EEE 303

Signals and Linear Systems

Instructor: Dr. Tishna Sabrina

Spring 2020

Lecture 8
Ramp, Sampling and Impulse Signals
The Ramp Function
◼ The continuous time unit ramp function is defined as
𝒕, 𝒕 > 0
𝒓 𝒕 =ቊ
𝟎, 𝒕 < 0

r(t)

m=1

t
0

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The Ramp vs Step Function
◼ The continuous time unit ramp function is defined as
𝒕, 𝒕 > 0
𝒓 𝒕 =ቊ
𝟎, 𝒕 < 0
r(t)

m=1

t
0

𝒅𝒓 𝒕 𝟏, 𝒕 > 0
=൜ =𝒖 𝒕
𝒅𝒕 𝟎, 𝒕 < 0

𝒕
𝒓 𝒕 = න 𝒖(𝝉) 𝒅𝝉
−∞

❑ The device that accomplishes this operation is an

integrator.

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The Ramp Function
◼ The continuous time unit ramp function is defined as
r(t)
𝒕, 𝒕 > 0
𝒓 𝒕 =ቊ
𝟎, 𝒕 < 0
𝒅𝒓 𝒕 𝟏, 𝒕 > 0 m=1
=൜ =𝒖 𝒕
𝒅𝒕 𝟎, 𝒕 < 0 0
t
𝒕
𝒓 𝒕 = න 𝒖(𝝉) 𝒅𝝉
−∞

◼ In contrast to both unit step and signum functions,

the ramp function is continuous at 𝑡 = 0.
◼ A unit ramp function has a slope of unity, e.g., m=1.
◼ Time scaling of a unit ramp function by ‘a’
corresponds to a ramp function of slope ‘a’.
◼ Also, 𝒓 𝒕 = 𝒕𝒖 𝒕 .
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Properties of Unit Ramp Function
◼ Is it a power signal or an energy signal?
◼ Is it an odd signal or an even signal?

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Shifting Unit Ramp Function
◼ Shifting operation works same as discussed earlier
𝒓 𝒕 − 𝒕𝟎 =?

𝒓 −𝒕 + 𝒕𝟎 =?

➢ Draw 𝒓 −𝒕 , 𝒓 𝒕 + 𝟏 , 𝒓 𝟑𝒕 − 𝟏

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Mathematical Representation of Signal
Waveforms
1. Waveforms with no discontinuity -> only ramp signal
2. Waveforms with discontinuity and some constant
values -> only step signal, where
number of step signals= number of discontinuities
Steps for case#1:
◼ Waveform taking upward transition -> +ve

◼ Waveform taking downward transition -> -ve

Steps for case#2:

◼ Waveform taking upward level switch -> +ve

◼ Waveform taking downward level switch -> -ve

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Signal Construction
❑ Write x(t) in terms of step signal and ramp signal

❑ Write x(t) in terms of step signal and ramp signal

𝒙(𝒕)

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Example 1.6.3
◼ Express the following signal in terms of step signal
and ramp signal.

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The Sampling Function
◼ A function frequently encountered in spectral
𝒔𝒊𝒏(𝒕)
analysis is defined as 𝑺𝒂 𝒕 = 𝒕
Sa(t)

-3π -2π -π 0 π 2π 3π t

◼ Since the denominator is an increasing function of t

and the numerator is bounded sin 𝑡 ≤ 1 , 𝑆𝑎 𝑡 is
simply a damped sine wave.
◼ Is it an odd signal or an even signal?
◼ Draw 2𝑆𝑎 𝑡 , −𝑆𝑎 𝑡 , 𝑆𝑎 −𝑡 .

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The Sampling Function
Sa(t)
𝒔𝒊𝒏(𝒕)
𝑺𝒂 𝒕 = 1
𝒕

-3π -2π -π 0 π 2π 3π t

◼ It has its peak at t=0, and zero-crossings at 𝑡 = ±𝑛𝜋.

𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝟎 𝟎
𝑨𝒕 𝒕 = 𝟎, = 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒅
𝟎 𝟎
𝒔𝒊𝒏(𝒕)
𝓛𝒊𝒎𝒕→𝟎 [𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝑳′ 𝑯𝒐𝒑𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒍′𝒔 𝑹𝒖𝒍𝒆]
𝒕
𝒄𝒐𝒔(𝒕)
𝓛𝒊𝒎𝒕→𝟎 =𝟏 ∴ 𝑺𝒂 𝟎 = 𝟏
𝟏
𝒔𝒊𝒏(𝒏𝝅)
𝑨𝒕 𝒕 = 𝝅, 𝟐𝝅, 𝟑𝝅 =𝟎
𝝅

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The Sinc Function
◼ A Sinc function is defined as
𝒔𝒊𝒏(𝝅𝒕)
𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒄 𝒕 =
𝝅𝒕
sinc(t)

-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 t

◼ This is simply a compressed version of 𝑆𝑎 𝑡 where

the compression factor is π.
◼ Is it an odd signal or an even signal?
◼ Draw 𝟑𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒄 𝒕 , −𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒄 𝒕 , 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒄 −𝒕 .

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The Unit Impulse Function
◼ The unit impulse function, often called the Dirac
delta function, or simply the delta function occupies
a central place in signal analysis.
◼ Many physical phenomena such as point sources,
point charges, concentrated load on structures, and
voltage or current sources acting for very short times
can be modeled as delta functions.
◼ Mathematically, it is defined by
𝒕𝟐
‫ 𝟎 𝒙 = 𝒕𝒅 𝒕 𝜹)𝒕(𝒙 𝒕׬‬, 𝒕𝟏 < 𝟎 < 𝒕𝟐
𝟏

provided that x(t) is continuous at t=0.

◼ So 𝜹 𝒕 is graphically a spike at the origin.
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Properties of Unit Impulse Function
δ(t)
◼ 𝜹 𝟎 →∞
◼ 𝜹 𝒕 = 𝟎, 𝒕 ≠ 𝟎
∞ t
◼ ‫׬‬−∞ 𝜹 𝒕 𝒅𝒕 = 𝟏 0

◼ 𝜹 𝒕 is an even function, i.e., 𝜹 𝒕 = 𝜹 −𝒕 .

∞, 𝒕 = 𝟎
◼ So Mathematically, it is defined as 𝜹 𝒕 = ቊ 𝟎,
𝒕≠𝟎

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Engineering Models of 𝜹(𝒕)
◼ Sometimes it is convenient to consider it as the limit
of a conventional function (with following properties)
as some parameter 𝜀 approaches zero.
◼ The value at t=0 is very large as 𝜀 approaches zero.
◼ The duration is relatively very short and becomes
zero as 𝜀 approaches zero.
◼ The total area under the function is constant and
equal to 1.
◼ All even
functions.

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Home Work
◼ Section 1.6.2
◼ Section 1.6.3

◼ Section 1.6.4

◼ Example 1.6.3

◼ Allthe different tasks mentioned in

the slides

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