Review of Signals & Systems: Part 1

Satyajit Thakor
IIT Mandi
Signals

I Signals are used to transmit information over a communication

channel.
I What is a signal?
I Typically, a function of time.
I What is a function?
I Real discrete time signal x[n], x : Z → R. Example:

1 n2 + 1
x[n] = n + , x : Z → R, n 7→
n n
I Complex continuous time signal x(t), x : R → C. Example:

x(t) = ejθt , x : R → C, t 7→ ejθt

Signals

Consider a signal x(t).

Basic operations:
I Time shifting x(t − t0 )
I Time reversal x(−t)
I Time scaling x(at)

Types of signals:
I Discrete and continuous
I Real and complex
I Deterministic and random
I Periodic and nonperiodic
I Causal and noncausal
I Even, odd and Hermitian symmetry
Energy-type and power-type signals

I Energy content of a signal x(t) is defined as

Z +∞ Z +T /2
2
Ex = |x(t)| dt = lim |x(t)|2 dt.
−∞ T →∞ −T /2

I Power content is defined as

Z +T /2
1
Px = lim |x(t)|2 dt.
T →∞ T −T /2

I Signal x(t) is energy-type iff Ex < ∞.

I Signal x(t) is power-type iff 0 < Px < ∞.
Some important signals

I Real sinusoidal signal: x(t) = A cos(2πf0 t + θ)

I Complex sinusoidal or exponential: x(t) = Aej(2πf0 t+θ)
I It is a spiral in the complex plane: plot (homework)
I Euler’s formula, Cartesian, polar representation
I Unit step signal (Heaviside step):
(
1 t≥0
u−1 (t) =
0 t<0

I Rectangular pulse:
(
1 − 12 ≤ t ≤ 1
2
Π(t) =
0 othervise
Some important signals

I Triangular signal:

t + 1
 −1 ≤ t ≤ 0
∆(t) = −t + 1 0≤t≤1

0 othervise


I Sinc signal: (
sin(πt)
πt t 6= 0
sinc(t) =
1 t=0

I Signum signal:

−1
 t≤0
sgn(t) = 1 t≥0

0 t=0

Some important signals

I Impulse signal/Dirac delta function is a “function” δ(t) such

that Z ∞
φ(t)δ(t) = φ(0)
−∞

for test function φ(t) continuous at the origin.

I The impulse signal extracts (samples) the value of test function
at the origin under the integral sign.
I Caution: Impulse is not a signal or function. Why?
I As the limit of some signals:
 
1 t 1 1 t2
lim Π , lim √ e− 2 σ 2
↓0   σ→0 2πσ 2
I Note that, δ(0) = ∞ (undefined) and 0 otherwise.
Homework

I Revise the basic concepts in real analysis, linear algebra, signals

and systems etc.
I For example: differentiation, integration, limit, sequences, linear
operators, trigonometric functions and identities, Cartesian,
polar coordinate systems
I Solve problems on signals and systems given in reference books.

I Reading:
Chapter 2 of J. G. Proakis and M. Salehi, Fundamentals of
Communication Systems