Novel Method of Showing Frequency Transients in the Fourier

Transform and it’s Application in Time-Frequency Analysis

H.Kapasi

Abstract:

Fourier Transform in the frequency domain is modified to also analyse frequency

transients i.e. changes in the frequency spectrum with time variable of any order. This is

analytically, a very useful tool as there are many problems where frequency variation

with time has to be analyzed e.g. Doppler shift, Light through different mediums in time

and space. Numerical calculations are usually done for such problems when needed.

Here, Fourier transform is analyzed to incorporate more variables that simultaneously do

the Time lag-Frequency Analysis (TLFA) from Fourier Transform by changing the

Fourier Operator. Also, the Frequency Derivative Analysis (FDA) of any order can be

analyzed from Fourier Transform. Validity of the operator is examined using Eigen value

analysis and operator algebra.

Keywords:

Time Frequency Analysis (TFA), Frequency Derivative Analysis (FDA), Frequency

Transients, Fourier Transform.

Authors Affiliation: The research was carried at the University of Warwick, UK.

1
Introduction:

Fourier Transform is a standard tool to analyze any signal/systems in the frequency

domain. Frequency domain, however, exclude frequency transients, i.e. the system under

analysis is assumed in the steady state and to be settled in time. Time domain and

Frequency domain are mutually exclusive when analysed under Fourier. There are many

problems such as Doppler Shift, EM wave through different mediums, where the

frequency /wavelength of the signal are not constant but vary with time and or space. The

variation can be such that it may occur for only a short duration. This we call as

frequency transient. The conventional Fourier Transform tool is not useful in such cases

as it lacks the variables representing Time- Frequency relations .i.e. Fourier Transform

has an operator e − jω with only one frequency domain variable ω Also, the variation in

frequency with time could be linear or non-linear. It is important to note that this

technique should not be confused with Time-Frequency characterizations in the Wavelet

analysis, Spectrogram, Gabor Transform, Wigner-Ville Distribution [1,2,3,4].These

classes mainly comply with marginals [2,5] and other properties of the Time Frequency

Representation which are analytically completely different and exclusive to each other.

The technique here emphasizes on the frequency transients, which may occur in the

signal/system for a short duration and then disappear.

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Theory and Derivations

Well-known Fourier Transform in the frequency domain is given by

(1)

− jω
Were f (t ) is the function in time and e is the operator that transforms the function

f (t ) in time to the function F ( jω ) in frequency. It should be noted that the variable

ω is independent with respect to instantaneous time and therefore, constant with respect

to time. Since ω is constant with time, its time derivative will be zero. Thus, in steady

state,

If a variable exists which is a function of time and frequency then the above case will

generate finite derivative. Depending upon the order of non-linearity of this function, the
th
n order of derivative will be finite before it terminates to zero. Such a case cannot be

analyzed using the standard variable ω on the imaginary plane as in the Fourier

Transform.

Consider a variable H given by the following

(2)

is a function of time representing the Instantaneous Frequency Variation.

can represent the frequency variation in time or rate of change of frequency variation

with time. In short, it can represent nth order frequency derivative with respect to time.

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Note that the time function is conceptually different to the time used in Instantaneous

Frequency Distribution (IFD) in Time-Frequency analysis.This function will provide

analytical formulation of the spectral changes in time of any order. Fourier operator is

changed to incorporate this function . Eigen value analysis will find an orthogonal eigen

function which will be the modified Fourier operator to do frequency transient analysis.

Consider a following Eigenvalue Problem;

Wu(t,a)=au(t,a) (3)

where W is an operator. In theory there could be infinite number of Eigen functions

corresponding to infinite Eigen values. Consider the operator

1d
W= . The solution of the Eigen value problem will therefore be
j dt

Where the Eigen function is eat and a is the Eigen value.

Now, a can assume any values but constrains will be that the value should be related to

the operator W. If we take the Eigen value to be ω+ g (τ ) where g (τ ) is the function of

time instantaneous radial frequency then the corresponding eigen function will be

(4)

We can prove that operator W is Hermitian and therefore, it guarantees that the Eigen

functions are complete and orthogonal.

The Eigen Value problem is therefore

W u ( h, t ) = he jht , h = ω + g (τ ) (5)

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With the solution u(t,a) = cej(ω+g(τ))t , Normalization value can be given by

1 j(ω+g(τ))t
u(t,a) = e . Any signal can hence be expressed in terms of the
2π
complete set of Eigen functions. [5]

(6)

Where is the transform of signal . The Inverse transform can be expressed by

(7)

Thus, the transform of the function with an Eigenfunction is established. In other words,

the change in Fourier operator is perfectly valid, as it does not affect the orthogonality of

the function on which it operates because complex exponentials are always orthogonal.

which is a special case leading to Fourier Transform/Laplace Transform.

The transform equation will therefore look as follows

∞
F(ω,τ ) = ∫ f (t)e− jH (ω,τ )t dt (8)
−∞

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Analysis of this transform can be done using a guassian pulse, as it is band limited. The

above transform helps to incorporate the change in frequency as a function of time lag. If

the change is known, then the entire spectrum can be known analytically at any given

point in time and space.

e(
− t / a)
2

The Transform of the Gaussian Function for all t t is given by the following

−( Ha / 2 )
2
F ( H ) = π v0t0e If the rate of change of ω is known or any other order

of the change is known then we can substitute the value in H and obtain the transform in

frequency and time lag.

Consider an example in Figure 1 where there is a step change in the frequency with time

lapse. Because of the nature of change, signal at the input and the output appear the same.

In such a case, techniques based on signal processing of the received signal (such as

wigner ville distribution, spectrogram etc) cannot be employed, as the shift in the

frequency spectrum never leaves its footprint on the received signal.

This function can be analyzed easily using this technique. As shown in figure 2, the

steady state and the frequency transients can be shown. When the signal is non-stationary

with Instantaneous Frequency (IF), then the joint Time-Frequency-Lag Distribution can

be simultaneously shown with this method. It is shown in the figure 3 which shows

Wigner-Ville Distribution of linear FM signal modulated with gaussain envelope having

the spectrum shift of the figure 1. The Inverse Transform is equally true and can be

applied analytically as follows.

(9)

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Results will be same as shown in the figures except that the time-frequency axis will be

interchanged.

Conclusion:

It has been shown that the frequency transients can be represented analytically in the

Fourier transform. This representation can be used to analyse the transient behaviour of

the system that is not in sinusoidal steady state. Time-Frequency application of such

method is shown and its validity is examined by the eigen value analysis.

References:

[1] D.Gabor, “Theory of Communication,” J. IEE, vol. 93(3),pp. 429-457, November

1946.

[2] Boalem Boashash, “Time Frequency Signal Analysis and Processing: A

Comprehensive Reference,” Elsiver, 2003.

[3] Boalem Boashash, “Estimating and interpreting the instantenous frequency of the

signal-part 1: Fundamentals,” Proc. IEEE, Vol 80, pp. 520-538, April 1992.

[4] L. Cohen, “Time Frequency Distributions,” ,” Proc. IEEE, Vol 77, pp. 941-981, July

1989.

[5] L.Cohen, "Time Frequency Analysis," Englewood Cliffs, N.J ; London PTR Prentice

Hall : Prentice-Hall International (UK), 1995.

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Captions

Figure 1
Caption: A stationary signal passing through the medium having the time-lag
characteristic like a pulse.

Figure 2
Caption: The Frequency Lag distribution showing the frequency transients of the
gaussian signal passing through the medium shown in fig. 1. f (τ ) = 5τ 2

Figure 3

Caption: Joint Time-Frequency-Lag Distribution of the linear FM gaussian modulated

signal.

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Figure 1

Medium under analysis

Input signal f Output signal

τ (Lag)

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Figure 2

The Frequency Transients of the stationary Gaussian signal

The Steady State

Frequency Transients /
and Spectral Shift
The Lag Scale

The frequency Scale

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Figure 3

Joint Time-Frequency-Lag Distribution for a non-stationary Linear FM

Gaussian Envelope Signal

The Delay
τ=5
The Frequency Scale

The delay
τ = 0,10

Interference
Pattern

The Time Scale

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