System Characteristics

SIGNALS AND SYSTEMS

Dr. Zaid Ahmad

COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus
Lumped-Parameter and Distributed-
Parameter Systems
Lumped-parameter systems involve signals that are function of time only:

For example, electric wiring at home or factory

Such systems can be represented by difference or differential equation
Distributed-parameter systems involve signals that are function of both time and
space:

For example, electromagnetic signal, electrical transmission line, antenna

Such systems can be represented by partial difference or differential equation
Memoryless and Memory Systems
Memoryless Systems: Output signal value at time depends on the input signal value
corresponding to only time
No memory elements such as capacitors, inductors or registers
No derivative, integral or delay terms
Memory Systems: Output signal at time depends on input signal values
corresponding to times in addition to .
One or more energy storing elements
CT systems – differential equations, DT systems – difference equation, CT systems
with delays
Causal Systems
Causal Systems: output at time depends on the values of the input signal that occur
only at times .
Memoryless system is always causal.
System Order
The order of single-input single-output system is the order of the difference or
differential equation of the system.
CT system: order of the highest derivative
DT system: the largest delay of the output signal
Reducing order means reducing the number of storage elements
Linear Systems
Consider a CT system when
and .
The system is linear if

where and are constants.

DT linear system?
Superposition holds!
Time-Invariant System
The system (or ) is time-invariant if the output changes only by time shift if the
input shifts by ; i.e.
or
System Stability
A system possess bounded-input bounded-output (BIBO) stability if every bounded
input signal produces a bounded output signal.
Example 1
Determine whether the following systems have memory? If yes, what is the order?
Example 2
Determine whether the system is linear? Is it time-invariant?
Example 3
Determine whether the system is linear? Time invariant?
References
G. E. Carlson, (2007). Signal and Linear System Analysis. 2nd
Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.