Systems

Definition
A system is a mathematical model of a physical process that relates the input (or excitation) signal to
the output (or response) signal.
 Representation of a SYSTEMS
Let x and y be the input and output signals, respectively, of a system. Then the system is viewed as
a transformation (or mapping) of x into y. This transformation is represented by the mathematical
notation

Y= H(X)
where H is the operator representing some well-defined rule by which x is transformed into y.

x₁ y₁
x System y System
H xn H yn

Excitation
x(t) CT System y(t)
Response
x[n] DT System y[n]

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 Example
A system consists of several subsystems connected as shown in the figure.
Find the operator H(x) relating x(t) to y(t) for the following subsystem
operators:
H1 ( ) : y1 (t )  x1 (t )x1 (t  1);
H 2 ( ) : y 2 (t )  x 2 (t ) ; X₁(t) y₁(t)
H₁
H 3 ( ) : y 3 (t )  1  2x 3 (t );
y₂(t) +
H 4 ( ) : y 4 (t )  cos( x 4 (t )). X₂(t)
H₂
y(t )  y1 (t )  y 2 (t )  y 4 (t ) + +
X(t) y(t)

X₃(t) y₃(t) X₄(t) −

y₄(t)
x1 ( t )  x 2 ( t )  x 3 ( t )  x( t ) H₃ H₄

y 4 (t )  cos( x 4 (t ))  cos( y 3 (t ))  cos(1  2x 3 (t ))  cos(1  2x(t ))

y (t )  x(t )x(t  1)  x( t )  cos(1  2x(t ))  H( x )

Systems properties
Systems with Memory and without Memory
A system is said to be memoryless if the output at any time
depends on only the input at that time. Otherwise, the system
is said to have memory.
A resistor is an example of a memoryless system y(t)=R X(t) while a
capacitor is an example of a system with memory

1 t
y (t )   x( ) d
c 

The input and output sequences of a discrete-time system with

memory are related by

Y [ n]  X [k ]
n

k  

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 CAUSALITY
• A system is causal if the output does not anticipate
future values of the input, i.e., if the output at any time
depends only on values of the input up to that time.
• Examples of causal systems are

Examples of systems that are not causal are

All real-time physical systems are causal, because time only moves
forward. Effect occurs after cause. (Imagine if you own a noncausal
system whose output depends on tomorrow’s stock price.)
• Causality does not apply to spatially varying
signals. (We can move both left and right, up and
down.)
Causality does not apply to systems processing recorded
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signals, e.g. taped sports games vs. live broadcast.
Determine which of the following system is casual and which is noncasual

Since y(0)=X2(0-1)=X2(-1) , the system is casual

Y(-1)=x(0) ,the system is non casual

Y(0)=X(0),Y(1)=X(-1), Y(-1)=X(1),Noncasual System

Y(0)=1/2 X3(-1), Casual

Note that all memoryless systems are Casual

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 TIME-INVARIANCE (TI)
Informally, a system is time-invariant (TI) if its behavior does not depend on
what time it is.
Mathematically (in DT):
A system x[n]  y[n] is TI if for any input x[n] and any time
shift n0,

x[n]  y[n] then

x[n - n0]  y[n - n0] .

Similarly for a CT time-

invariant system,

If x(t)  y(t) then

x(t - to)  y(t - to) .

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 Examples
a.
If x(t)  x(t - t0 ) then y(t)  (x(t - t0  1))2  x 2 (t  t0  1)

and y(t - t 0 )  x 2 (t  t 0  1)

The system is time-invariant

b.
let x[n]  x[n - n0 ] then
1 1
y[n]  ( )n  1 (x(n  n0  1))3  ( )n  1 x 3 (n  n0  1)
2 2
1
y[n - n0 ]  ( )n - n0  1 x 3 (n  n0  1)
2

The System is a Time-Varying System

Fact: If the input to a TI System is periodic, then the output is periodic with
the same period. 10
 LINEAR AND NONLINEAR SYSTEMS

• Many systems are nonlinear. For example: many circuit

elements (e.g., diodes), dynamics of aircraft, econometric
models,…
In this course we will focus on linear systems because:

a. Linear models represent accurate representations of

behavior of many systems (e.g., linear resistors, capacitors …
etc

b. Systems can often linearized to examine “small

signal” perturbations around “operating points”

c. Linear systems are analytically tractable,

providing basis for important tools and
considerable insight
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 LINEARITY

A (CT) system is linear if it has the superposition property:

If x1(t)  y1(t) and x2(t)  y2(t)

then ax1(t) + bx2(t)  ay1(t) + by2(t)

y [n] = x2[n] Nonlinear, TI, Causal

y(t) = x(2t) Linear, not TI, Noncausal 12
 PROPERTIES OF LINEAR SYSTEMS
if x[n]  y[n] then a x[n]  a y[n]

• Superposition

If

Then

• For linear systems, zero input zero output 13

 Properties of Linear Systems (Continued)
• A linear system is causal if and only if it satisfies the condition of
initial rest:
If to the input to a CT linear system is the impulse signal  (t) the output
is the impulse response h(t) and represents the system characterstics in time domain

The same is true for DT linear system

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 Example: DT LTI System
If the response of a system to X1[n] is Y1[n] find the response to X2[n}?
Note: Use superposition principle to find the response to X2[n]

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 Example
What is the output of a linear system with impulse response h(n) ,if the signal x(n) shown
below is applied at the system’s input?

n
 Solution: Because the system is linear apply superposition principle to the system.

h[n] h[n] h[n]

n
Y3[n]
Y1[n]
Y2[n]

Y[n]

=Y1[n]
=Y2[n]
=Y3[n]
Y[n]  .5δ[n]  1.5δ[n  1 ]  1.25δ[n- 2 ]  0.25δ(n-3]
 SYSTEM INTERCONNECTIONS
•An important concept is that of interconnecting systems
— To build more complex systems by interconnecting
simpler subsystems
— To modify response of a system

•Signal flow (Block) diagram

Cascade

Parallel +

Feedback
+

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 Learning outcomes?
At the end of this lecture the student will be able to:
1. Describe a system.

2. Mathematically represent a system

3. Determine some of the system’s properties

4. Analyze and characterize the LTI in Time domain.

5. Describe the systems interconnection

 HW
Q1.A linear, time-invariant system has impulse response

a. Determine the step response of the system. [4]

b. Find and sketch the output of the system when the input is
X (t) = u (t +1) − u (t − 1) [6]

[Final Examination June 2010]

Q4.The response of an LTI system to a step input is

. What is the response to an input
of ?[12]

[Monthly Examination January 2010]

 Home work (continue)

Q5.Determine if the following systems are time-invariant, linear, causal,

and/or memoryless?[18]

[Monthly Examination January 2010]