EECS 3451 -- Signals and Systems

CHAPTER 2
Introduction to Systems (Textbook: Ch. 2)

Outline
• System definition
• Classification of systems
• Interconnection of systems

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 Outline
• System definition
• Classification of systems
• Interconnection of systems

Introduction – Systems
• What is a “System”?
System is an entity that processes a set of input
signals and produces another set of output signals.

output
input
signal system signal

Single-Input Single-Output (SISO) system

input signal 1 output signal 1

input signal 2
system output signal 2
...
...

input signal n output signal n

Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) system

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Continuous-Time Systems
• A continuous-time system:

y(t)
x(t)
system

• The relationship between the input signal

x(t) and its output response y(t) is shown by
the following notation:
x(t ) ® y(t )

Discrete-time Systems
• A discrete-time system is a mathematical
operator or mapping that transforms one
signal(the input) into another signal (output)
by means of a fixed set of rules or
operations.

x(n) y(n) = T[x(n)]

T[ • ]

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Introduction to systems
Example: electrical signal
L
Signal System
x(t)
+ +
x(t) _ C R y(t)
-1 0 1 t _

Example: image signal

Signal System

Outline
• System definition
• Classification of systems
• Interconnection of systems

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Classification of Systems
1.Linear and non-linear systems;
2.Time-invariant and time-varying systems;
3.Systems with and without memory;
4.Causal and non-causal systems;
5.Invertible and non-invertible systems;
6.Stable and unstable systems.

Classification of Systems
1.Linear and non-linear systems;
2.Time-invariant and time-varying systems;
3.Systems with and without memory;
4.Causal and non-causal systems;
5.Invertible and non-invertible systems;
6.Stable and unstable systems.

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Linear and non-linear systems
• A system with the following sets of inputs and outputs:
x1 (t) → y1 (t) and x2 (t) → y2 (t)

is linear if and only if it satisfies the additive and the

homogeneity properties below:

Additive property: x1 (t) + x2 (t) → y1 (t) + y2 (t)

Homogeneity property: α x1 (t) → α y1 (t)

• Hence, a system is linear IFF:
CT: α x1 (t) + β x2 (t) → α y1 (t) + β y2 (t)
DT: T[ax1 (n) + bx2 (n)] = aT[ x1 (n)] + bT[ x2 (n)]
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Steps to determine linearity

α x1 (t) + β x2 (t) → α y1 (t) + β y2 (t)

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Activity 1
Is the following system linear?
() ()
y t = 3x t

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Activity 1 Solution
Given: y (t ) = 3x (t )
We have: x (t) → 3x (t) = y (t)
1 1 1

x2 (t) → 3x2 (t) = y2 (t)

α x1 (t) + β x2 (t) → 3α x1 (t) + 3β x2 (t)
α y1 (t) + β y2 (t) = 3α x1 (t) + 3β x2 (t)
α x1 (t) + β x2 (t) → α y1 (t) + β y2 (t)

The system is linear.

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Activity 2
Is the following system linear?
y (t ) = x(t - 3)

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Activity 2 Solution
Given: y (t ) = x(t - 3)
We have: x (t) → x (t − 3) = y (t)
1 1 1

x2 (t) → x2 (t − 3) = y2 (t)
α x1 (t) + β x2 (t) → α x1 (t − 3) + β x2 (t − 3)
α y1 (t) + β y2 (t) = α x1 (t − 3) + β x2 (t − 3)
α x1 (t) + β x2 (t) → α y1 (t) + β y2 (t)

The system is linear.

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Activity 3
Determine if y(n)=x2(n) is linear or nonlinear.

Activity 3 Solution
Step 1 : y1(n)=x12(n) , y2(n)=x22(n)
Step 2 : a1 y1(n)+a2 y2(n)
= a1 x12(n)+a2 x22(n)=w(n)
Step 3 : y3(n)=T[a1x1(n)+a2x2(n)]
=[a1x1(n)+a2x2(n)]2
= a12x1 2(n)+a2 2x2 (n)+2a1a2x1(n)x2(n)
Step 4 : from Step 2 & 3, we know that w(n) is not
equal to y3(n)
so the system is nonlinear.

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Activity 4
A system is represented by the following input-output
relationship:
y (t ) = 3 x(t ) + 2

Determine whether the system is linear.

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Activity 4 Solution
Given: y (t ) = 3x(t ) + 2
We have: x1 (t) → 3x1 (t) + 2 = y1 (t)
x2 (t) → 3x2 (t) + 2 = y2 (t)
α y1 (t) + β y2 (t) = 3α x1 (t) + 2α + 3β x2 (t) + 2β
= 3[α x1 (t) + β x2 (t)]+ 2(α + β )
α x1 (t) + β x2 (t) → 3[α x1 (t) + β x2 (t)]+ 2
≠ α y1 (t) + β y2 (t)

• The system is not linear.

• This system is an example of an amplifier with
additive DC bias
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Zero-input, zero-output property
• If a system is non-linear, then the system will not
satisfy zero-input, zero-output property.

• In Activity 4, if x(t) = 0 , i.e. zero input

then y (t ) = 3x(t ) + 2
Clearly, the system does not satisfy zero-input,
zero-output property.
• However, if a system satisfies the zero-input, zero-
output property, it can be linear or non-linear.
Example: y (t ) = x 2 (t )

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Incrementally linear system

• An incrementally linear system can be expressed
as a combination of a linear system and an adder
that adds an offset to the output of the linear
system.
• In Activity 4, y (t ) = 3x(t ) + 2 is not a linear system.
However, it can be expressed as a combination of
linear system
y (t ) = 3 x(t )
and an offset given by the zero-input response.
y zi (t ) = 2

So it is an incrementally linear system.

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Incrementally linear system
• An incrementally linear system can also be defined
as the change in the output is linearly related to the
change in the input.

• In Activity 4: y (t ) = 3x(t ) + 2
y1 (t) = 3x1 (t) + 2
y2 (t) = 3x2 (t) + 2
y2 (t) − y1 (t) = 3x2 (t) − 3x1 (t) = 3[x2 (t) − x1 (t)]
or Δy(t) = 3Δx(t)

• It is an incrementally linear system.

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Classification of Systems
1.Linear and non-linear systems;
2.Time-invariant and time-varying systems;
3.Systems with and without memory;
4.Causal and non-causal systems;
5.Invertible and non-invertible systems;
6.Stable and unstable systems.

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Time-varying and time-invariant systems
• A system is said to be time-invariant (TI) if a time
delay or time advance of the input signal leads to
an identical time-shift in the output signal.
• Hence, a system is said to be time-invariant IFF:

CT: x(t) → y(t) à x(t - t0 ) ® y (t - t0 )

DT: y(n) = T [ x(n)] Þ y(n - n0 ) = T [ x(n - n0 )]

for any arbitrary time-shift t0 or n0

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Steps to determine time-invariant

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Activity 5

y (t ) = 3 x(t ) + 2

y (t ) = t cos x(t )

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Activity 5 Solution
(1) y(t) = 3x(t) + 2

( )
x(t − t0 ) → 3x t − t0 + 2 = y(t − t0 )
The system is time-invariant.
(2) y(t) = t cos x(t) ( )
(
y(t − t0 ) = (t − t0 )cos x(t − t0 ) )
( )
x(t − t0 ) → t cos x(t − t0 ) ≠ y(t − t0 )
The system is time-varying.

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Activity 5 Solution
Determine if y(n)=x2(n) is time-invariant or not.
Step 1 : delay x(n) by n0 units, applied to system.
w(n)=T[x(n-n0)]=x2(n-n0)
Step 2 : delay y(n) by n0 units.
y(n-n0)=x2(n-n0)
Step 3 : determine if w(n)=y(n-n0).
since w(n)=y(n-n0), system is
time-invariant.

Classification of Systems
1.Linear and non-linear systems;
2.Time-invariant and time-varying systems;
3.Systems with and without memory;
4.Causal and non-causal systems;
5.Invertible and non-invertible systems;
6.Stable and unstable systems.

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Systems with and without memory
• A system is said to be without memory or
memoryless(static) if its output y(t) or y[n] at time t
= t0 or n=n0 depends only on the values of the
applied signal x(t) or x[n] at the same time t = t0 or
n=n0 .
• On the other hand, if the output at t = t0 or n=n0
depends on the values of the input x(t) or x[n] in the
past or in the future of time t = t0 or n=n0, it is called
a system with memory or dynamic system.
• Example: static y (t ) = 3x(t ) + 2
dynamic y(n)=x(n)+x(n-1)
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Activity 6
Is the following system memoryless?
y (t ) = x(2t ) - 1

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Activity 6 Solution
Given: y (t ) = x(2t ) - 1

Let’s examine y(t) at t=1,

() ( )
y 1 = x 2 −1

Since the output at t=1 depends on the input at t=2, it

is a system with memory.

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Classification of Systems
1.Linear and non-linear systems;
2.Time-invariant and time-varying systems;
3.Systems with and without memory;
4.Causal and non-causal systems;
5.Invertible and non-invertible systems;
6.Stable and unstable systems.

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Causal and non-causal systems
• A system is causal if the output of the system
depends only on present and past inputs.
• A system that violates the causality condition is
called a non-causal (or anticipative) system
• Note that all memoryless systems are causal
systems because the output at any time instant
depends only on the input at that time instant.
• Systems with memory can either be causal or non-
causal.

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Activity 7
Are the following systems causal?

() ()
(1) y t = 3x t + 2
(2) y(t) = x(t − 2)
(3) y(t) = x(t + 2)

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Activity 7 Solution
() ()
(1) y t = 3x t + 2
Since it is a memoryless system, it is causal.
(2) y(t) = x(t − 2)
The output is depended on past input, it is causal.
(3) y(t) = x(t + 2)
The output is depended on future input, it is non-causal.

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Classification of Systems
1.Linear and non-linear systems;
2.Time-invariant and time-varying systems;
3.Systems with and without memory;
4.Causal and non-causal systems;
5.Invertible and non-invertible systems;
6.Stable and unstable systems.

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Invertible and non-invertible systems
• A system is invertible if the input signal can be uniquely
determined from the output produced in response to the
input for all time.
• To be invertible, two different inputs cannot produce the
same output since, in such cases, the input signal cannot be
uniquely determined from the output signal.
• A system is said to be invertible if the input to the system
can be recovered by applying the output of the original
system as input to a second system, called the inverse of
the original system.

y(t) inverse x(t)

x(t)
system
system
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Activity 8
Are the following systems invertible?

() ()
(1) y t = 3x t + 2
2
(2) y (t ) = x (t ) − 2

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Activity 8 Solution

() ()
(1) y t = 3x t + 2
1
x(t) = ⎡⎣ y(t) − 2⎤⎦
3
Since the input can be uniquely determined from the output,
the system is invertible.
(2) y t = x 2 t − 2
() ()
x(t) = ± y(t) + 2
For a given y(t), there are two possible inputs. The system is
non-invertible.

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Classification of Systems
1.Linear and non-linear systems;
2.Time-invariant and time-varying systems;
3.Systems with and without memory;
4.Causal and non-causal systems;
5.Invertible and non-invertible systems;
6.Stable and unstable systems.

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Stable and unstable systems
• Bounded property of a signal:
A signal is said to be bounded-input if:
|x(t)|≤ At < ∞ (for CT)
|x(n)|≤ An < ∞ (for DT)

• Stability criteria for a system:

A system is referred to as bounded-input, bounded-output
(BIBO) stable if an arbitrary bounded-input signal always
produces a bounded-output signal, i.e.

CT: if |x(t)|≤ At < ∞, then |y(t)|≤ Bt < ∞

DT: if |x(n)|≤ An < ∞, then |y(n)|≤ Bn < ∞

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Activity 9
Are the following systems stable?
() ()
(1) y t = 3x t + 2
(2) y(t) = tu(t)

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Activity 9 Solution
() ()
(1) y t = 3x t + 2
Assume x(t) ≤ Bx < ∞ for all t,
y(t) ≤ 3Bx + 2 = By < ∞
The system is BIBO stable.
(2) y(t) = tu(t)
Since y(t) increases with t, there is no upper bound.
The system is not BIBO stable.

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Outline
• System definition
• Classification of systems
• Interconnection of systems

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Interconnection of systems
• Three different configurations:
1. Cascaded configuration
2. Parallel configuration
3. Feedback configuration

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Interconnection of systems
• Cascaded configuration S1
w(t)
S2

• Parallel configuration y1(t)

S1

S2 y2(t)

• Feedback configuration +
+ S1
_ y(t)
w(t)
S2

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