FIR FILTER DESIGN

DESIGN OF HILBERT TRANSFORMER

 FIR HILBERT TRANSFORMER
• The frequency response of an ideal Hilbert Transformer over one period is
defined as

− j; 0<ω <π 
H d (ω ) =  
 j; − π < ω < 0 

• The ideal Hilbert Transformer has frequency response (over one period) as
shown in the figure below.
 FIR HILBERT TRANSFORMER
• The frequency response of ideal Hilbert Transformer and that of ideal LPF
are similar, each having discontinuities separated by π.

• Observe that | H d (ω ) | = 1, for all frequencies and has a – 90 degree phase

shift for 0 < ω < π and a +90 degree phase shift for –π < ω < 0. As a result a
ideal Hilbert Transformer is also called a 90 degree phase shifter.

• The impulse response of an ideal Hilbert Transformer is found by taking

1  
0 π
inverse DTFT of H d (ω )
2π  −∫π
 je d ω + ∫ − je
jω n jω n
hd ( n ) = dω 
0 
 1 1 − ( − 1) n  
   ; n ≠ 0
hd ( n ) =  πn 
 0; n = 0 
 
 2  nπ  
 2 sin   
hd ( n ) =   2 
; n ≠ 0
 nπ 
 0; n = 0 
 FIR HILBERT TRANSFORMER
• From the above expression we find that hd (n) is infinite in duration and
non-causal. The implication of hd (n) being a 2-sided infinite length
impulse response is that the Hilbert Transformer is an unrealizable system.

• Also, since hd (n) = − hd (−n) , we say that, hd (n) is anti-symmetric. This

gives us the lead that we have to focus on the design of linear phase FIR
Hilbert Transformers with an anti-symmetric impulse response h(n) = -
h(N-1-n).

• By translating, hd (n) to the right by an amount α = (N-1)/2, we will have

anti-symmetry about n = α. That is the impulse response of an ideal
Hilbert Transformer that is anti-symmetric about n = α is
 2 π  
 2sin  2 ( n − α ) )  
'  ; n ≠ α 
hd (n) = hd (n − α ) = 
 π (n − α ) 
0; n=α 
 FIR HILBERT TRANSFORMER
• The finite impulse response h(n) of the Hilbert Transformer will have linear
phase if its impulse response exhibits either symmetry or anti-symmetry
about the midpoint, n = (N-1)/2. Here, we design h(n) to have anti-
symmetry since, hd' (n) is anti-symmetric about n = α.

• The finite impulse response h(n) of a Hilbert Transformer is obtained by

truncating hd' (n) by a causal window that is symmetric about n = α.

• That is

h(n) = hd' (n) w(n); 0 ≤ n ≤ N-1

 2 π  
 2sin  2 ( n − α )  
 x w(n); 0 ≤ n ≤ N-1, n ≠ α 
h( n ) = 
 π (n − α ) 
0; n = α 
 FIR HILBERT TRANSFORMER
• Since h(n) is anti-symmetric about n = α and is zero at n = α, it implies that
N has to be an odd integer only.

• The magnitude response for N odd and h(n) = - h(N-1-n) is

N −3
2    N − 1  
| H (ω ) |=| H r (ω ) |= 2 ∑ h(n) sin ω    − n 
n=
=0    2  
Note: 1) From the equation of ideal Hilbert Transformer it has an anti
symmetric impulse response implying that it can be realized by using
either a Type 3 or a Type 4 FIR filter.
2) The ideal Hilbert Transformer has a unity magnitude response for all
ω.
3) This is not satisfied by either a Type 3 or Type 4 FIR filter, since a
Type 3 filter has zero magnitude response at ω = 0 and Type 4 filter has
zer0 magnitude at ω = 0 and ω = π
 FIR HILBERT TRANSFORMER
4) However, in practice, ωL ≤| ω |≤ ωH is the finite frequency range of band
pass signals of interest.

5) Consequently, the Hilbert Transformer can be designed with band pass

amplitude.

6) From the equation of impulse response of the ideal Hilbert Transformer

satisfies the condition that h(n) = 0 for N even.

7) This property can be maintained by a Type 3 linear phase FIR filter if the
desired amplitude response is symmetrical with respect to (π/2).