BIT3
Telecommunications I
ELE-TEL311
Lesson 5: Signals
T. Namaona, Lecturer in Telecommunications Engineering
Intended learning outcomes
By the end of this lesson, a student should be able to:
• define what is meant by the term signal;
• classify signals.
Reference materials
• Hsu, H.P. Schaum's outlines of theory and problems of signals and
systems
Outline
• Definition
• Properties/classification of signals
Definition
❑Signal - a voltage or current varied over time in order to
encode and transmit information.
❑It is represented as a mathematical function of either time
f(t) or frequency F(ω).
Properties/classification of signals
• Continuous/Discrete;
• Digital/Analog
• Even/Odd;
• Energy/Power;
• Real/Complex;
• Deterministic/Random;
• Periodic/Aperiodic
Classification of Signals
Continuous and discrete - time signals
❑A continuous – time signal, a signal that is specified for every value
of time t.
❑A discrete – time signal, a signal that is specified only at discrete
values of t.
❑Often identified as a sequence of numbers, denoted by Xn or x[n], where n =
integer.
Analogue and digital signals
❑Analogue signal – a signal whose amplitude can take on any value in
a continuous interval (a, b) where a may be -∞ and b may be +∞.
❑Digital signal – a signal whose amplitude can only assume a finite
number of values, normally coded in binary form (0, 1).
Deterministic and Random Signals
❑Deterministic signals are those signals whose values are completely
specified for any given time i.e. the signal is completely known in
either mathematical form or graphical description.
❑Random signals are those signals that take random values at any
given time i.e the signal is known only in probabilistic description.
Even and odd signals
❑A signal x(t) or x(n) is referred to as an even signal if
x(t) =x(-t)
x(n) =x(-n)
❑A signal x(t) or x(n) is referred to as an odd signal if
x(t) = -x(-t)
x(n) =-x(-n)
❑The graph of an even function is always symmetrical about the
vertical axis.
❑The graph of an odd function is always symmetrical about the
origin.
❑Sin function = odd function
❑Cos function= even function
• Sketch each function and then determine whether each function is
odd or even:
[Link]
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❑Any signal x(t) or x[n] can be expressed as a sum of two signals, one
of which is even and one of which is odd.
❑where
Example
• 1) Let 𝑥 𝑘 be
• Find 𝑥e[k] and 𝑥o[k].
Periodic and Aperiodic (non periodic) signals
❑A signal is a periodic signal if it completes a pattern within a
measurable time frame, called a period and repeats that pattern
over identical subsequent periods.
❑A signal g(t) is said to be periodic if for some positive constant To ,
g(t)=g(t + To ) for all t
❑the smallest value of To that satisfies the above condition is the period of the function.
• A popular example of a periodic signal is the sinusoid
Consider a signal z(t) defined as
z(t) = x 1(t)+x 2(t)
Where, x1(t) = x 1(t+nT 1) & x 2(t) = x 2(t+mT 2)
z(t) = x 1(t+nT 1)+ x 2(t+mT 2)
Z(t) is periodic with period T if
Period T = nT 1 = mT 2
Examples
Determine whether or not each of the following signals is periodic .If
a signal is periodic determine its fundamental period.
π
𝑥 𝑡 = cos(𝑡 + )
4
π π
𝑥 𝑡 = cos 𝑡 + 𝑠𝑖𝑛 t
3 4
• Solution 1
• Solution 2
Real and Complex Signals
❑A real signal is a signal whose values are real numbers.
❑A complex signal is a signal whose values are complex (α+jβ).
Energy and Power Signals
❑Energy Signals: an energy signal is a signal with finite energy and zero
average power.
❑Energy of a signal is the area under the squared signal.
0<E<, and so P=0.
❑Power Signals: a power signal is a signal with infinite energy but
finite average power.
IN SUMMARY
❑x(t) is said to be an energy signal if and only if 0 < E < ∞, and so P =
0.
❑x(t) is said to be a power signal if and only if 0 < P < ∞, and E = ∞.
❑ Signals that satisfy neither property are referred to as neither
energy signals nor power signals.
Example
Determine whether the following signals are energy signals, power
signals, or neither.
𝒙 𝒕 = 𝒕𝒖 𝒕
𝒙 𝒕 = 𝒆−𝒂𝒕 𝒖(𝒕)
THANK YOU
