Analog Communication Systems Lecture 3 Dr. M.

Mohammed Ali

Fourier Series
A Fourier Series is an accurate representation of a periodic signal and consists of the sum of
sinusoids at the fundamental and harmonic frequencies.
Fourier proposed that a periodic waveform f (t) could be broken down into an infinite series of
simple sinusoids which, when added together, would construct the exact form of the original
waveform.

Condition of Fourier Series Existence:

1- The number of maximum and minimum of f (t) in each period is finite.
2- The number of discontinuities of f (t) in each period is finite.
𝑇
3- f (t) is absolutely integrable over its period, that is ∫0 |𝑓(𝑡)|𝑑𝑡 < ∞

Trigonometric (Quadrature) Fourier Series

A periodic time function f (t) over the interval:

-T / 2 < t < T / 2

may be represented by an infinite sum of sinusoidal waveforms:

∞ ∞

𝑓(𝑡) = 𝑎0 + ∑ 𝑎𝑛 cos(𝑛𝜔0 𝑡) + ∑ 𝑏𝑛 sin(𝑛𝜔0 𝑡)

𝑛=1 𝑛=1

Where:
T : is the period of the fundamental frequency f0 and f0= 1/T. This is called the trigonometric
(quadrature) Fourier series representation of the time function f (t).
a0, an and bn : are real and are called Fourier Trigonometric Coefficients.
and
2𝜋
𝜔0 =
𝑇

The Fourier Trigonometric Coefficients can be obtained from:

1 𝑡0 +𝑇
𝑎0 = ∫ 𝑓(𝑡)𝑑𝑡
𝑇 𝑡0

2 𝑡0 +𝑇
𝑎𝑛 = ∫ 𝑓(𝑡) cos(𝑛𝜔0 𝑡) 𝑑𝑡
𝑇 𝑡0

2 𝑡0 +𝑇
𝑏𝑛 = ∫ 𝑓(𝑡) sin(𝑛𝜔0 𝑡) 𝑑𝑡
𝑇 𝑡0

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Analog Communication Systems Lecture 3 Dr. M. Mohammed Ali

The Effects of Symmetry on the Fourier Coefficients

1. Even function symmetry :

f(t) = f (-t)

4 𝑇/2
𝑎𝑛 = ∫ 𝑓(𝑡) cos(𝑛𝜔0 𝑡) 𝑑𝑡
𝑇 0

All 𝑏𝑛 = 0 (No sine components present in Fourier Series )

2. Odd function symmetry :

3.
f(t) = - f (-t)

4 𝑇/2
𝑏𝑛 = ∫ 𝑓(𝑡) sin(𝑛𝜔0 𝑡) 𝑑𝑡
𝑇 0

All 𝑎𝑛 = 0 (No cosine components present in Fourier Series )

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Analog Communication Systems Lecture 3 Dr. M. Mohammed Ali

Example 1: Find the trigonometric Fourier series for the periodic rectangular waveform s (t )
shown below :

Solution :
1 𝑡0 +𝑇
𝑎0 = ∫ 𝑓(𝑡)𝑑𝑡
𝑇 𝑡0
1 𝜏/2
= ∫ 𝐴𝑚 𝑑𝑡
𝑇0 −𝜏/2
𝐴𝑚 𝜏
=
𝑇0
2 𝑡0 +𝑇
𝑎𝑛 = ∫ 𝑓(𝑡) cos(𝑛𝜔0 𝑡) 𝑑𝑡
𝑇 𝑡0
2 𝜏/2
𝑎𝑛 = ∫ 𝐴 cos(𝑛𝜔0 𝑡) 𝑑𝑡
𝑇0 −𝜏/2 𝑚

2𝐴𝑚 𝜏/2
= sin(𝑛𝜔0 𝑡) |
𝑛 𝜔0 𝑇0 −𝜏/2

2𝐴𝑚 𝜏 𝜏
= [ sin (𝑛𝜔0 ) − sin (𝑛𝜔0 (− ))]
𝑛 𝜔0 𝑇0 2 2
𝜏 𝜏
2𝐴𝑚 2 (𝑛𝜔0 2)
= × 2 sin 𝜏
𝑛 𝜔0 𝑇0
2

𝜏
2𝐴𝑚 𝜏 sin (𝑛𝜔0 2)
= × 𝜏
𝑇0 𝑛𝜔0 2

𝑏𝑛 = 0 Because it is even function

∞ ∞

𝑠(𝑡) = 𝑎0 + ∑ 𝑎𝑛 cos(𝑛𝜔0 𝑡) + ∑ 𝑏𝑛 sin(𝑛𝜔0 𝑡)

𝑛=1 𝑛=1

∞ 𝜏
𝐴𝑚 𝜏 2𝐴𝑚 𝜏 sin (𝑛𝜔0 2)
𝑠(𝑡) = +∑( × 𝜏 ) cos(𝑛𝜔0 𝑡)
𝑇0 𝑇0 𝑛𝜔 0
𝑛=1 2

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Analog Communication Systems Lecture 3 Dr. M. Mohammed Ali

Example 2: Find the F.S. expansion of the periodic signal defined by:
𝑉 0≤𝑡≤𝜋
𝑓(𝑡) = {
−𝑉 𝜋 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 2𝜋
Solution :
𝑇0 = 2𝜋

1 𝑡0 +𝑇
𝑎0 = ∫ 𝑓(𝑡)𝑑𝑡
𝑇 𝑡0

𝜋 2𝜋
1
𝑎0 = [∫ 𝑉 𝑑𝑡 + ∫ −𝑉 𝑑𝑡]
2𝜋 0 𝜋

1 𝜋 2𝜋
𝑎0 = [𝑉 𝑡 | + −𝑉 𝑡 | ]
2𝜋 0 𝜋

1
𝑎0 = [𝑉 𝜋 − (𝑉 2𝜋 − 𝑉𝜋)]
2𝜋

1
𝑎0 = [𝑉 𝜋 − (𝑉𝜋)]
2𝜋

𝑎0 = 0

𝑎𝑛 = 0 (Because it is odd function)

2 𝑡0 +𝑇
𝑏𝑛 = ∫ 𝑓(𝑡) sin(𝑛𝜔0 𝑡) 𝑑𝑡
𝑇 𝑡0

𝜋 2𝜋
2
𝑏𝑛 = [∫ 𝑉 sin(𝑛𝜔0 𝑡)𝑑𝑡 − ∫ 𝑉 sin(𝑛𝜔0 𝑡)𝑑𝑡]
2𝜋 0 𝜋

1 𝑉 𝜋 𝑉 2𝜋
𝑏𝑛 = [ (−cos (𝑛𝜔0 𝑡)) | − (−cos (𝑛𝜔0 𝑡)) | ]
𝜋 𝑛𝜔0 0 𝑛𝜔0 𝜋

𝑉
𝑏𝑛 = − [cos (𝑛𝜔0 𝜋) − cos(0) − [cos(𝑛𝜔0 2𝜋) − cos (𝑛𝜔0 𝜋)]]
𝜋𝑛𝜔0

𝑉
𝑏𝑛 = − [2 cos (𝜋𝑛𝜔0 ) − 1 − cos(2𝜋𝑛𝜔0 )]
𝜋𝑛𝜔0

∞
𝑉
𝑓(𝑡) = ∑ − [2 cos (𝜋𝑛𝜔0 ) − cos(2𝜋𝑛𝜔0 ) − 1] sin(𝑛𝜔0 𝑡)
𝜋𝑛𝜔0
𝑛=1