ELEC 351

Signals and Systems

Lecture 1
Introduction to Signals and Systems

Dr. Nader Meskin

Electrical Engineering Department
Qatar University

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Goals
• Course structure and administration
• Define Signals and Systems
• Signal Energy and Power

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 structure and administration
• Course Syllabus

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 Mud Cards
Mud cards
– 3 x 5 cards are passed out at the
beginning of each lecture
– Describe the most “muddiest”
(confusing) point of the lecture (or other
questions)
– Identify the most important point of the
lecture
– Turn in cards at the end of class
– Responses posted on FAQ list in the
course webpage in the Blackboard by 8
pm on the day of lecture (make sure to
look!)
Class FAQ
– Responses to mud cards and other
frequently asked questions in the class
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 The Signals and Systems Abstraction

A system represents any process that transforms an input signal into an

output signal.
• Physical Systems
o Electrical Systems such as electrical circuit
o Mechanical Systems such as mass spring system
o Chemical Processes

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Example: Mass and Spring

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Example: Tanks

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Example: Cell Phone System

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 Signals and Systems: Widely Applicable
The Signals and Systems approach has broad application:
electrical, mechanical, optical, acoustic, biological, financial, ….

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 Signals and Systems
Signals are mathematical functions.
‰ independent variable: time
‰ dependent variable: voltage, velocity, flow rate, sound pressure

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 Signals and Systems
Continuous “time” (CT) and discrete “time” (DT)

A continuous-time signal is a signal represented by a function of a continuous-time

variable. Many physical systems operate in continuous time.
• mass and spring
• leaky tank
A discrete-time signal is a signal represented only at discrete values of time. Between
these instants, value of the signal may be zero, undefined, or of no interest. Digital
computations are done in discrete time.
• state machines: given the current input and current state, what is the next output
and next state
• stock market 11
Signals and Systems
A quantized signal is one whose values may assume
only a countable number of values, or levels.

A quantized discrete-time signal is referred as digital signal.

• Computer data

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 Signals and Systems
Sampling : converting CT signals to DT

Important for computational manipulation of physical data

• digital representations of audio signals (e.g., MP3)
• digital representation of pictures (e.g. JPEG)
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 Signals and Systems
Reconstruction : converting DT signals to CT
zero-order hold

commonly used in audio output devices such as CD players

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Signal Energy and Power

1 2
Instantaneous power: p (t ) = v(t )i (t ) = v (t )
R
Total energy in the time t2 t2 1 2
interval t1 ≤ t ≤ t 2 : ∫t1
p (t )dt = ∫
t1 R
v (t )dt

Average power in the 1 t2 1 t2 1 2

time interval t1 ≤ t ≤ t 2 : ∫
t 2 − t1 1
t
p (t )dt = ∫
t 2 − t1 1 R
t
v (t )dt

Similarly, for any continuous signal x(t), we can define:

Total energy in the time t2
∫
2
x(t ) dt
interval t1 ≤ t ≤ t 2 : t1

Average power in the 1 t2

∫
2
x (t ) dt
time interval t1 ≤ t ≤ t 2 : t 2 − t1 1
t
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 Signal Energy and Power

In many systems, we are interested in examining power

and energy over an infinite time interval:
T ∞
E∞ = lim ∫ x(t ) dt = ∫ x(t ) dt
2 2
Total energy: T →∞ −T −∞

Energy Signal 0 < E∞ < ∞

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Signal Energy and Power
1 T
Average power: P∞ = lim ∫
2
x(t ) dt
T → ∞ 2T −T

Power Signal 0 < P∞ < ∞

E∞
P∞ = lim
T →∞ 2T

E∞ < ∞ P∞ = 0
P∞ > 0 E∞ = ∞ 17
Check yourself

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• Reading Assignment
– Signals and Systems: Chapter 1, section 1.1
– Problems with Answers
• 1.3) a), b) and c)
• 1.13

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