CHAPTER FOUR:

FREQUENCY RESPONSE

4.1 Introduction
This chapter addresses one such
alternative description, based on the
transformations of periodic input
signals effected by LTI (LSI) systems.

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 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE

4.1 Introduction
Frequency response is the measure of any
system's spectrum response at the output to a
signal of varying frequency (but constant
amplitude) at its input. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Frequency response is a specification used in

amplifiers, pre-amplifiers, CD players, tape decks
and other audio components to measure how
uniformly it reproduces sounds from the lowest
tones to the highest. (By Gary Altunian, About.com)
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 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE

4.1 Introduction
Example of Biomedical engineering
perspective of the transformation properties of
a system :
The Auditory Evoked Potential (AEP) is a wave
that is recorded in an Electroencephalogram
(EEG) lead in response to an auditory click.

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 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.1 Introduction
Auditory Evoked Response is a response to
an acoustic stimulus. The response, seen as
waveforms, is often referred to in three sections:
•Brainstem response
•Middle latency (early cortical) response
•Late cortical response
The Brainstem response waves occur within the first 10 ms after the click
stimulus. These responses are relative insensitive to general
anaesthetics. The Middle latency waves occur 10 to 80 ms after the click
stimulus. They show graded changes with general anaesthetics over the
clinical concentration range. The late cortical changes occur 80 ms after
the click stimulus and later.
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 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.1 Introduction

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 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE

4.2 Frequency Response of LTI (LSI)

Systems
Up to now the discussion has been on
discrete-time signals. As a matter of
fact, most the discussion so far also
applies to systems (assumed to be LTI
or LSI). However there are some
differences, e.g. the meaning of time
convolution. 6
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.2 Frequency Response of LTI (LSI)
Systems
A system is characterized by its impulse
h(n) is
∞

H(ω)=∑ h(n)e −jωn

n=−∞

And the inverse is

 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE

4.2 Frequency Response

H(ω) is called the frequency response or
frequency characteristic of the system. It
is the frequency characterization of the
system where as the impulse response is
the time characterization.
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.2 Frequency Response
Now we use the time convolution property (or
convolution theorem) to map the output y(n) in
time domain to its transform Y(ω) in the
frequency domain

Or
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE

4.2 Frequency Response

Figure 1: Mapping time domain to frequency domain using the time

convolution property
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.2 Frequency Response
The frequency response H(ω) is
usually a complex quantity, so we write

where

and
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.2 Frequency Response

are, respectively, the magnitude

response and the phase response. If the
impulse response h(n) is real-valued
then,
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.2 Frequency Response
The frequency response of a system
exists if the system is bounded-input
bounded-output (BIBO) stable,
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.2 Frequency Response

Solution:
First the impulse response h(n) is just the output y(n) when the input is
x(n)=δ(n)
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.2 Frequency Response
hence the frequency response of the system
is
( )A

The system
is a low-pass
filter.
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.2 Frequency Response

Solution:
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.2 Frequency Response

Euler’s Formula
ejx=cos x + j sin x
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.2 Frequency Response : Result
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.2 Frequency Response
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.2 Frequency Response
For the magnitude response ∣H(ω)∣∣ we’d
better not go from these two
components, but rather from the original
expression of H(ω):

Then
The phase response is
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.3 Generalized Frequency Response
Eigen-function and eigen-value in DSP
systems
Here, the idea is to find a signal which
preserves its time identity when going
through a system. Let’s start with a discrete
cosine
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.3 Generalized Frequency Response
Eigen-function and eigen-value in DSP
systems
The corresponding signal out of a system
represented by the impulse response h(n)
is
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.3 Generalized Frequency Response
Eigen-function and eigen-value in DSP
systems

Now let’s test with a complex exponential

 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.3 Generalized Frequency Response
Eigen-function and eigen-value in DSP
systems

The output is
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.3 Generalized Frequency Response
Eigen-function and eigen-value in DSP
systems
So the input exponential appears wholly at
the output, its time variation does not
change. The factor in brackets is just the
frequency response H(ω), so
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.3 Generalized Frequency Response
Eigen-function and eigen-value in DSP
systems
In the mathematical language H(ω) is the
eigen-value and the eigen-function.

Actually, the phase of the input signal

has been change. For this we write
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.4 Frequency response of systems in
cascade or in parallel
In various situations filters are connected in
cascade or in parallel. Section has presented this
matter with respect to system impulse responses.
Now we treat the problem with respect to
frequency responses. By using the associativity
and the distributivity of impulse responses, and
the convolution theorem of DTFT we can obtain
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.4 Frequency response of systems in
cascade or in parallel
Systems in cascade

Systems in parallel
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.4 Frequency response of systems in
cascade or in parallel
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.5 Frequency response in terms of filter
coefficients
From the difference equation of general linear
filter

For input the output is

 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.5 Frequency response in terms of filter
coefficients
We replace this into the difference equation:

Thus
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.5 Frequency response in terms of filter
coefficients
Notice that if the signal difference equation is written
differently (as some authors do) the above expression for
H(ω) does not apply.
When we know the coefficients of a filter we can write the
expression of its frequency response immediately.
Conversely, if we know the expression of the frequency
response of a system we can write its difference equation.
Also notice that for nonrecursive filter, the denominator
is just 1.
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE

4.5 Frequency response in terms of filter

coefficients
The normal way to compute the frequency
response in to express it as a rational function
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.5 Frequency response in terms of filter
coefficients
The magnitude and phase responses are then
given respectively by
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.5 Frequency response in terms of filter
coefficients
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.5 Frequency response in terms of filter
coefficients
Solution:
The difference equation the IIR filter is
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.5 Frequency response in terms of filter
coefficients
Because all the coefficients are real hence we can
quickly find the expressions for the real and
imaginary parts:
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.5 Frequency response in terms of filter
coefficients

These two components lead to the magnitude and

phase spectra:

The Matlab spectra are shown if Figure 9. We can

see the highpass characteristic of the filter with
transition frequency at π/2.
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4.5 Frequency response in terms of filter
coefficients
 CHAPTER FOUR:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
Summary
This chapter addresses one such alternative description,
based on the transformations of periodic input signals
effected by LTI (LSI) systems. H(ω) is called the frequency
response or frequency characteristic of the system. It is
the frequency characterization of the system where as the
impulse response is the time characterization. A system is
characterized by its impulse h(n) is
∞

H(ω)=∑ h(n)e −jωn

n=−∞

Phase = Magnitude =