AL FURAT AL AWSAT TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

NAJAF COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL COMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING

DIGITAL SIGNAL PROCESSING

3rd YEAR

Academic Responsible

HAYDER S. RASHID

2015/2016
H S Rashid (Lecture3) DSP The Convolution Sum
Academic Year 2015/2016 for DT LTI Systems

Representation of an arbitrary sequence

Any arbitrary sequence x[n] can be represented in terms of delayed and scaled impulse
sequence δ[n] as shown in the figure

Example

Represent the sequence x[n] = {4, 2, -1, 1, 3, 2, 1, 5} as sum of shifted unit impulse.

Solution Given x[n] = {4, 2, -1, 1, 3, 2, 1, 5}; n = -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4

x[n] = x[-3]δ[n+3] + 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[3]
δ[n-3] + x[4] δ[n-4] = 4 δ[n+3] +2 δ[n+2] - δ[n-1] + δ[n] +3 δ[n-1] + 2 δ[n-2] + δ[n-3] +5 δ[n-4]

Discrete time LTI systems: The convolution sum

The convolution sum representation of LTI systems
Consider a discrete LTI system with input

x[n] = ∑+∞
𝑘=−∞ 𝑥[𝑘]𝛿[𝑛 − 𝑘].

According to the definition of linearity, the response (output) of the system to the signal x[n] =
∑+∞
𝑘=−∞ 𝑥[𝑘]𝛿[𝑛 − 𝑘], (which is a linear combination of shifted unit impulses δ[n-k]) is equal to

the sum of the scaled responses of the system to each of the shifted unit impulses. If we denote
the response of the system to the shifted unit impulse δ[n- k] with hk[n], then the response to the

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H S Rashid (Lecture3) DSP The Convolution Sum
Academic Year 2015/2016 for DT LTI Systems

input x[n] will be y[n] = ∑+∞

𝑘=−∞ 𝑥[𝑘]ℎ𝑘 [𝑛]. Note that h0[n] will be the response (output) of the

system to the unshifted impulse δ[n]. Moreover, according to the definition of time-invariance
the condition hk[n] = h0[n-k] holds. For simplicity we drop the subscript on h0[n] and define the
so called impulse response (or unit impulse response) h[n] = h0[n], that is the response of the
system when the input is the unit impulse δ[n]. We then conclude that for an LTI system we have

y[n] = ∑+∞
𝒌=−∞ 𝒙[𝒌]𝒉[𝒏 − 𝒌]

The above function y[n] is the convolution sum or superposition sum of the sequences x[n] and
h[n]. This operation is represented symbolically as x[n]*h[n]. From the above result we see that
an LTI system is completely characterized by its response to the unit impulse. Note also that

y[n] = ∑+∞ +∞
𝒌=−∞ 𝒙[𝒌]𝒉[𝒏 − 𝒌] = ∑𝒌=−∞ 𝒙[𝒏 − 𝒌]𝒉[𝒌]

n = n1 + n2 -1
Where n1 = number of samples of x(n), n2 = number of samples of h(n), and n = total number of
samples.
The basic idea behind convolution is to use the system’s response to a simple input signal to
calculate the response to more complex signals.
Graphical method:

The convolution sum of two sequences can be found by using the following steps:

1. Choose an initial value of n, the starting time for evaluating the output sequence y[n]. If
x[n] starts at n = n1 and h[n] starts at n = n2 then n = n1 + n2 is a good choice.
2. Express both sequences in terms of the index k.
3. Fold (flip) h[k] about k = 0 to obtain h[-k] and shift by n to the right if n is positive and
left if n is negative to obtain h[n-k].
4. Multiply the two sequences x[k] and h[n-k] element by element and sum up the products
to get y[n].
5. Increment the index n, shift the sequence h[n-k] to right by one sample and do step4.
6. Repeat step5 until the sum of products is zero for all the remaining values of n.

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H S Rashid (Lecture3) DSP The Convolution Sum
Academic Year 2015/2016 for DT LTI Systems

Example

Using graphical and direct method find y[n] if the input x[n] = {3, 1, 2} and h[n] = {3, 2, 1}.
The bold number shows where n=0.
Solution:

3x3=9

2x3+3x1=9

1x3+2x1+3x2=11

0x3+1x1+2x2+3x0=5

0x3+0x1+1x2+2x0=2

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H S Rashid (Lecture3) DSP The Convolution Sum
Academic Year 2015/2016 for DT LTI Systems

Direct method
y[n] = ∑+∞
𝑘=−∞ 𝑥[𝑘]ℎ[𝑛 − 𝑘]

x[n] = {3, 1, 2} , h[n] = {3, 2, 1}

Total no. of samples n = n1 + n2 -1 = 3 +3 -1 = 5 samples

Table lookup method

Continuous time LTI systems: The convolution integral

The convolution integral representation of LTI systems
+∞
Consider a continuous LTI system with input x(t) = ∫−∞ x(τ)δ(t − τ)dτ. Following
analysis similar to that of discrete systems, it is straightforward to show that the output of the
system is given as
+∞ +∞
y(t) = ∫−∞ 𝑥(𝜏)ℎ(𝑡 − 𝜏)𝑑𝜏 = ∫−∞ 𝑥(𝑡 − 𝜏)ℎ(𝜏)𝑑𝜏

with h(t) the response of the system when the input is the continuous unit impulse δ(t).

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H S Rashid (Lecture3) DSP The Convolution Sum
Academic Year 2015/2016 for DT LTI Systems

The above is the convolution integral or superposition integral and the operation on the
right hand side is known as the convolution of the signals x(t) and h(t). This operation is
represented symbolically as in the discrete case with x(t)∗h(t).

Basic Properties of DT Convolution

1- Commutativity
Convolution is a commutative operation, meaning signals can be convolved in any order.

x(n)∗ h(n) = h(n)∗ x(n)

This quite naturally is true of the convolution sums themselves, as well.

∑+∞ +∞
𝑘=−∞ 𝑥[𝑘]ℎ[𝑛 − 𝑘] = ∑𝑘=−∞ ℎ[𝑘]𝑥[𝑛 − 𝑘]

2- Associativity
Convolution is associative, meaning that convolution operations in series can be done in any
order.

(x(n)∗ h(n))∗ g(n) = x(n)∗ (h(n)∗ g(n))

This is significant because it means systems in series can be reordered.

3- Distributivity
Convolution is distributive over addition.

x(n)∗ [h(n) + g(n)] = x(n)∗ h(n) + x(n)∗ g(n)

This is significant to all parallel connections because it means the following two arrangements
are equivalent.

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