Digital Signal Processing

Z-Transforms
 Overview
• Z Transform
• Properties of z-transform
• Transfer Function
• Transfer Function & Difference Equation
• Transfer Function & Impulse Response
• Inverse Z Transform
• Transfer Function & System Stability
• Difference Equation & System Stability
• Impulse & Step Responses
 Z Transform
• The z transform is an important digital signal processing tool
for describing and analyzing digital systems.

• It also supports the techniques for digital filter design and

frequency analysis of digital signals.

• It takes a signal from the time domain to a frequency domain

called the z domain.

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 Z Transform
• The z transform for a digital signal x[n] is defined as

𝑋 𝑧 = 𝒁 𝑥[𝑛]

𝑋 𝑧 = ෍ 𝑥 𝑛 𝑧 −𝑛
𝑛=−∞

where z is the complex variable.

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 Z Transform
• The z transform for causal signals is

𝑋 𝑧 = ෍ 𝑥 𝑛 𝑧 −𝑛
𝑛=0

It is referred to as a one-sided z-transform or a unilateral transform.

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 Z Transform Table

# Signal x[n] Z Transform X(z) Region of Convergence

1 [n] 1 All z
2 u[n] Z/(Z-1) Z> 1
3 nu[n] Z/(Z-) Z> 
4 nu[n] Z/(Z-1)2 Z> 1
5 nn u[n] Z-1/(1-Z-1)2 Z> 
6 Cos(nΩ)u[n] ZsinΩ/(Z2 - 2zcosΩ + β) Z> 1

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Z Transform Table

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 Region of Convergence (ROC)
• The z transform for every signal has an associated Region of
Convergence (ROC), the region of the z domain for which the
transform exists.

• Since the z-transform is an infinite series, it exists only for

those values of z for which this series converges.

• All the values of z that make the summation exist form a

Region of Convergence (ROC) in the z-transform domain.

• While all other values of z outside the ROC will cause the
summation to diverge.
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 Z Transform
Example-1: Determine the z-transform of the following signals.

a) x[n] = δ[n]

solution
∞

𝑋 𝑧 = ෍ 𝛿 𝑛 𝑧 −𝑛 = 𝛿 0 = 1
𝑛=0

ROC: entier 𝑧 plane

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 Z Transform
Example-1: Determine the z-transform of the following signals.

b) x[n] = δ[n-1]

solution
∞

𝑋 𝑧 = ෍ 𝛿 𝑛 − 1 𝑧 −𝑛 = 𝛿 0 𝑧 −1 = 𝑧 −1
𝑛=0

ROC: entire 𝑧 plane except z = 0.

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 Z Transform
Example-1: Determine the z-transform of the following signals.
c) x[n] = u[n]

Solution 𝑋 𝑧 = σ∞
𝑛=0 𝑢 𝑛 𝑧 −𝑛
= σ ∞
𝑛=0 𝑧 −𝑛

𝑋 𝑧 = 1 + 𝑧 −1 + 𝑧 −2 + 𝑧 −3 +……

• This is a geometric series of the form a+ ar + ar2 +…. With initial

term a equal to 1 and multiplier r equal to z-1.
𝑎
• The sum of infinite geometric series is 𝑆∞ =
1−𝑟
1 𝑧
• So X(z)= =
1−𝑧 −1 𝑧−1

ROC: 𝑧 > 1 11
 Z Transform
Example-1: Determine the z-transform of the following signals.

d) x[n] = u[n-1]

Solution
1 𝑧 1
X z = 𝑧 −1 = 𝑧 −1 =
1−𝑧 −1 𝑧−1 𝑧−1

ROC: 𝑧 > 1

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 Z Transform
Example-1: Determine the z-transform of the following signals.

e)

Solution

x[n] = δ[n] + 2δ[n-1] + 5δ[n-2] + 7δ[n-3] + δ[n-5]

ROC: entire 𝑧 plane except 𝑧 = 0 and z =

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 Z Transform
Example-1: Determine the z-transform of the following signals.

f)

Solution

y[n] = δ[n+2] + 2δ[n+1] + 5δ[n] + 7δ[n-1] + δ[n-3]

ROC: entire 𝑧 plane except 𝑧=0

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 Z Transform
Example-1: Determine the z-transform of the following signals.
g) x[n] = anu[n]

Solution

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 Z Transform
Example-1: Determine the z-transform of the following signals.

h) x[n] = (-0.5)nu[n]

Solution

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 Z Transform
Example-2: Find the z transform of the signal x[n] depicted in
the figure.

Solution
The signal x[n] is described as:
x[n] = 2δ[n] + δ[n-1] + 0.5δ[n-2]

The z transform of the signal is

• 𝑋 𝑧 = σ∞ 𝑛=0 𝑥 𝑛 𝑧
−𝑛

• 𝑋 𝑧 = 𝑥 0 + 𝑥 1 𝑧 −1 + 𝑥[2]𝑧 −2
• 𝑋 𝑧 = 2 + 𝑧 −1 + 0.5𝑧 −2
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Properties of z-transform
Linearity

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 Properties of z-transform
Linearity
Example-3: Find the z-transform of the sequence defined by

Solution
Applying the linearity of the z-transform, we have

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 Properties of z-transform
Linearity
Example-4: Find the z-transform of the sequence defined by

Solution
Applying the linearity of the z-transform, we have

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 Properties of z-transform
Linearity
Example-5: Find the z-transform of the signal x[n] defined by

Solution

Applying the linearity of the z-transform, we have

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 Properties of z-transform

Time Shifting/Shift Theorem

• A one-sample delay in the time domain appears in the z

domain as a z-1 factor. That is,

Z{x[n-1]} = z-1X(z)

More generally,
Z{x[n-k]} = z-kX(z)
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Properties of z-transform

Time Shifting/Shift Theorem

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Properties of z-transform

Time Shifting/Shift Theorem

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 Properties of z-transform
Time Shifting/Shift Theorem
Example-6: Find the z-transform of the signal x[n] defined by

Solution

Applying the time shifting property of the z-transform, we have

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Properties of z-transform
Time Reversal

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 Properties of z-transform
Time Reversal

Example-7: Find the z-transform of the signal x[n] = u[-n]

Solution

Applying the time reversal theorem of the z-transform, we have

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 Properties of z-transform
Convolution

Convolution in time domain is equal to the multiplication in

frequency domain and vice versa.

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 Properties of z-transform
Convolution

Proof:

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 Properties of z-transform
Convolution
Example-8: Consider the two sequences

• Find the Z transform of convolution

• Determine the convolution sum using the z-transform.

Solution

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 Properties of z-transform
Convolution
Example-9: Compute the convolution of the following signals
using z transform

Solution

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Properties of z-transform

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Difference Equation Diagram using z–1 Notation

• Time shifting property of the z transform suggests a notation

change for difference equation diagram.

• The delay blocks can be replaced by z-1 bocks.

• This convention mixes the time and z domain notations.

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Difference Equation Diagram using z–1 Notation

• The general form of the non-recursive difference equation is

y[n] = b0x[n] + b1x[n-1] + b2x[n-2] + … + bMx[n-M]
• Re-expressing the non-recursive difference equation diagram
using the z-1 notation.

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Transfer Function

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 Transfer Function
• In the z domain, the transfer function of a filter can be
defined.
• The transfer function is the ratio of the output to the input in
the z domain:

𝑌(𝑧)
𝐻 𝑧 =
𝑋(𝑧)

In this equation
Y(z) is the z transform of the output y[n]
X(z) is the z transform of the input x[n]
H(z) is the transfer function of the filter
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 Transfer Function & Difference Equation

• The general form of a difference equation is

a0y[n] + a1y[n-1] + a2y[n-2] + … + aNy[n-N]

= b0x[n] + b1x[n-1] + b2x[n-2] + … + bMx[n-M]

Taking the z transform of the above equation

a0Y(z)+ a1z-1Y(z)+ a2z-2Y(z) + … + aNz-NY(z)
= b0X(z) + b1z-1X(z) + b2z-2X(z) + … + bMz-MX(z)

Taking Y(Z) and X(Z) common and then cross multiply to get TF.

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 Transfer Function & Difference Equation

Example-10: Find the transfer function described by the

difference equation.
2y[n] + y[n-1] + 0.9y[n-2] = x[n-1] + x[n-4]

Solution: Taking z transforms term by term we get,

2Y(z) + z-1Y(z) + 0.9z-2Y(z) = z-1X(z) + z-4X(z)

Factoring out Y(z) on the left side and X(z) on the right side:
(2 + z-1 + 0.9z-2)Y(z) = (z-1 + z-4)X(z)

The transfer function (TF) is

𝑌(𝑧) 𝑧 −1 +𝑧 −4
H 𝑧 = =
𝑋(𝑧) 2+𝑧 −1 +0.9𝑧 −2 38
 Transfer Function & Difference Equation

Example-11: Find the transfer function described by the

difference equation.
y[n] – 0.2y[n-1] = x[n] + 0.8x[n-1]

Solution: Taking z transforms term by term we get,

Y(z) – 0.2z-1Y(z) = X(z) + 0.8z-1X(z)

Factoring out Y(z) on the left side and X(z) on the right side:
(1 – 0.2z-1)Y(z) = (1 + 0.8z-1)X(z)

The transfer function (TF) is

𝑌(𝑧) 1 + 0.8𝑧 −1
H 𝑧 = =
𝑋(𝑧) 1 − 0.2𝑧 −1 39
 Transfer Function & Difference Equation

Example-12: Find the transfer function described by the

difference equation.
y[n] = 0.75x[n] - 0.3x[n-2] – 0.01x[n-3]

Solution: Taking z transforms term by term we get,

Y(z) = 0.75X(z) - 0.3z-2X(z) – 0.01z-3X(z)

Factoring out Y(z) on the left side and X(z) on the right side:
Y(z) = (0.75 - 0.3z-2 - 0.01z-3)X(z)

The transfer function (TF) is

𝑌(𝑧)
H 𝑧 = = 0.75 − 0.3𝑍 −2 − 0.01𝑍 −3
𝑋(𝑧) 40
 Transfer Function & Difference Equation

Example-13: Find the difference equation that correspond to

transfer function.
𝟏 + 𝟎. 𝟓𝒛−𝟏
𝐇 𝒛 =
𝟏 − 𝟎. 𝟓𝒛−𝟏
Solution: Since H(z) = Y(z)/X(z), do the cross multiply to get

(1 – 0.5z-1)Y(z) = (1 + 0.5z-1)X(z)
then
Y(z) – 0.5z-1Y(z) = X(z) + 0.5z-1X(z)

Finally taking the inverse z transform term by term to get

y[n] – 0.5y[n-1] = x[n] + 0.5x[n-1]

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 Transfer Function & Difference Equation

Example-14: Find the difference equation that correspond to

transfer function.
𝟏 + 𝟎. 𝟖𝒛−𝟏
𝐇 𝒛 =
𝟏 − 𝟎. 𝟐𝒛−𝟏 + 𝟎. 𝟕𝒛−𝟐
Solution: Since H(z) = Y(z)/X(z), do the cross multiply to get

(1 – 0.2z-1 + 0.7z-2)Y(z) = (1 + 0.8z-1)X(z)

then
Y(z) – 0.5z-1Y(z) + 0.7z-2Y(z)= X(z) + 0.8z-1X(z)

Finally taking the inverse z transform term by term to get

y[n] – 0.2y[n-1] + 0.7y[n-2]= x[n] + 0.8x[n-1]

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 Transfer Function & Difference Equation

Example-15: Find the difference equation that correspond

to transfer function.
𝒛
𝐇 𝒛 =
(𝟐𝒛 − 𝟏)(𝟒𝒛 − 𝟏)

𝑧
Solution: H 𝑧 =
8𝑧 2 −6𝑧+1
Since H(z) = Y(z)/X(z), do the cross multiply to get
(8𝑧 2 − 6𝑧 + 1 )Y(z) = (z)X(z)
Then 8z2Y(z) – 6zY(z) + y(z) = zX(z)
Finally taking the inverse z transform term by term to get
8y[n] – 6y[n-1] + y[n-2] = x[n-1]

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 Transfer Function & Impulse Response

• The relationship between the transfer function and the

impulse response of a system is also straightforward.

• the transfer function H(z) is the z transform of the impulse

response h[n].
𝐻 𝑧 = 𝒁 ℎ[𝑛]

𝐻 𝑧 = ෍ ℎ[𝑛]𝑧 −1
𝑛=0

• Similarly Impulse response h[n] is inverse z transform of the

transfer function H(z).
ℎ[𝑛] = 𝒁−1 𝐻(𝑧) 44
 Transfer Function & Impulse Response

Example-16: Find the transfer function of the system whose

impulse response is
h[n] = δ[n] + 0.4 δ[n-1] + 0.2 δ[n-2] + 0.05 δ[n-3]

Solution
The transfer function H(z) of the system is the z transform of the
impulse response h[n]. Taking z transform term by term we get

H(z) = 1 + 0.4z-1 + 0.2z-2 + 0.05z-3

Note that we can also get the difference equation from the TF.
y[n] = x[n] + 0.4x[n-1] + 0.2x[n-2]+ 0.05x[n-3]
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System Outputs in Time & Z Domains

• The system output can be find using three different ways.

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 System Output using TF
• The definition of the transfer function (TF) provides a means
of calculating filter outputs. That is,

Y(z) = H(z)X(z)

• To determine the time domain output y[n], the inverse z

transform of Y(z) must be taken.

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