Fast Fourier Transform and 

MATLAB Implementation
by
Wanjun Huang
for
Dr. Duncan L. MacFarlane

1
 Signals
In the fields of communications, signal processing, and in electrical engineering
more generally, a signal is any time‐varying or spatial‐varying quantity
This variable(quantity) changes in time
• Speech or audio signal: A sound amplitude that varies in time
• Temperature readings at different hours of a day
• Stock price changes over days
• Etc.
Etc
Signals can be classified by continues‐time signal and discrete‐time signal:
• A discrete signal or discrete‐time signal is a time series, perhaps a signal that 
h b
has been sampled from a continuous‐time signal
l df ti ti i l
• A digital signal is a discrete‐time signal that takes on only a discrete set of 
values 1
Continuous Time Signal
1
Discrete Time Signal

0.5 0.5

f[n]
f(t)

0 0

-0.5 -0.5

-1 -1
0 10 20 30 40 0 10 20 30 40
Time (sec) n

2
 Periodic Signal
periodic signal and non‐periodic signal:
Periodic Signal Non-Periodic Signal
1 1
f(t)

f[n]
0

-1 -1
0 10 20 30 40 0 10 20 30 40
Time (sec) n

• Period T: The minimum interval on which 
a signal repeats
• Fundamental frequency: f0=1/T
Fundamental frequency: f 1/T
• Harmonic frequencies: kf0
• Any periodic signal can be approximated 
by a sum of many sinusoids at harmonic frequencies of the signal(kf
y y q g ( f0)) with 
appropriate amplitude and phase
• Instead of using sinusoid signals, mathematically, we can use the complex 
exponential functions with both positive and negative harmonic frequencies
Euler formula: exp( j  t )  sin(  t )  j cos(  t )

3
 Time‐Frequency Analysis 
• A signal has one or more frequencies in it, and can be viewed from 
two different standpoints: Time domain and Frequency domain
Time Domian (Banded Wren Song) Frequency Domain
1
2
Amplitude

Power
0
1
A

-1 0
0 2 4 6 8 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
Sample Number 4 Frequency (Hz)
x 10

Time‐domain figure:
g how a signal
g changesg over time
Frequency‐domain figure: how much of the signal lies within each given
frequency band over a range of frequencies

Why frequency domain analysis?

Why frequency domain analysis?
• To decompose a complex signal into simpler parts to facilitate analysis
• Differential and difference equations and convolution operations in the 
time domain become algebraic operations in the frequency domain
• Fast Algorithm (FFT)

4
 Fourier Transform
Fourier Transform
We can go between the time domain and the frequency domain
byy usingg a tool called Fourier transform
f
• A Fourier transform converts a signal in the time domain to the 
frequency domain(spectrum) 
• An inverse Fourier transform converts the frequency domain 
A i F i f h f d i
components back into the original time domain signal
Continuous‐Time
Continuous Time Fourier Transform:
Fourier Transform:
 1 
 j t j t
F ( j )   f (t )e dt f (t )   F ( j  )e d
 2 

Discrete‐Time
Discrete Time Fourier Transform(DTFT):
Fourier Transform(DTFT):
 1 j j n
X (e j
)   x [ n ]e
 j n x[ n ]   X (e )e d
n   2 2

5
Fourier Representation For Four Types of Signals
Fourier Representation For Four Types of Signals
The signal with different time‐domain characteristics has different 
frequency‐domain characteristics
q y

1 Continues‐time periodic signal ‐‐‐> discrete non‐periodic 
spectrum
p
2 Continues‐time non‐periodic signal ‐‐‐> continues non‐periodic 
spectrum
3 Discrete non‐periodic
Discrete non periodic signal 
signal ‐‐‐>> continues periodic spectrum
continues periodic spectrum
4 Discrete periodic signal ‐‐‐> discrete periodic spectrum

The last transformation between time‐domain and frequency is most 
q y
useful
The reason that discrete is associated with both time‐domain and frequency 
p y g
domain is because computers can only take finite discrete time signals

6
 Periodic Sequence
Periodic Sequence
A periodic sequence with period N is defined as:
~
x (n)  ~
x ( n  kN ) , where k is integer
g
2
 j kn
For example: W Nkn  e N (it is called Twiddle Factor)
Properties: Periodic W Nkn  W N( k  N ) n  W Nk ( n  N )

Symmetric W N kn  (W Nkn ) *  W N( N  k ) n  W Nk ( N  n )

N 1 N n  rN
 WN  
kn
Orthogonal k 0  0 other

For a periodic sequence            with period N, only N
x (n) samples 
are independent. So that N sample in one period is enough to 
represent the whole sequence
represent the whole sequence
7
 Discrete Fourier Series(DFS)
Discrete Fourier Series(DFS)
Periodic signals may be expanded into a series of sine and 
cosine functions
cosine functions ~ N 1
X (k )   ~
x ( n )W Nkn ~
n0 X ( k )  DFS ( ~x ( n ))
1 N 1 ~ ~ ~
~
x (n)   kn
 X ( k )W N x ( n )  IDFS ( X ( k ))
N n0
~
X (k ) is still a periodic sequence with period N in frequency
domain
The Fourier series for the discrete‐time periodic wave shown below:
Sequence x (in time domain) Fourier Coeffients
1
0.2
Amplitude

0
0.5
X

-0.2

0 -0.4
04
0 10 20 30 40 0 10 20 30 40
time

8
 Finite Length Sequence
Finite Length Sequence
Real lift signal is generally a
 x(n) 0  n  N 1
fi i length
finite l h sequence x(n)  
 0 others


If we periodic extend it by the period N then
If we periodic extend it by the period N, then ~
x ( n )   x ( n  rN )
r  
x(n)

~
x(n)

 
9
Relationship Between Finite Length Sequence 
and Periodic Sequence
d P i di S
A periodic sequence is the periodic extension of a finite length
sequence 
~
x (n)   x ( n  rN )  x (( n )) N
m  

A finite length sequence is the principal value interval of the periodic 
A finite length sequence is the principal value interval of the periodic
sequence   
1 0  n  N 1
x ( n)  ~
x ( n) R N ( n) Where   R N (n )  
0 others

So that:  
~
x(n)  ~ x ( n ) R N ( n )  IDFS [ X ( k )] R N ( n )
~
X ( k )  X ( k ) R N ( k )  DFS [ ~
x ( n )] R N ( n )

10
 Discrete Fourier Transform(DFT)
Discrete Fourier Transform(DFT)
• Using the Fourier series representation we have Discrete 
Fourier Transform(DFT) for finite length signal
Fourier Transform(DFT) for finite length signal
• DFT can convert time‐domain discrete signal into frequency‐
domain discrete spectrum
{ x [ n ]} nN01
Assume that we have a signal                 .  Then the DFT of the 
signal is a sequence          for     
X [k ] k  0, , N  1
N 1
X [ k ]   x [ n ] e  2  jnk /N
n0

The Inverse Discrete Fourier Transform(IDFT):
1 N 1 2  jnk
x[ n ]   X [ k ]e
/N
, n  0 ,2 , , N  1 .
N k 0

Note that because MATLAB cannot use a zero or negative 
Note that because MATLAB cannot use a zero or negative
indices, the index starts from 1 in MATLAB 
11
 DFT Example
DFT Example
The DFT is widely used in the fields of spectral analysis, 
acoustics medical imaging and telecommunications
acoustics, medical imaging, and telecommunications.
Time domain signal
6
For example: 5
4
x [ n ]  [ 2 4  1 6 ], N  4 , ( n  0 ,1, 2 , 3 )

Amplitude
e
3
2
 1
3  j nk 3
X [ k ]   x [ n ]e 2   x [ n ] (  j ) nk 0
n0 n0 -1
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
Time
X [ 0 ]  2  4  (  1 )  6  11 Frequency domain signal
12
X [1 ]  2  (  4 j )  1  6 j  3  2 j 10
X [ 2 ]  2  (  4 )  (  1)  6   9 8

X [3]  2  ( 4 j )  1  6 j  3  2 j |X[k]|
6

0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
Frequency 12
 Fast Fourier Transform(FFT)
Fast Fourier Transform(FFT)
• The Fast Fourier Transform does not refer to a new or different
type
yp of Fourier transform. It refers to a veryy efficient algorithm
g for
computing the DFT
• The time taken to evaluate a DFT on a computer depends
principally on the number of multiplications involved. DFT needs
N2 multiplications. FFT only needs Nlog2(N)
• The central insight which leads to this algorithm is the
realization that a discrete Fourier transform of a sequence of N
points can be written in terms of two discrete Fourier transforms
of length N/2
• Thus if N is a power of two,
two it is possible to recursively apply
this decomposition until we are left with discrete Fourier
transforms of single points

13
 Fast Fourier Transform(cont.)
Fast Fourier Transform(cont.)
N 1 N 1
Re‐writing X [ k ]   x [ n ] e  2  jnk /N
as X [ k ]   x [ n ]W Nnk
n0 n0
nk
It is easy to realize that the same values of W N are calculated many times as the
It is easy to realize that the same values of            are calculated many times as the 
computation proceeds
Using the symmetric property of the twiddle factor, we can save lots of computations
N 1 N 1 N 1
X [ k ]   x [ n ]W nk
N   x ( n )W
kn
N   x ( n )W Nkn
n0 n0 n0
even n odd n
N 2 1 N 2 1
  x ( 2 r )W 2 kr
N   x ( 2 r  1 )W Nk ( 2 r  1 )
r0 r0
N 2 1 N 2 1
  x 1 ( r )W kr
N 2 W N
k
 x 2 ( r )W Nkr 2
r0 r0

 X 1 ( k )  W Nk X 2 ( k )

Thus the N‐point DFT can be obtained from two N/2‐point transforms, one on even 
input data, and one on odd input data.

14
 Introduction for MATLAB
Introduction for MATLAB
MATLAB is a numerical computing environment developed by
MathWorks. MATLAB allows matrix manipulations,
p , p
plottingg of
functions and data, and implementation of algorithms

Getting help
You can get help by typing the commands help or lookfor at
the >> prompt, e.g.
>> help fft
Arithmetic operators
Symbol Operation Example
+ Addition 31+9
3.1
‐ Subtraction 6.2 – 5
* Multiplication 2 * 3
/ Division 5/2
^ Power 3^2
15
 Data Representations in MATLAB
Data Representations in MATLAB
Variables: Variables are defined as the assignment operator “=” . The syntax of
variable assignment is
variable
i bl name = a value l (
(or an expression)i )
For example,
>> x = 5
x =
5
>> y = [3*7, pi/3]; % pi is  in MATLAB

Vectors/Matrices: MATLAB can create and manipulate

Vectors/Matrices manip late arrays
arra s of 1 (vectors),
( ectors) 2
(matrices), or more dimensions
row vectors: a = [1, 2, 3, 4] is a 1X4 matrix
column vectors: b = [5; 6; 7; 8; 9] is a 5X1 matrix, e.g.
>> A = [1 2 3; 7 8 9; 4 5 6]
A = 1 2 3
7 8 9
4 5 6

16
 Mathematical Functions in MATLAB
Mathematical Functions in MATLAB
MATLAB offers many predefined mathematical functions for
technical computing,
p g, e.g.
g
cos(x) Cosine abs(x) Absolute value
sin(x) Sine angle(x) Phase angle
exp(x) Exponential conj(x) Complex conjugate
sqrt(x) Square root log(x) Natural logarithm

Colon operator (:)

Suppose we want to enter a vector x consisting of points
(0,0.1,0.2,0.3,…,5). We can use the command
>> x = 0:0.1:5;;

Most of the work you will do in MATLAB will be stored in files called
scripts, or m‐files, containing sequences of MATLAB commands to be
executed over and over again

17
 Basic plotting in MATLAB
Basic plotting in MATLAB
MATLAB has an excellent set of graphic tools. Plotting a given data set or
the results of computation is possible with very few commands
The MATLAB command to plot a graph is plot(x,y), e.g.
Sine function
1

>> x = 0:pi/100:2*pi;
p / p ; 0.8

>> y = sin(x); 0.6

>> plot(x,y) 0.4

0.2

Sine of x
MATLAB enables you to add axis 0

Labels and titles, e.g. -0.2

-0.4

>> xlabel('x=0:2\pi');
\ i -0.6

>> ylabel('Sine of x'); -0.8

>> tile('Sine function') -1

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
0:2
x=0:2
x

18
 Example 1: Sine Wave
Example 1: Sine Wave
Sine Wave Signal
1 Fs = 150; % Sampling frequency
t = 0:1/Fs:1; % Time vector of 1 second
0.5 f = 5; % Create a sine wave of f Hz.
x = sin(2*pi*t*f);
i (2* i*t*f)
Amplitude

0
nfft = 1024; % Length of FFT
% Take fft, padding with zeros so that length(X)
is equal to nfft
-0.5
X = fft(x,nfft);
% FFT is symmetric, throw away second half
-1 X = X(1:nfft/2);
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
Time (s) % Take the magnitude of fft of x
mx = abs(X);
% Frequency vector
Power Spectrum of a Sine Wave f = (0:nfft/2-1)*Fs/nfft;
80
% Generate the plot, title and labels.
figure(1);
60 plot(t,x);
title('Sine Wave Signal');
Power

40 xlabel('Time (s)');
P

ylabel('Amplitude');
l b l('A lit d ')
20 figure(2);
plot(f,mx);
title('Power Spectrum of a Sine Wave');
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 xlabel('Frequency (Hz)');
Frequency (Hz) ylabel('Power');
ylabel( Power );

19
 Example 2: Cosine Wave
Example 2: Cosine Wave
Cosine Wave Signal
1 Fs = 150; % Sampling frequency
t = 0:1/Fs:1; % Time vector of 1 second
0.5 f = 5; % Create a sine wave of f Hz.
x = cos(2*pi*t*f);
Amplitude

nfft = 1024; % Length of FFT

0
% Take fft, padding with zeros so that length(X) is
equal to nfft
-0.5 X = fft(x,nfft);
% FFT is symmetric,
y , throw away
y second half
-1 X = X(1:nfft/2);
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
% Take the magnitude of fft of x
Time (s)
mx = abs(X);
% Frequency vector
Power Spectrum of a Cosine Wave f = (0:nfft/2-1)*Fs/nfft;
80 % Generate the plot, title and labels.
figure(1);
60 plot(t,x);
title('Sine Wave Signal');
Power

40 xlabel('Time (s)');
ylabel('Amplitude');
ylabel( Amplitude );
P

figure(2);
20
plot(f,mx);
title('Power Spectrum of a Sine Wave');
0 xlabel('Frequency (Hz)');
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Frequency (Hz) ylabel('Power');
y

20
 Example 3: Cosine Wave with Phase Shift
Example 3: Cosine Wave with Phase Shift
Cosine Wave Signal with Phase Shift
1 Fs = 150; % Sampling frequency
t = 0:1/Fs:1; % Time vector of 1 second
0.5 f = 5; % Create a sine wave of f Hz.
pha = 1/3*pi; % phase shift
Amplitude

x = cos(2*pi*t*f + pha);
0
nfft = 1024; % Length of FFT
% Take fft, padding with zeros so that length(X) is
-0.5 equal to nfft
X = fft(x,nfft);
( , )
-1 % FFT is symmetric, throw away second half
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
Time (s)
X = X(1:nfft/2);
% Take the magnitude of fft of x
mx = abs(X);
Power Spectrum of a Cosine Wave Signal with Phase Shift % Frequency vector
80 f = (0:nfft/2-1)*Fs/nfft;
/ /
% Generate the plot, title and labels.
60 figure(1);
plot(t,x);
Power

40 title('Sine Wave Signal');

xlabel('Time
xlabel( Time (s)
(s)');
);
P

ylabel('Amplitude');
20
figure(2);
plot(f,mx);
0 title('Power Spectrum of a Sine Wave');
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Frequency (Hz) q
xlabel('Frequency y (Hz)');
ylabel('Power');

21
 Example 4: Square Wave
Example 4: Square Wave
Square Wave Signal Fs = 150; % Sampling frequency
1
t = 0:1/Fs:1; % Time vector of 1 second
f = 5; % Create a sine wave of f Hz.
0.5
x = square(2*pi*t*f);
Amplitude

nfft = 1024; % Length of FFT

0 % Take fft, padding with zeros so that length(X) is
equal to nfft
-0.5 X = fft(x,nfft);
% FFT is symmetric,
y , throw away
y second half
-1 X = X(1:nfft/2);
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
% Take the magnitude of fft of x
Time (s)
mx = abs(X);
% Frequency vector
Power Spectrum of a Square Wave f = (0:nfft/2-1)*Fs/nfft;
100 % Generate the plot, title and labels.
figure(1);
80
plot(t,x);
60 title('Square Wave Signal');
Power

xlabel('Time (s)');
40 ylabel('Amplitude');
ylabel( Amplitude );
figure(2);
20
plot(f,mx);
0 title('Power Spectrum of a Square Wave');
0 20 40 60 80 xlabel('Frequency (Hz)');
Frequency (Hz) y
ylabel('Power');

22
 Example 5: Square Pulse
Example 5: Square Pulse
Square Pulse Signal
1
Fs = 150; % Sampling frequency
t = -0.5:1/Fs:0.5; % Time vector of 1 second
0.8 w = .2; % width of rectangle
x = rectpuls(t,
rectpuls(t w); % Generate Square Pulse
Amplitude

0.6 nfft = 512; % Length of FFT

% Take fft, padding with zeros so that length(X) is
0.4 equal to nfft
X = fft(x,nfft);
0.2
% FFT is symmetric,
y , throw away
y second half
0
X = X(1:nfft/2);
-0.5 0 0.5 % Take the magnitude of fft of x
Time (s) mx = abs(X);
% Frequency vector
Power Spectrum of a Square Pulse
30
f = (0:nfft/2-1)*Fs/nfft;
% Generate the plot, title and labels.
25 figure(1);
20
plot(t,x);
title('Square Pulse Signal');
Power

15 xlabel('Time (s)');
10
ylabel('Amplitude');
ylabel( Amplitude );
figure(2);
5 plot(f,mx);
0
title('Power Spectrum of a Square Pulse');
0 20 40 60 80 xlabel('Frequency (Hz)');
Frequency (Hz) y
ylabel('Power');

23
 Example 6: Gaussian Pulse
Example 6: Gaussian Pulse
Gaussian Pulse Signal
4 Fs = 60; % Sampling frequency
t = -.5:1/Fs:.5;
3 x = 1/(sqrt(2*pi*0.01))*(exp(-t.^2/(2*0.01)));
nfft = 1024; % Length of FFT
Amplitude

% Take fft, padding with zeros so that

2
length(X) is equal to nfft
X = fft(x,nfft);
1 % FFT is symmetric, throw away second half
X = X(1:nfft/2);
( )
0
% Take the magnitude of fft of x
-0.5 0 0.5 mx = abs(X);
Time (s) % This is an evenly spaced frequency vector
f = (0:nfft/2-1)*Fs/nfft;
% Generate the plot, title and labels.
Power Spectrum of a Gaussian Pulse figure(1);
60 plot(t,x);
title('Gaussian Pulse Signal');
50
xlabel('Time (s)');
40 ylabel('Amplitude');
figure(2);
Powerr

30 plot(f,mx);
title('Power Spectrum of a Gaussian Pulse');
20
xlabel('Frequency (Hz)');
10 ylabel('Power');
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Frequency (Hz)

24
 Example 7: Exponential Decay
Example 7: Exponential Decay
Exponential Decay Signal
2 Fs = 150; % Sampling frequency
t = 0:1/Fs:1; % Time vector of 1 second
1.5 x = 2*exp(-5*t);
nfft = 1024;
1024 % Length of FFT
Amplitude

% Take fft, padding with zeros so that

1
length(X) is equal to nfft
X = fft(x,nfft);
0.5 % FFT is symmetric, throw away second
half
0 X = X(1:nfft/2);
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 % Take the magnitude of fft of x
Time (s) mx = abs(X);
% This is an evenly spaced frequency
vector
P
Power S
Spectrum
t off Exponential
E ti l Decay
D Si
Signall f = (0:nfft/2-1)*Fs/nfft;
70
% Generate the plot, title and labels.
60 figure(1);
50 plot(t,x);
title('Exponential Decay Signal');
40
er
Powe

xlabel('Time (s)');
30 ylabel('Amplitude');
20 figure(2);
plot(f,mx);
10
title('Power Spectrum of Exponential
0 Decayy Signal');
g );
0 20 40 60 80
Frequency (Hz)
xlabel('Frequency (Hz)');
ylabel('Power');

25
 Example 8: Chirp Signal
Example 8: Chirp Signal
Chirp Signal
1
Fs = 200; % Sampling frequency
t = 0:1/Fs:1; % Time vector of 1 second
x = chirp(t,0,1,Fs/6);
0.5 nfft = 1024; ; % Length
g of FFT
Amplitude

% Take fft, padding with zeros so that

0 length(X) is equal to nfft
X = fft(x,nfft);
% FFT is symmetric, throw away second half
-0.5
X = X(1:nfft/2);
% Take the magnitude of fft of x
-1 mx = abs(X);
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
Time (s) % This is an evenly spaced frequency
vector
f = (0:nfft/2-1)*Fs/nfft;
Power Spectrum
p of Chirp
p Signal
g % Generate the plot
plot, title and labels
labels.
25
figure(1);
20
plot(t,x);
title('Chirp Signal');
15 xlabel('Time (s)');
wer

ylabel('Amplitude');
y p
Pow

10 figure(2);
plot(f,mx);
5 title('Power Spectrum of Chirp Signal');
xlabel('Frequency (Hz)');
0 ylabel('Power');
0 20 40 60 80 100
Frequency (Hz)

26