RIPHAH INTERNATIONAL

UNIVERSITY

Signals And Systems

Dr. Faraz Akram

Agenda

• What is a system
• Interconnection of Systems
– Cascade
– Parallel
• System properties
– Memory
– Causality
– Invertibility
– Linearity
– Time invariance
– Stability
• Linear time-invariant systems
• Impulse response of the system
Systems
What is System?
• System is a device or combination of devices, which can operate on
signals and produces corresponding response.

• Input to a system is called as excitation and output from it is called

as response.

• For one or more inputs, the system can have one or more outputs.
• Systems process input signals to produce output signals

• Examples:
– A circuit involving a capacitor can be viewed as a system that
transforms the source voltage (signal) to the voltage (signal) across the
capacitor
– A CD player takes the signal on the CD and transforms it into a signal
sent to the loud speaker
– A communication system is generally composed of three sub-systems,
the transmitter, the channel and the receiver. The channel typically
attenuates and adds noise to the transmitted signal which must be
processed by the receiver.
– Signal processors in scientific or medical equipment or in audio/video
devices
An RC lowpass filter is a simple electrical system.
It is excited by a voltage vin ( t ) and responds with a
voltage vout ( t ) . It can be viewed or modeled as a
single-input, single-output system
How is a System Represented?

• A system takes a signal as an input and transforms it into another signal

• A system is any physical device, process or computer algorithm that

transforms input signals into output signals

Input signal Output signal

System
𝑥(𝑡) 𝑦(𝑡)

𝑦 𝑡 =𝑇 𝑥 𝑡

Transformation
Continuous-Time and Discrete-Time Systems
• A system is continuous-time if the input and output signals are
continuous-time.
• It is discrete-time if the input and output signals are discrete-time
Interconnection of Systems
Series/Cascade
x y
System 1 System 2

Parallel
System 1
x y
+
System 2

Feedback x y
+ System 1

System 2
Properties of Systems
1) Systems with and without Memory
• When the output of a system depends on the past and/or future
input, the system is said to have a memory. For example

𝑦 𝑡 = 𝑥 𝑡 − 𝑥 𝑡 − 1 + 𝑥(𝑡 + 2)

Present past future

• A memoryless system is one in which the current output depends

only on the current input; it does not depend on the past or future
inputs. e.g.
2
𝑦 𝑡 = 𝑥 𝑡
Examples: Memoryless

Are these system memoryless?

𝑦[𝑛] = 2𝑥 𝑛 − 𝑥 2 𝑛 2
Yes

𝑦(𝑡) = 𝑥(𝑡) − 𝑥(𝑡 − 1) No

𝑦 𝑡 = 𝑢 𝑡 + 𝑢(𝑡 + 2) No

1
𝑦𝑛 = 𝑥 𝑛 + 𝑥 𝑛 − 1 + 𝑥[𝑛 − 2] No
3
2) Causal and Non-Causal Systems

• A causal system is one whose output at any time depends only on

values of the input at the present time and in the past.
• It does not depend on future values

e.g.
𝑦 𝑡 = 𝑥 𝑡 − 𝑥(𝑡 − 1)

• Every physical system is causal. The motion of a car is causal since it

does not expect the future actions of the driver.

• Causality is a necessary condition for a system to be realized in the

real world we live in. Causal systems are physically realizable.
Examples: Causality

Are these system causal?

𝑦(𝑡) = 𝑥(𝑡 + 1) − 𝑥(𝑡) Noncausal system

𝑦(𝑡) = 𝑥(𝑡) − 𝑥(𝑡 − 1) Causal system

𝑦 𝑡 = 𝑢 𝑡 + 𝑢(𝑡 + 2) Noncausal system

𝑦[𝑛] = 𝑥[𝑛] + 𝑥[𝑛 − 5] Causal system

Examples: Causality
• When checking the causality of a system, it is important to look
carefully at the input-output relation.
• e.g. Is this system causal?
𝑦 𝑛 = 𝑥[−𝑛]

For positive 𝑛 , say 3

𝑦 3 = 𝑥[−3] A past value is
used

For negative 𝑛 , say −3

𝑦 −3 = 𝑥[3] A future value is
used

Hence the system is not causal

3) Invertibility and Inverse Systems
• A system is invertible if the input signal can be recovered from the
output signal.

𝑦(𝑡)
System Inverse system
𝑥(𝑡) 𝑥(𝑡)
(𝑆) (𝑆 −1 )

If the system is
𝑦(𝑡) = 2𝑥(𝑡)
inverse system is
1
𝑦(𝑡) = 𝑥(𝑡)
2
Invertible or not?

𝑦 𝑡 = 𝑥(𝑡) 2
4) Linear and Nonlinear Systems
20
• A system is called linear if it satisfies the following two
mathematical properties:
– Additivity and
– Scaling

𝑇 𝑥1 (𝑡) + 𝑥2 (𝑡) = 𝑇 𝑥1 (𝑡) + 𝑇 𝑥2 (𝑡) Additivity/Superposition

property

𝑇 𝑎𝑥(𝑡) = 𝑎𝑇 𝑥(𝑡) = 𝑎𝑦(𝑡) Scaling/Homogeneity

property

Linearity (additivity + homogeneity)

𝑇 𝑎𝑥1 (𝑡) + 𝑏𝑥2 (𝑡) = 𝑎𝑇 𝑥1 (𝑡) + 𝑏𝑇 𝑥2 (𝑡)
𝑇 𝑎𝑥1 (𝑡) + 𝑏𝑥2 (𝑡) = 𝑎𝑦1 (𝑡) + 𝑏𝑦2 (𝑡)
Additivity

𝑇 𝑥1 (𝑡) + 𝑥2 (𝑡) = 𝑇 𝑥1 (𝑡) + 𝑇 𝑥2 (𝑡)

𝑥1 (𝑡) + 𝑥2 (𝑡)
𝑥1 (𝑡) System 𝑦(𝑡)
𝑥2 (𝑡)

𝑦1 (𝑡)
𝑥1 (𝑡) System
𝑦(𝑡)
𝑦2 (𝑡)
𝑥2 (𝑡) System
Scaling

𝑇 𝑎𝑥(𝑡) = 𝑎𝑇 𝑥(𝑡) = 𝑎𝑦(𝑡)

𝑥(𝑡) System 𝑦(𝑡)

𝑥(𝑡) System 𝑦(𝑡)

𝑎
Example-1: Linearity
• The system is linear or not
𝑦 𝑡 = 𝑡 2 𝑥(𝑡) Linear

Additivity
𝑇 𝑥1 (𝑡) + 𝑥2 (𝑡) = 𝑇 𝑥1 (𝑡) + 𝑇 𝑥2 (𝑡)

𝑡 2 𝑥1 (𝑡) + 𝑥2 (𝑡) = 𝑡 2 𝑥1 𝑡 + 𝑡 2 𝑥2 𝑡

𝑡 2 𝑥1 𝑡 + 𝑡 2 𝑥2 𝑡 = 𝑡 2 𝑥1 𝑡 + 𝑡 2 𝑥2 𝑡

Homogeneity
𝑇 𝑎𝑥(𝑡) = 𝑎𝑇 𝑥(𝑡)
𝑡 2 𝑎𝑥 𝑡 = 𝑎 𝑡 2 𝑥 𝑡

𝐿𝐻𝑆 = 𝑅𝐻𝑆
Example-2: Linearity
• The system is linear or not
𝑦 𝑡 = 𝑥 2 (𝑡) nonlinear

Additivity
2
𝑇 𝑥1 (𝑡) + 𝑥2 (𝑡) = 𝑥1 (𝑡) + 𝑥2 (𝑡)
= 𝑥1 2 𝑡 + 𝑥2 2 𝑡 + 2𝑥1 (𝑡)𝑥2 (𝑡)
≠ 𝑥1 2 𝑡 + 𝑥2 2 𝑡

Homogeneity
𝑇 𝑎 𝑥(𝑡) = 𝑎𝑥(𝑡) 2

= 𝑎2 𝑥 2 𝑡

≠ 𝑎𝑥 2 𝑡
Example-3: Linearity
• The system is linear or not
𝑦 𝑡 = 3𝑥 𝑡 + 2 nonlinear

Additivity
𝑇 𝑥1 (𝑡) + 𝑥2 (𝑡) = 𝑇 𝑥1 (𝑡) + 𝑇 𝑥2 (𝑡)
3 𝑥1 (𝑡) + 𝑥2 (𝑡) + 2 = 3𝑥1 𝑡 + 2 + 3𝑥2 𝑡 + 2

3𝑥1 𝑡 + 3𝑥2 (𝑡) + 2 = 3𝑥1 𝑡 + 3𝑥2 (𝑡) + 4

Homogeneity
𝑇 𝑎 𝑥(𝑡) = 𝑎𝑇 𝑥(𝑡)
3𝑎𝑥 𝑡 + 2 = 𝑎 3𝑥 𝑡 + 2

3𝑎𝑥 𝑡 + 2 = 3𝑎𝑥 𝑡 + 2𝑎
Time-Varying and Time-Invariant Systems
• In a time-invariant system, a time shift (advance or delay) in the
input signal leads to the time shift in the output signal.

𝑥 𝑡 − 𝑡0 → 𝑦 𝑡 − 𝑡0
Example-1: Time Invariance
• The system is time invariant or not
𝑦 𝑡 = 10𝑥(𝑡)

Time Invariance

𝑇 𝑥(𝑡 − 𝑡0 ) = 𝑦(𝑡 − 𝑡0 )

10𝑥(𝑡 − 𝑡0 ) = 10𝑥(𝑡 − 𝑡0 )

Time-invariant
Example-2: Time Invariance
• The system is time invariant or not
𝑦 𝑡 = 3𝑥 2 𝑡 𝑢(𝑡)

Time Invariance

𝑇 𝑥(𝑡 − 𝑡0 ) = 𝑦(𝑡 − 𝑡0 )

3𝑥 2 𝑡 − 𝑡0 𝑢(𝑡) = 3𝑥 2 𝑡 − 𝑡0 𝑢(𝑡 − 𝑡0 )

Time-varying
Example-3: Time Invariance
• The system is time invariant or not
𝑦[𝑛] = 𝑛𝑥[𝑛]

Time Invariance

𝑇 𝑥(𝑛 − 𝑛0 ) = 𝑦(𝑛 − 𝑛0 )

𝑛 − 𝑛0 𝑥[𝑛 − 𝑛0 ] = 𝑦(𝑛 − 𝑛0 )
𝑛𝑥 𝑛 − 𝑛0 − 𝑛0 𝑥 𝑛 − 𝑛0 = 𝑦(𝑛 − 𝑛0 )

𝑛𝑥 𝑛 − 𝑛0 − 𝑛0 𝑥 𝑛 − 𝑛0 = 𝑦(𝑛 − 𝑛0 )

Time-varying
Stability
• A system is stable in the bounded-input, bounded-output (BIBO) sense if and
only if every bounded input produces bounded output.
• A system is said to be unstable if bounded input produces
unbounded output

The input 𝑥[𝑛] is bounded, if there exists a fixed positive finite value 𝐵𝑥 such that

𝑥 𝑛 < 𝐵𝑥 < ∞

Stability requires that, for every bounded input, there exists a fixed positive value 𝐵𝑦
such that
𝑦 𝑛 < 𝐵𝑦 < ∞

• Are these systems stable?

• 𝑦 𝑛 = 𝑥[𝑛] 2
• 𝑦 𝑛 = log(|𝑥 𝑛 |)
• 𝑦 𝑡 = 𝑥(−𝑡)
 Linear Time-Invariant (LTI) Systems

LTI system: A system which is linear and is time-invariant

Impulse Response

• The response of a LTI system to a unit impulse is called

the system’s impulse response and is denoted as 𝒉(𝒕).

Input signal Output signal

System
𝛿(𝑡) ℎ(𝑡)

Unit impulse Impulse Response

• The impulse response (ℎ(𝑡)/ℎ[𝑛]) provides the complete description
of an LTI system

𝑥(𝑡) 𝑦(𝑡)
ℎ(𝑡)

𝑥[𝑛] 𝑦[𝑛]
ℎ[𝑛]
LTI Systems
Impulse response:
A system's impulse response ℎ[𝑛] is defined as the output signal that results when an
impulse 𝛿[𝑛] is applied to the system input.

Why is this useful?

It allows us to predict what the system's output will look like in the time domain.

For LTI systems:

∞

𝑦 𝑛 = ෍ 𝑥 𝑘 ℎ 𝑛−𝑘
𝑘=−∞
Convolution
or

𝑦 𝑛 = 𝑥 𝑛 ∗ ℎ[𝑛]

Given ℎ[𝑛] it is possible to use this equation to compute the output 𝑦[𝑛] due to any
input 𝑥[𝑛]
Any discrete sequence can be represented as a sum of scaled,
delayed impulses

𝑥 𝑛 = 𝑎−3 𝛿 𝑛 + 3 + 𝑎−2 𝛿 𝑛 + 2 + ⋯ + 𝑎−5 𝛿[𝑛 + 5]

More generally
∞

𝑥 𝑛 = ෍ 𝑥 𝑘 𝛿[𝑛 − 𝑘]
𝑘=−∞
Decomposition of DT signal
Example

A sequence 𝑥[𝑛] is shown below. Express 𝑥[𝑛] as a linear

combination of weighted and delayed unit impulses.

𝑥[𝑛] = −2𝛿[𝑛 + 3] − 𝛿[𝑛] + 3𝛿[𝑛 − 1] + 2𝛿[𝑛 − 3]

• Consider the product of a signal 𝑥[𝑛] and the impulse sequence
𝛿[𝑛] written as
𝑥 𝑛 𝛿 𝑛 =𝑥 0𝛿 𝑛

• Generalize this relationship to the product of 𝑥 𝑛 and time-shifted

impulse sequence

𝑥 𝑛 = ⋯ + 𝑥 −2 𝛿 𝑛 + 2 + 𝑥 −1 𝛿 𝑛 + 1 + 𝑥 0 𝛿 𝑛
+𝑥 1 𝛿 𝑛 − 1 + 𝑥 2 𝛿 𝑛 − 2 + ⋯

𝑥 𝑛 = ෍ 𝑥 𝑘 𝛿 𝑛−𝑘
𝑘=−∞
• Output of a system is defined as

𝑦[𝑛] = 𝑇 𝑥[𝑛]

• From previous slide: 𝑥 𝑛 = σ∞

𝑘=−∞ 𝑥 𝑘 𝛿 𝑛 − 𝑘

𝑦[𝑛] = 𝑇 ෍ 𝑥 𝑘 𝛿 𝑛−𝑘
𝑘=−∞
Now using linearity property (if the system is LTI)

𝑦[𝑛] = ෍ 𝑥 𝑘 𝑇 𝛿 𝑛 − 𝑘
𝑘=−∞

Where 𝑇 𝛿 𝑛 − 𝑘 is the response of the system to a time-shifted impulse

• Further if we consider the system to be time-invariant, then a time-
shift in the impulse results in a time shift in the output.
• i.e. output due to a time-shifted impulse is a time-shifted version of
the output due to an impulse.

𝑦[𝑛] = ෍ 𝑥 𝑘 h 𝑛 − 𝑘
𝑘=−∞

Thus the output of an LTI system is given by a weighted sum of time-

shifted impulse responses.

∞
Convolution 𝑦 𝑛 =𝑥 𝑛 ∗ℎ 𝑛 = ෍ 𝑥 𝑘 h 𝑛−𝑘
Sum 𝑘=−∞