positive and

negative frequency complex exponentials leads to a
sine wave
– Note that the resulting sine wave is purely imaginary and
considered to have a positive frequency
M.H. Perrott © 2007 Fourier Series and Fourier Transform, Slide 5
 Fourier Series
x(t)

T
• The Fourier Series is compactly defined using
complex exponentials

• Where:

M.H. Perrott © 2007 Fourier Series and Fourier Transform, Slide 6

 From The Previous Lecture
x(t)

T
• The Fourier Series can also be written in terms of
cosines and sines:

M.H. Perrott © 2007 Fourier Series and Fourier Transform, Slide 7

 Compare Fourier Definitions
• Let us assume the following:

• Then:

• So:

M.H. Perrott © 2007 Fourier Series and Fourier Transform, Slide 8

 Square Wave Example
x(t)
A T/2
t
-A
T

M.H. Perrott © 2007 Fourier Series and Fourier Transform, Slide 9

 Graphical View of Fourier Series
• As in previous lecture, we can plot Fourier Series
coefficients
– Note that we now have positive and negative values of n
• Square wave example:

An 2A Bn
π
2A
3π
1 3 5 7 9 1 3 5 7 9
n n
-9 -7 -5 -3 -1 -9 -7 -5 -3 -1
-2A
3π
-2A
π
M.H. Perrott © 2007 Fourier Series and Fourier Transform, Slide 10
 Indexing in Frequency
• A given Fourier coefficient, ,represents the
weight corresponding to frequency nwo

• It is often convenient to index in frequency (Hz)

Af 2A Bf
π
2A
3π
1 3 5 7 9 1 3 5 7 9
T T T T T T T T T T
f f
-9 -7 -5 -3 -1 -9 -7 -5 -3 -1
T T T T T T T T T T -2A
3π
-2A
π
M.H. Perrott © 2007 Fourier Series and Fourier Transform, Slide 11
 The Impact of a Time (Phase) Shift
x(t) x(t)
A T/2 A T
t t
-A -A
T T/4 T/4

• Consider shifting a signal x(t) in time by Td

• Define:

• Which leads to:

M.H. Perrott © 2007 Fourier Series and Fourier Transform, Slide 12

 Square Wave Example of Time Shift
x(t) x(t)
A T/2 A T
t t
-A -A
T T/4 T/4

• To simplify, note that except for odd n

M.H. Perrott © 2007 Fourier Series and Fourier Transform, Slide 13

 Graphical View of Fourier Series
x(t) x(t)
A T/2 A T
t t
-A -A
T T/4 T/4

Af 2A Af
π

1 3 5 7 9 -7 -3 3 7
T T T T T T T T T
f f
-9 -7 -5 -3 -1 -9 -5 -1 1 5 9
T T T T T T T T T T T
2A Bf Bf
π
2A
3π 1 3 5 7 9 1 3 5 7 9
T T T T T T T T T T
f f
-9 -7 -5 -3 -1 -9 -7 -5 -3 -1
T T T T T -2A T T T T T
3π
-2A
M.H. Perrott © 2007 π Fourier Series and Fourier Transform, Slide 14
 Magnitude and Phase
• We often want to ignore the issue of time (phase)
shifts when using Fourier analysis
– Unfortunately, we have seen that the An and Bn
coefficients are very sensitive to time (phase) shifts

• The Fourier coefficients can also be represented in

term of magnitude and phase

• where:

M.H. Perrott © 2007 Fourier Series and Fourier Transform, Slide 15

 Graphical View of Magnitude and Phase
x(t) x(t)
A T/2 A T
t t
-A -A
T T/4 T/4

Xf Xf
2A 2A 2A 2A
π π π π
2A 2A 2A 2A
3π 3π 3π 3π

f f
-9 -7 -5 -3 -1 1 3 5 7 9 -9 -7 -5 -3 -1 1 3 5 7 9
T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T

Φf Φf
π/2 1 3 5 7 9 π
T T T T T
f f
-9 -7 -5 -3 -1 -9 -7 -5 -3 -1 1 3 5 7 9
T T T T T
-π/2 T T T T T T T T T T
M.H. Perrott © 2007 Fourier Series and Fourier Transform, Slide 16
 Does Time Shifting Impact Magnitude?
• Consider a waveform x(t) along with its Fourier
Series

• We showed that the impact of time (phase)

shifting x(t) on its Fourier Series is

• We therefore see that time (phase) shifting does

not impact the Fourier Series magnitude

M.H. Perrott © 2007 Fourier Series and Fourier Transform, Slide 17

 Parseval’s Theorem
• The squared magnitude of the Fourier Series
coefficients indicates power at corresponding
frequencies
– Power is defined as:

Note:
* means
complex
conjugate

M.H. Perrott © 2007 Fourier Series and Fourier Transform, Slide 18

 The Fourier Transform
• The Fourier Series deals with periodic signals

• The Fourier Transform deals with non-periodic

signals

M.H. Perrott © 2007 Fourier Series and Fourier Transform, Slide 19

 Fourier Transform Example
x(t)
A

t
-T T

• Note that x(t) is not periodic

• Calculation of Fourier Transform:

M.H. Perrott © 2007 Fourier Series and Fourier Transform, Slide 20

 Graphical View of Fourier Transform
x(t)
A

t
-T T

This is called
a sinc function
X(f)
2TA

-1 1
2T 2T
M.H. Perrott © 2007 Fourier Series and Fourier Transform, Slide 21
 Summary
• The Fourier Series can be formulated in terms of
complex exponentials
– Allows convenient mathematical form
– Introduces concept of positive and negative frequencies

• The Fourier Series coefficients can be expressed in

terms of magnitude and phase
– Magnitude is independent of time (phase) shifts of x(t)
– The magnitude squared of a given Fourier Series coefficient
corresponds to the power present at the corresponding
frequency

• The Fourier Transform was briefly introduced

– Will be used to explain modulation and filtering in the
upcoming lectures
– We will provide an intuitive comparison of Fourier Series
and Fourier Transform in a few weeks …
M.H. Perrott © 2007 Fourier Series and Fourier Transform, Slide 22