Module 2 : FIR Filters

The impulse response of an FIR filter is finite in duration, h(n) exists for n = 0, 1,……N – 1.
Linear phase response:
In general, given a signal x(t), x(t – τ) represents the signal x(t) right-shifted by τ.
A filter has an amplitude response and a phase response.
H(ejω) = | H(ejω) | e(jθ(ω)).
For an input X(ejω), the filter output will be Y(ejω) = X(ejω) | H(ejω) | e(jθ(ω)).
Assume | H(ejω) | = 1.
Hence, for a signal x1(t) = sin(ω0t), y1(t) = sin(ω0t + θ(ω0)).
x2(t) = sin(2ω0t), y2(t) = sin(2ω0t + θ(2ω0)).
For a signal x(t) = sin(ω0t) + sin(2ω0t) , y(t) = sin(ω0t + θ(ω0)) + sin(2ω0t + θ(2ω0)).
If θ(ω0) = -ω0τ, and θ(2ω0) = -2ω0τ, then
y(t) = sin(ω0t - ω0τ) + sin((2ω0t - 2ω0τ)
= sin(ω0(t – τ)) + sin(2ω0(t – τ)).
= x(t – τ).
If θ(ω0) = -ω0τ, and θ(2ω0) = -ω0τ, then
y(t) = sin(ω0t - ω0τ) + sin((2ω0t - ω0τ)
≠ x(t – τ)
Hence, it is seen that if the phase response is a linear function of the frequency, then the output is
a time-delayed version of the input. The shape of he input waveform is preserved, but the signal
is time-shifted. If the phase response is not a linear function of frequency, then the output signal
is a distorted version of the input, and the shape of the input signal is not preserved. This is the
importance of linear phase response.
 ( )
Phase delay = -

d ( )
Group delay = -
d
For constant phase delay and group delay,
θ(ω) = -ωτ
For constant group delay only,
θ(ω) = β - ωτ
Conditions for linear phase response:
Given an impulse response h(n), if θ(ω) = -ωτ,
N 1
Frequency response H (e )   h(n)e
j  j n

n0
 N 1
H (e j )   [h(n)cos(n)  jh(n)sin(n)]
n 0

N 1
 h(n)sin(n)
 ( )  tan 1 nN01
 h(n) cos(n)
n 0

N 1
 h(n)sin(n)
n 0
tan( ( ))  N 1
 h(n)cos(n)
n 0

N 1

sin( ( ))
 h(n)sin( n)
n 0
 N 1
cos( ( ))
 h(n) cos(n)
n 0

N 1 N 1
[sin( ( ))  h( n) cos( n)]  [cos( ( ))  h(n)sin( n)]  0
n0 n 0

N 1
[  h(n)cos(n)sin( ( ))  h(n)sin(n) cos( ())]  0
n 0

N 1
 h(n)sin( n   ( ))  0
n0

N 1
 h(n)sin( n   )  0
n0

Assuming N is even,
a solution for this equation is obtained if h(n) = h(N – 1 - n) for n = 0, 1, 2,…(N/2) - 1, and
sin( n   )   sin( ( N  1  n)   ))

 sin( n   )  sin( ( ( N  1  n)   )))

 n    (( ( N  1  n)   )))

 n     ( N  1)   n  

( N  1)

2
Hence, the conditions for linear phase are
h(n) = h(N – 1 - n), n = 0, 1, 2,…(N/2) – 1 (if N is even)
n = 0, 1, 2,…(N-1)/2 (if N is odd)
 ( N  1)
and  
2
This is the symmetric condition.
Similarly, if a constant group delay is required, then
θ(ω) = β – ωτ
Using similar steps as above, it can be proved that the required conditions are:
h(n) = -h(N – 1 - n), n = 0, 1, 2,…(N/2) – 1 (if N is even)
n = 0, 1, 2,…(N-1)/2 (if N is odd)
( N  1)
 , and
2
β = π/2
This is the anti-symmetric condition.

Frequency response:
There are 4 cases to be considered.
1) Symmetric condition, N even:

N 1
H (e j )   h(n)e jn
n0

( N /2) 1 N 1
H (e j )   h(n)e  jn   h(n)e  jn
n 0 n ( N /2)

( N /2) 1
H (e j )   h(n)(e  jn  e  j ( N 1n ) )
n 0

( N /2)1
H (e j )  e  j ( N 1)/2  h(n)(e j ( N 1)/2e  jn  e  j ( N 1)/2 e jn )
n0

( N /2)1
H (e j )  e  j ( N 1)/2  h(n)(e  j ( n( N 1)/2)  e j ( n( N 1)/2) ) (A)
n0

( N /2)1
H (e j )  e  j ( N 1)/2  h(n)2cos( (n  ( N  1) / 2))
n0

Similar relations can be obtained for the cases: 2) Symmetric condition, N odd:
3) Anti-symmetric condition, N is even, 4) Anti-symmetric condition, N is odd.

Location of zeros:
Substituting z = ejω in (A),
 ( N /2)1
H ( z )  z ( N 1)/2  h(n)( z ( n( N 1)/2)  z ( n( N 1)/2) ) (B)
n0

The zeros are obtained by equating H(z) to 0.

( N /2)1
z  ( N 1)/2  h(n)( z  ( n( N 1)/2)  z ( n( N 1)/2) )  0
n 0

Multiplying both sides by z(N-1),

( N /2) 1
z ( N 1)/2  h(n )( z  ( n( N 1)/2)  z ( n( N 1)/2) )  0 (C)
n 0

If we replace z by z-1 in (B),

( N /2)1
H ( z 1 )  z ( N 1)/2  h(n)( z ( n( N 1)/2)  z  ( n( N 1)/2) )
n0

The zeros of H(z-1) are obtained by equating the RHS to zero

( N /2) 1
z ( N 1)/2  h(n )( z ( n( N 1)/2)  z  ( n( N 1)/2) )  0 (D)
n 0

Since (C) and (D) are identical equations, it can be concluded that the zeros of H(z-1) are also
zeros of H(z).
Hence the following conclusions can be made regarding zeros of linear phase FIR filters.
1) If zk is a zero of H(z), then zk-1 is also a zero of H(z).
2) If there are a pair of complex conjugate zeros zk and zk* then zk-1 and (zk*) -1 are also zeros
of H(z)
3) If zk = rejω is a zero, then zk-1 = (1/r) e-jω is a zero. This implies that a zero inside unit circle
would have a corresponding zero outside unit circle.