Sampling rate and aliasing on a virtual laboratory

Mihai Bogdan
University of Lucian Blaga Sibiu, Faculty of Engeneering,
Str. Emil Cioran, no.4, 550025 Sibiu, Romania, E-Mail: mihai.bogdan@ulbsibiu.ro
Abstract – The converting analog input
sampling frequency (which is continuous in
determines the quality of nature) and converting it
the analog signal that is to digital form (which is
converted. Higher discrete in nature). But
sampling frequency adequate number of
achieves better samples must be taken
conversion of the analog from a given analog signal
signals. The minimum in order to effectively
sampling frequency reconstruct it back from Figure 2. Sampling a
required to represent the its samples. The sinusoid at Nyquist
signal should at least be ‘adequate’ number of frequency (Aliased)
twice the maximum samples needed is
As seen in Figure 3,
frequency of the analog determined by the
when the sampling
signal under test (this is Nyquist-Shannon
Figure 1. Aliasing occur frequency is less than the
called the Nyquist rate). theorem. The theorem
when the sampling rate is Nyquist rate, the signal is
In the following virtual states that the perfect
much too low for the aliased to a frequency less
instrument, an example reconstruction of an frequency of an input signal than the original
of sampling is shown. If analog signal is possible
frequency. Perfect
the sampling frequency is when the sampling For a given input reconstruction is observed
equal or less then twice frequency is greater than
twice the maximum signal of bandwidth f 0 , in Figure 4 where the
the frequency of the Nyquist criterion is met.
input signal, a signal of frequency of the signal the sampling frequency
But when sampling
lower frequency is being sampled [2]. f s should be strictly frequency is exactly equal
generated from such a Aliasing is the
greater than 2 f 0 , to to the Nyquist rate the
process (this is called appearance of phantom
reconstructed waveform
aliasing). frequencies when a signal ensure perfect appears as an alias at DC.
The goal of this paper is is not sampled at a high reconstruction of the
to teach students basic enough rate. In films signal from the samples. If
concepts of sampling rate (which are normally f s = 2 f 0 , then f s is
and aliasing, to become sampled at 24 frames per
second) you can often see said to be the Nyquist
familiar with this
the wheels of cars or frequency. It is important
concepts.
stagecoaches slow down, to note that information
stand still, or even appear may be lost if a signal is
Keywords:
to rotate backwards. This sampled exactly at the
sampling, aliasing,
is aliasing [4]. Nyquist frequency. For
virtual instrument.
The next figure illustrates example, the sine wave in
how aliasing would occur Figure 2 has a frequency Figure 3. Sampling at fs < 2f
when the sampling rate is of 1/2 Hz. The Nyquist
I. INTRODUCTION
much too low for the frequency is therefore 1
frequency of an input Hz. If we sample the sine
The analysis of
signal. The solid curve wave at a rate of 1 Hz, say
real world signals is
represents the analog at t=0, t=1, t=2, and so on,
a fundamental
signal at a comparatively all the sample values
problem for many selected will be 0. The
engineers and high frequency. Circles
show where samples were signal will look as if it
scientists, especially were identically 0, and no
for electrical taken at a relatively low
sampling rate. The dotted reconstruction method
engineers since will be able to recreate the
almost every real line illustrates the Figure 4. Sampling at fs
apparent frequency of the 1/2 Hz sine wave. This
world signal is > 2f
changed into sampled waveform, indicates that f s > 2 f 0 is
electrical signals [1]. completing about two a strict condition to be The alias frequency is the
Sampling is the cycles in the period that met. absolute value of the
process of converting an the original signal difference between the
input from a continuous completed 20 cycles. frequency of the input
form to a discrete form. In signal and the closest
reference to integer multiple of the
instrumentation this sampling rate.
generally means
For example, assume the
sampling frequency, fs, is
100 Hz. Also assume that
the input signal contains
the following frequencies:
25 Hz, 70 Hz, 160 Hz, and
510 Hz, as shown in the
following illustration.
Frequencies below the
Nyquist frequency (fs/2 =
50 Hz) are sampled
correctly, as shown in the
following illustration.
Frequencies above the
Nyquist frequency appear
as aliases. For example,
F1 (25 Hz) appears at the
correct frequency, but F2
(70 Hz), F3 (160 Hz), and
F4 (510 Hz) have aliases
at 30 Hz, 40 Hz, and 10
Hz, respectively.
Use the following
equation to calculate
the alias frequency:
Alias Freq. = ABS
(Closest Int. Mult. of
Sampling Freq. –
Input Freq.)
where ABS means
the absolute value.
For example,
Alias F2 = |100 – 70|
= 30 Hz
Alias F3 = |(2)100 –
160| = 40 Hz
Alias F4 = |(5)100 –
510| = 10 Hz
To be completely (Figure 6) above. Practical
sure that the anti-aliasing filters pass
frequency content of all frequencies < f1 and cut
the input signal is off all frequencies > f2.
limited, a lowpass The region between f1 and
filter (a filter that f2 is known as the
passes low transition band, which
frequencies but contains a gradual
attenuates the high attenuation of the input
frequencies) is frequencies. Although you
added before the want to pass only signals
ADC. This filter is with frequencies < f1, the
called an anti-alias signals in the transition
filter because it band could still cause
prevents the aliasing aliasing.
components from Therefore, in practice, you
being sampled by should use a sampling
attenuating the frequency greater than
higher frequencies two times the highest
(greater than frequency in the transition
Nyquist). band. Because this
Anti-aliasing filters sampling frequency turns
Figure 7.The Front Panel of
are analog filters. out to be more than two VI
The following times the maximum input
illustration shows an frequency (f1), you might
ideal anti-alias filter. see that the sampling rate
is more than twice the
maximum input
frequency.
II. THE VIRTUAL
INSTRUMENT
Figure 8. The Block
This section presents
Diagram of VI
the virtual instrument
programs that were The next figures shows
Figure 5. Ideal Anti-alias developed to help students
Filter examples of a 5 Hz
for demonstrate the sinusoid sampled at
concept of proper and various frequencies. In
improper sampling, as Figure 9, the sampling
discussed above. frequency is 10 times the
Figure 7 and 8 analog signal frequency,
present the Front Panel or 50 Hz. It can be seen
and the Block Diagram of that the original signal can
the VI. be exactly reconstructed
from the samples. The
signal in Figure 9 has
been properly sampled.
Figure 6. Practical Anti-
alias Filter In, Figure 10 the sampling
frequency is 2,5 times the
An ideal anti-aliasing analog signal frequency.
filter passes all the desired This example is more
input frequencies (below complicated since the
f1) and cuts off all the signal cannot be exactly
undesired frequencies reconstructed by simply
(above f1). However, an connecting the sample
ideal anti-aliasing filter is points. However, the
not physically possible. In samples actually
practice, filters look as correspond to only one
shown in illustration analog signal since no
other sinusoid or
combination of sinusoids
will produce this pattern.
Therefore, the signal in
Figure 10 can be said to
have proper sampling. In
Figure 11, the sampling
frequency is 1,25 times
the analog frequency. In
this example, not only do
we have difficulty
reconstructing the analog
signal, but we have also
constructed a different
sine wave from the
original analog signal.
This phenomenon of
signals changing
frequency after sampling
is called aliasing. This
signal has most certainly
been improperly sampled.
Figure 9. Reconstructing an
Analog Signal of 5 Hz.
(Sample Frequency = 10
times analog frequency)
this is easy, because a sine computer will be
wave only contains one sufficiently true to the
frequency. However, a original.
square wave contains •Frequencies at least
many higher frequency above theNyquist
components in addition to frequency will be
its fundamental repetition eliminate before sampling,
frequency. You can see in order to avoid aliasing.
this on the Frequency
Spectrum.
REFERENCES
[1] M. Bogdan, M. Panu, A.
Viorel, Teaching data
acquisition on a virtual
laboratory, the 4th
Balkan Region
Conference on
Engineering Education,
ISSN 1843-6730, 12-14
Iulie, Sibiu, 2007.
[2] National Instruments
Figure 10. Reconstructing
an Analog Signal of 5 Hz. “LabVIEW Graphical
(Sample Frequency = 2,5 Progra-mming Course”,
times analog frequency) 2007.
[3] M. Bogdan, M. Panu,
On the quantization of
analogue signals, Acta
Universitatiss
Cibiniensis, Vol. XXXII,
ISSN 1221-4930, Sibiu,
1999.
[4] Analog Sampling
Basics, available at:
http://
zone.ni.com/devzone/cda
/tut/p/id/3016.
If data is taken at a
certain sampling rate and
the continuous signal
frequency is below the
Nyquist frequency, the
signal can be properly
reconstructed from the
samples and the frequency
of the digitized signal will
match the frequency of
the continuous signal.
Figure 11. Reconstructing
However, when the
an Analog Signal of 5 Hz.
(Sample Frequency = 1,25 continuous signal
times analog frequency) frequency is above the
Nyquist rate, aliasing
changes the frequency
IV. CONCLUSIONS into something that can be
represented in the sampled
As a result of the data.
sampling theorem, a Whenever you are
digital signal cannot sampling, always make
contain frequencies above sure that:
one-half the sampling rate •The sampling frequency
or Nyquist frequency. If is high enough so that the
you are using a sine wave, sampled signal in the