Introduction

Filter networks are widely used in communication systems to separate various voice channels in
carrier frequency telephone circuits.
Filters also find applications in instrumentation, telemetering equipment etc. where it is necessary
to transmit or attenuate a limited range of frequencies.
A filter may have any number of pass bands separated by attenuation bands. However, they are
classified into four common types.
1. Low Pass Filter
2. High Pass Filter
3. Band Pass Filter
4. Band Stop or Band Elimination Filter
 Low Pass Filter
A low pass (LP) filter is one which passes without attenuation all frequencies upto the cut-off frequency fc,
and attenuates all other frequencies greater than fc. The attenuation characteristic of an ideal LP filter is
shown below.

This transmits currents of all frequencies from zero upto the cut-off
frequency. The band is called pass band or transmission band. Thus,
the pass band for the LP filter is the frequency range 0 to fc.

The frequency range over which transmission does not take place is
called the stop band or attenuation band. The stop band for a LP
filter is the frequency range above fc.
 High Pass Filter
A high pass (HP) filter attenuates all frequencies below a designated cut-off frequency fc, and passes all
frequencies above fc. Thus the pass band of this filter is the frequency range above fc, and the stop band is
the frequency range below fc. The attenuation characteristic of an ideal HP filter is shown below.
 Band Pass Filter
A band pass (BP) filter passes frequencies between two designated cut-off frequencies and attenuates all
other frequencies. It is abbreviated as BP filter.
A BP filter has two cut-off frequencies and will have the pass band f2 – f1; f1 is called the lower cut-off
frequency, while f2 is called the upper cut-off frequency. The attenuation characteristic of an ideal BP filter
is shown below.
 Band Stop Filter
A band elimination filter passes all frequencies lying outside a certain range, while it attenuates all
frequencies between two designated frequencies. It is also referred as band stop filter.
The attenuation characteristic of an ideal BS filter is shown below. All frequencies between f1 and f2 will
be attenuated while frequencies below f1 and above f2 will be passed.