Signals and

Systems
Chapter
3 Fourier Representations of
Signals
 Learning Objectives

Develop the Fourier Analysis (Fourier series &

transform) which converts time-domain signals into
frequency-domain (or spectral) representations.
 Describe the Fourier series (complex exponential,
trigonometric, harmonic) representation of periodic
signals.
 Describe the Fourier transform and its properties.
 Outline

 Introduction
 Complex Sinusoid and LTI systems
 Fourier Series Representation of periodic signals
 FS representation of continuous time periodic signals
 FS representation of discrete time periodic signals
 Fourier Transforms of non-periodic signals
 FT of continuous time non-periodic signals
 FT of discrete time non-periodic signals
 Introduction

 In chapter 2: input signals expressed as the

weighted
was superposition of time-shifted impulses
and the output was given by a weighted superposition
of time-shifted versions of the systems impulse
response.
 

x[ n ]   x[ k ]  [ n  k ] y[n]   x[k ] h[n  k ]

 called convolution
k   k  

 In this chapter, we represent signals in terms of

sinusoids and we will use an alternative expression for
input-output behavior of LTI systems.

3
 Introduction

 A signal can be represented as the weighted superposition

of complex sinusoids. When this signal is applied to a LTI
system then the system output will be a weighted
superposition of the system response to each complex
sinusoid.

4
 Fourier Series Representation of Periodic
Signals
• The complex exponential Fourier series representation of a periodic

xp(t) with fundamental period T0 is given by
signal jk0
xp (t) c t 0  2 /
k k

e T0
where ck are known as
the complex Fourier coefficients, 0
ck  1
T0
 T
x p (t )e  j k t dt
0

where T 0 denotes the integral over any one period and 0 to T0 or -T0/2
to T0/2.
c0  T T x p (t)dt
1
Setting k=0, we have 0
0

which indicates the c0 equals the average value of x(t) over a period.
• When x(t) is real, c-k = ck* [asterisk denotes complex
conjugate].
Periodic Signals:
A c-t signal x(t) is periodic if there is a positive value of T for which x(t+T) = x(t) all t.
The fundamental period T0 of x(t) is the smallest value of T for which the above equation is
Example: Complex exponential x(t)  e j 0 t
satisfied, and 1/Tsinusoidal
Real 0 = f0 is referred
signal to asx(t)
thefundamental
cos( t   )frequency.
0

where 0  2 /T0  is called the fundamental angular frequency.

2 f
 Fourier Series
Amplitude & Phase Spectra of
a
• 
The complex exponential FS
Periodic jkt  0
 0  2 /
• Signal
Let the complex Fourier coefficients c be expressed

xp (t) k  ck
T0
k
e
as
c k  c k e j k
• A plot of ck versus angular frequency  is ck
c0 c
called the magnitude spectrum of the c2 c1 1 c
2 c3

periodic signal x(t)


• A plot of k versus  is called the 

phase spectrum of x(t).


• For real periodic signals c-k = ck *
i.e.
| ck|=| ck| (even amplitude spectrum) and k = k (odd phase spectrum)
see figures
 Example #1

Determine the complex exponential Fourier series

representation for each of the following signals:

(a) x(t)  cos0 t

(b) x(t)  sin  0 t

 
(c) x(t)  cos 2t  
4
x(t)  cos 4t  sin
(d)
6t x(t)  sin 2 t
(e)
 Solution
#1
(a) Using Euler’s formula

cos t  1 
jk0t
e j 0 t
 k
c e

0 1 1
2  e  j0t  2 e  j0t  e j0t  k
2 
Thus, the complex Fourier coefficients for cos0t are
1 1 ck  0, k  ck
c1  2  2 1
1 1 1
c 2 2 
 0 0


k


 0 0
 Solution
#1
(b) Similarly,



1
sin0t
2 j
0
j t
 e j t
 
0
 2
1  
e
1 e j0 t
 ck
jk0 t

 e j t  k e
Thus, thej complex Fourier coefficients
0 2 j for sin0t are


1 j 1 j ck  0, k 
c11  2 j or 2 c  2 j or ck
1 1
2
1

2 2


 0 0
k

2
0

 0
 2
 Solution #1
(cont)
(c) The fundamental angular frequency 0 of x(t) is 2.
Thus,  
   
x(t )  cos 2t   
c k e jk  0
t
 c k e j
2 kt 
4  k  k


x(t )  cos 2t     12e j ( 2 t   / 4 )  e  j ( 2 t   / 4 )
4



1
e  j / 4 e  j 2 t 
1
e j / 4
e j 2t   ck e j ck 1
k   1 2
2 kt
2 2
Thus, the complex Fourier coefficients for cos(2t+/4) 2

are  2
c1  1 e j / 4  1 1  j  2 (1 j) 1 2 k
2 4 c1  2 
4
2 2  
1 1 1 j 2 1
c  1  e  j / 4   (1  j) c1  2 2
2 2 2 4 2  4
 k  arc tan1 
ck  0 k 
4
 Solution #1
(cont)
(d) Recall that the sum of 2 periodic signals is periodic if
1  4, 2  6
the ratio of their respective periods can be expressed as a
rational number; then, the fundamental period is the 2  2 
least common multiple of the periods. T1    2 , T2    3
1 2

Therefore, the fundamental period T0 of x(t) is  and T1

3
T2  2  2T  3T  T 
1 2 0
0=2/T0=2. Thus,
  
j k 0 t
x (t )  cos 4t  sin 6t   ck e   ck e j 2kt

k   k  
Using Euler’s formula, we have

x (t )  cos 4t  sin 6t 
2
1
e j
1

 e  j 4t  2 j e  j 6t
 e  j 6t
4t

1  j 6t 1  j 4t 1 j 4t 1 j 6t  ck e j 2k t
 
2j
e  e
2


e
2
 e
2j

k  

Thus, the complex Fourier coefficients for x(t) are

1 1 c2  1 c3  1 all other c k  0.
c 3   2 j c 2  2 2 2j
 Solution #1
(cont)
(d) Thus, the complex Fourier coefficients for x(t) are

c3   2 j
1 c2  1 c2  1 c3  1 all other ck  0.
2 2
2j
ck
1 1 1 1

2 2 2 2

 3 0  20  0 0 20
30


2 k
30

 3 0  20  0 0 20
 2
 Solution #1
(cont)
(e) Using trigonometric identity sin2 = 1/2 (1-cos2),
x(t) = sin2t = 1/2 - 1/2 cos2t = x1(t) + x2(t)
where x1(t) = 1/2 is a dc signal with an arbitrary period and x2(t) = -1/2 cos2t is
periodic with T2 = 2/ = . ( = 2)
Therefore, the fundamental period T0 of x(t) is  and 0=2/T0=2.
 
x(t )  sin 2 t   c k e j k 0 t   c k e j 2 k t
k   k
Using Euler’s formula,
  we have 2 ck
1 2e  j 2t
x(t )  sin 2 t   e jt
 e  jt 
4 e
1

 2j 
2t
j
  2 2 
1 j 1 1 j  2
j 2kt  14  14
  e 2t  k k
4 c
2  4 e 2t  k  
e coefficients for x(t) are
Thus, the complex Fourier 
 2
1 1 1 c k  0. 2
c 1   4 c0  2 c1   4 all
other
 Fourier Series Representation of Periodic
Signals:
Trigonometric FS
• The trigonometric FS representation of a periodic signal xp(t) with
fundamental period T0 is given by a linear combination of sines and cosines
at multiples of its fundamental angular frequency 0

a0
x p (t)    (a k cos k  0 t  bk sin  0t)  0  2  / T0
2 k 1 k
where ak and bk are the Fourier coefficients given by

a0  2
T0

T
0
x p (t )dt ak  2
T0

T
0
x p (t) cosk  0 tdt bk  2
T0

T
0
x p (t ) sin k  0 tdt

Im
ak Re
• The coefficients ak and bk and the complex
Fourier coefficients ck are related by ck
a0 / 2  c0 ak  ck  ck bk  j(ck 
 bk
ck )k 1 k
 c  2 (a  jbk ) ck  1 (ak 
k
jb ) 2
 Fourier Series
Representation of Periodic Signals:
Trigonometric
FS
real and
• When weishave
x(t) real, then ak and bk are
a0  c 0 a k  2Reck 
2 bk  2Imck

• Even periodic signal (cosine terms only):



x (t )  a 0   ak [b k  0]
c o s k 0 t k 1

2
• Odd periodic signal (sine terms only):

[a k  0]
x (t )   b k s in k  0 t
k 1
 Example
#2
Consider the periodic square wave x(t) shown.
(a) Determine the complex exponential Fourier series of
x(t),
(b) Determine the trigonometric Fourier series of x(t)

x(t)

... ...

 T0 T0 2T0 t
T0 0 T0

4

4
 Solution
 #2 x(t
jk0t
(a) x(t)  )
k 0  T A
c e k
 2
0

T0 / 2 ... ...
ck  T T0 / x(t)e jk t dt  T T0 / Ae
1 1 T0 / 4  jk0t
0
dt
0 0 T0
2 4  t
0  T0 0 T 0
 jk 0t
T0 T 4 4
A e A
 4
 (e  jk4 0 T0 /  e jk4 0 T0 / )
T0  jk0
 jk0T0
T
 04

A
 A  k  A k
 jk2 (e  jk / 2
 e jk / 2
)  sin
k  2    2 sinc
 2
T 2 A   ck
T /4
Adt 
c0  T T0 x(t)dt  T T0 /
0 0
1 1
0 0 2
2 4  0 30
k  3  2 1 0 1 2 3 
 5 3  0  0 0 0 20

ck  0 
A A A A A 50
0
3  2  3
 Solution #2
(cont)
(b) R e c all a 0 / 2  c0 a k  ck  c k bk  j(c k  c  k ) x(t
)
a0 A
and  c0 ak  2 Re ck bk  2 Im c k
2
we have,   ... ...
T0 t
a A  T0
a k  2 Re c k
T0 0 T0
 bk  2 Im[c k ]  0 
2  c0
0
2

4

W e obtain, Note that

4 x(t) is


even; thus, x(t)
a0
x(t)    (a k cos k 0 t  bk sin  0t) contains only a dc
2 k 1 k term and cosine
terms.
c
 2 
A  2A
cos 0 t  cos3  1
0 t  cos5 
0 t  1 k
 3 5 
 
 3  2 1 0 1 2 3
k  ....  3 0 30

 5 0  0 0 0 20
ck  0 
A A A A A 50
0
3  2  3
 Fourier Series
Power Content of a Periodic Signal

• Recall the average power of a periodic signal

xp(t) over any period is
2
1 T x p (t) dt
P  T0  0

• If xp(t) is represented by the complex

exponential Fourier series, then
2 


2
1 x p (t) dt  ck
P  T0 
T0
k  

20
Non-periodic signals:

Fourier Transform
 DTF
T
 Discrete-time Fourier transform (DTFT): representation of a non-
periodic discrete signal, x[n] is expressed as

where:
 The transform X(𝑒 𝑗Ω ) describes the signals x[n] as a function of
sinusoidal frequency Ω is termed as the frequency-domain
representation of x[n].

is the DTFT of x[n].

is the inverse DTFT of x[n].

X(𝑒 𝑗 Ω ) is sometimes represented as
X(Ω)

DTFT
 Continuous time Fourier Transform

• The function X() defined by equation below is called the Fourier

transform of x(t).

X ( )  F{x(t)}  x(t)e  jt dt

• The inverse Fourier transform of X() is given by
1 
1
x(t)  F {X  )}  X ( )e jt d
( 
2
• Thus, x(t) and X() form a Fourier transform pair denoted by

x(t)  X ( )
x(t) X
( )

t 
 Fourier
Spectra
• The Fourier transform X() of x(t) is, in
general, complex. X (  )  X ( ) e j

( )
• The Fourier transform of a non-periodic
signal x(t) is the frequency-domain
specification of x(t) and is referred to as the
spectrum (or Fourier spectrum) of x(t). Magnitude
X
spectrum
( )
 Phase
• If x(t) is real signal, ( )
spectrum

X(-)=X*(), and (-) = -()

• Hence, the amplitude spectrum |X()| is an
even function and the phase spectrum
() is an odd function of .
 ex:

Find the Fourier transform of the t a

1

rectangular pulse signal defined by, x(t)  p (t)  0 t 
a

a
 a  jt
a
 jt
pa (t)e dt   e
 jt
dt  e
Solution X ( )    a
 j a
 1 (e ja e  ja )  2 sin a sin a
j   2a
x(t) a X( )
1
2a

a 0 a t   
 a
a
sin( sin(a)
 t   2a
rect   2a sinc(2af )  2af ) a
 2a 2a

 2af
Common Fourier Transform Pairs(1)

x(t) X
 (t) 1( )
 (t  e  j t 0
t0 ) 1
2 ( )
e j 0 t 2 (   0 )
cos  0 t  [ (   0 )   (   0 )]
 j [ ( 1  0 )   ( 
 ( )  j
sin  0 t  0 )]
 ( )  j1
u(t)
1
 at
eu(t) u(t), a  0
j 
a1
te  at u(t), a  0
( j  a) 2
 Illustrations

x(t) X
1 ( )

(t)
t
0 0 

x(t) X ( )
1 2
( )
t
0 0 

X
x(t)  cos0t  ( )


0 t  0 0 0 
Common Fourier Transform Pairs(2)

x(t ) X
( )2a
e  a t u (t ), a  0
a2  2

1
e a 
a2  t
2

2 Assignment:
e  at , a  0

e 
2
/ 4a Show
t a a sin a
pa (t)   1 2a
t a a
0
sin at  a
p a ( ) 
t 1  a
0
2
sgn t
j
 
  (t  0   (  k0 ) , 0  2T
k  kT ) k   11
 Properties of the Fourier Transform (1)

Property Signal Fourier transform

x(t) X ( )
x 1 (t) X 1 ( )
x 2 (t) X 2 ( )
Linearity a1 x1 (t )  a 2 x 2 (t ) a1 X 1 ( )  a 2 X 2 (
Time shifting )
x(t  t 0 )
Frequency e  j t 0 X ( )
e  j  0 t x (t )
shifting 1 (   )
X
x(at ) X( )0
Time scaling a a
Time reversal x(t ) X ( )
Duality X (t) 2x(
dx(t) )
Time diff.
dt
j  X ( )
Frequency diff. ( jt)x(t)
dX ( )
 Properties of the Fourier Transform (2)

Property Signal Fourier transform

t
Integratio  x( )d X (0) ( )  j1 X (
n  )
Convolutio n x1 (t)  x 2 (t) X 1 ( ) X 2 (
)
Multiplica x1 (t) x 2 (t) 1
2 X ( )  X
1 2
tion
Real signal x(t)  xe (t)  xo (t) X( () )  A( )  jB(
)
X ( )  X * ( )
Even component xe (t) Re{ X ( )}  A( )
Odd component xo (t) j Im{ X ( )} 

jB( )
 x1 (t)x 2(t)dt  X 1 ( ) X 2

Parseval' s
relations  ( )d
 2 
 x(t) dt 
1 
X ( ) 2 d 
2