3/8/2017 SamplingaSignalinMatlabGaussianWaves

Published July 10, 2014 by Mathuranathan

Sampling a Signal in Matlab

Generating a continuous signal and sampling it at a given rate is
demonstrated here. In simulations, we may require to generate a
continuous time signal and convert it to discrete domain by appropriate
sampling.

For baseband signal, the sampling is straight forward. By Nyquist Shannon

sampling theorem, for faithful reproduction of a continuous signal in
discrete domain, one has to sample the signal at a rate fs higher than at-
least twice the maximum frequency fm contained in the signal (actually, it
is twice the one-sided bandwidth occupied by a real signal. For a baseband
signal bandwidth (0 to fm ) and maximum frequency fm in a given band
are equivalent).

Matlab or any other simulation softwares process everything in digital i.e,

discrete in time. Therefore, we cannot generate a real continuous-time
signal on it, rather we can generate a continuous-like signal by using a
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very very highsampling rate. When plotted, such signals look like a
continuous signal.

Lets generate a simple continuous-like sinusoidal signal with frequency

fm = 10kHz. In order to make it appear as a continuous signal when
plotting, a sampling rate offs =500kHz is used.

fs=500e3; %Very high sampling rate 500 kHz

f=10e3; %Frequency of sinusoid
nCyl=5; %generate five cycles of sinusoid
t=0:1/fs:nCyl*1/f; %time index
x=cos(2*pi*f*t);

plot(t,x)
title('Continuous sinusoidal signal');
xlabel('Time(s)');
ylabel('Amplitude');

Continous time signal in Matlab

Pretending the above generated signal as a sinusoidal signal, we would like

to convert the signal to discrete-time equivalent by sampling. By Nyquist
Shannon Theorem, the signal has to be sampled at at-least
f s = 2 f m = 20kH z . Lets sample the signal at f s1 = 30kH z and then

at fs1 = 50kH z for illustration.

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fs1=30e3; %30kHz sampling rate
t1=0:1/fs1:nCyl*1/f; %time index
x1=cos(2*pi*f*t1);

fs2=50e3; %50kHz sampling rate
t2=0:1/fs2:nCyl*1/f; %time index
x2=cos(2*pi*f*t2);

subplot(2,1,1);
plot(t,x);
hold on;
stem(t1,x1);
subplot(2,1,2);
plot(t,x);
hold on;
stem(t2,x2);

Sampling a Continous time signal in Matlab

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Mathuranathan
Mathuranathan Viswanathan - Founder and Author @
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2Comments Gaussianwaves
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PTMayearago
Ithinkthereisalittlemistakeincodecommentsandplots:samplingfrequencyis
fs1=30kHzandfs2=50kHz(not3kHzand5kHz).
Reply Share

Mathuranathan Mod >PTM ayearago

Thanksforspottingthat.Willcorrectthemistake
1 Reply Share

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