ENEE 322: Signals and Systems

Convolution Examples
1

Discrete-Time Convolution

The input, x[n], and output, y[n], of a discrete-time LTI system are related by the convolution sum

x[k]h[n k] =

y[n] =
k=

h[k]x[n k]

(1)

k=

where h[n] is the impulse response of the system. Consider a system with impulse response and
input shown in Fig. 1 and given by
h[n] = n u[n]
x[n] = u[n],

(2)
(3)

where is some constant such that 0 < < 1. Using (1), the output of the system will be

k=

u[k]nk u[n k] = n

x[k]h[n k] =

y[n] =

k=

k u[k]u[n k].

(4)

k=

To help evaluate (4), the ipped and shifted version of the impulse response is shown in Fig. 2 for
2 cases. When n < 0, Fig. 2a, the curves do not overlap so x[k]h[n k] = 0 for all values of k.
Therefore,
y[n] = n

0 = 0

n<0

(5)

k=

When n > 0, Fig. 2b, the curves overlap from k = 0 to k = n. Therefore, the product is only
nonzero in this range, and (4) reduces to
y[n] = n
=

k u[k]u[n k]

k=
n
n
k

k=0

1 (1/)n+1
1 (1/)
1 n+1
n0
y[n] =
1
= n

(6)

Putting (5) and (6) together we have

n+1
1

n 0

n < 0

y[n] =

which can be combined as

y[n] =

1 n+1
1

u[n]

Sample plots of x[n], h[n], and y[n] for = 0.75 are shown in Fig. 3.

(7)

ENEE 322: Signals and Systems

Continuous-Time Convolution

The input, x(t), and output, y(t), of a continuous-time LTI system are related by the convolution
integral

y(t) =
x( )h(t )d =
h( )x(t )d
(8)

where h(t) is the impulse response of the system. Consider a system with impulse response and
input shown in Fig. 4 and given by
h(t) = e2t u(1 t)
x(t) = u(t) 2u(t 2) + u(t 5).

(9)
(10)

Substituting these into (8) yields a complicated looking expression,

y(t) =

[u(t ) 2u(t 2 ) + u(t 5 )] e2 u(1 )d.

(11)

This integration problem can be simplied by considering various intervals for t. Flipped and shifted
versions of the impulse response are shown in Fig. 5 for these ranges of t. When t < 1 the curves
only overlap between t 5 and t, see Fig. 5a, so this limits the integration interval. Furthermore,
x(t) is a constant value from t5 to t2 and a dierent constant value from t2 to t, so separating
the integral into two terms will greatly simplify our work.
t

y(t) =

[u(t ) 2u(t 2 ) + u(t 5 )] e2 d.

t5
t2

(1)e2 d +

t5

=
y(t) =

e2 d

t2

1 2(t2)
1
e
e2(t5) + e2t e2(t2)
2
2

1
1 2e4 + e10 e2t
2

t<1

(12)

When t > 1 > t 2 (i.e. 1 < t < 3), the leading edge of x(t ) has shifted out beyond the end of
h( ), see Fig. 5b. Therefore, the upper limit on the integration becomes the end of h( ).
t2

y(t) =
t5

e2 d +

e2 d

t2

1 2(t2)
1
e
e2(t5) + e2 e2(t2)
2
2
1
1 2
4
10
2t
2e + e
e + e
y(t) =
2
2
=

1<t<3

(13)

When t 5 < 1 < t 2 (i.e. 3 < t < 6), the leading section x(t ) has shifted out beyond the end
of h( ), so the second integral is zero and the upper limit on the rst integral is the end of h( ),
see Fig. 5c.
1
1 2(t5)
e
e2
3<t<6
(14)
y(t) =
e2 d =
2
t5

ENEE 322: Signals and Systems

When t 5 > 1 (i.e. t > 6), the curves no longer overlap and
y(t) = 0.

t>6

(15)

Putting (12) through (15) together yields the nal answer,

[1 2e4 + e10 ] e2t

1
2

y(t) =

1
2

[2e4 + e10 ] e2t + 1 e2

2

1
2

2(t5)

t 1
1 < t 3

(16)

3 < t 6

6 < t

We can use unit step functions to rewrite (16) as

y(t) =

1 2e4 + e10 e2t u(1 t) +

1
2

1
2

2e4 + e10 e2t + 1 e2 [u(3 t) u(1 t)]

2

1
+ 2 e2(t5) e2 [u(6 t) u(3 t)]

1 2e4 + e10 e2t

1
2

1
2

1
2

2e4 + e10 e2t 1 e2 u(1 t)

2

2e4 + e10 e2t + 1 e2

2

1
2

e2(t5) e2

u(3 t)

+ 1 e2(t5) e2 u(6 t)
2
y(t) =

1
2

e2t e2 u(1 t) + e2t4 + e2 u(3 t) +

e2t10 e2 u(6 t)

1
2

x[n]

(17)

h[n]

-8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Figure 1: Input signal and system impulse response.

-8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

ENEE 322: Signals and Systems

x[k]

x[k]

h[n-k]

h[n-k]

x[k] h[n-k]

x[k] h[n-k]

(a)

(b)

Figure 2: (a) Case 1: n < 0, curves do not overlap and (b) Case 2: n > 0, curves overlap between
0 and n.

= 0.750

= 0.750
4

1
x[n]

3.5
0.5

10

15

h[n]

y[n]

2.5
0
5

2
1.5
1

0.5
0.5
0
5

5
n

10

15

0
5

Figure 3: Example curves for = 0.75.

5
n

10

15

ENEE 322: Signals and Systems

x(t)

h(t)

1
5

-1

-2

-3

-4

-1

Figure 4: Input signal and system impulse response.

h()

h()

x(t-)

x(t-)

t-5

t-5

t-2

t-2

(b) Case where t 2 < 1 < t

(a) Case where t < 1

h()

h()

x(t-)
t

t-5

t-2

t-5

(c) Case where t 5 < 1 < t 2

x(t-)

(d) Case where 1 < t 5

Figure 5: Overlapping curves for various values of t.

4
1

x(t)

0.5

0.5
0

y(t)

1
1
2

0
1

h(t)

2
0
2

4
2

Figure 6: Continuous-time convolution example.

4
t