 Chapter-2: Fourier Series

 Introduction:
 Fourier analysis involves the resolution of certain classes of signals into the
superposition of sines and cosines ( sinusoidal components ) or, equivalently complex
exponential signals.
 The output of a system to a sinewave is another sinewave of the same frequency
( but with a different phase and amplitude) under two conditions:
a) If the system is linear, and
b) If the system is time-invariant.
 Periodic signals have Fourier series representation(Continuous-Time Fourier
Series(CTFS) and Discrete-Time Fourier Series(DTFS))
 Aperiodic (or non-periodic) signals have Fourier transform representation
(Continuous-Time Fourier Transform(CTFT) and Discrete-Time Fourier Transform
(DTFT))

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 Fourier Series Definition:
 A general periodic signal or function can be represented as an infinite sum of sine
and cosine function (or, equivalently complex exponential function)which are then
itself periodic. This series of sine and cosine terms (or, complex exponential terms) is
called Fourier series.
 Fourier series can be studied as under:
1) Continuous-Time Fourier Series(CTFS) , and
2) Discrete-Time Fourier Series(DTFS)
1) Continuous-Time Fourier Series(CTFS) :
 It has the following forms:
A. Trigonometric Fourier series
B. Compact trigonometric Fourier series, and
C. Complex exponential Fourier series

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[Link] Fourier Series:
 A CT periodic signal have the trigonometric Fourier series representation given as
 Then we have ....1
Also we can write,
= , is the fundamental
frequency.
 ….2

 ….3

 Note that because s when

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B) Compact Trigonometric Fourier Series:
 Also known as polar trigonometric Fourier Series.
 Trigonometric Fourier series is
…..i

 Let us define, = and = …..ii

So that i.e.,

 Then eq. (ii),

…..iii

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 Again let us define, and then eq. 3 becomes

…..iv
 Periodicity of the Trigonometric Fourier Series:
 We have the compact trigonometric Fourier series is

 Then for periodicity, we know

 Therefore,

But

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 Therefore,
for all t.
 Thus, trigonometric Fourier series is periodic function of period .

C) Complex Exponential Fourier Series:

1) Linear Combinations of Harmonically Related Complex Exponentials:
 The periodic complex exponential is given as
…..i

where is the fundamental period and is the fundamental

frequency.
 Then harmonically related complex exponential is
…..ii
where, fundamental frequency is

fundamental period is
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 Thus the linear combinations of harmonically related complex exponential is

Or …..iii

which is periodic with period .

 Eq. (iii) is the complex exponential Fourier series and the are called Fourier series
coefficients. It is also called synthesis equation.

• The terms for of are called fundamental components or first harmonic components.
• The terms for are called second harmonic components.
• The terms for are called harmonic components.

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2) Determination of Fourier series Representation of CT Periodic Signal:
 The Exponential Fourier series is
= …..i
 Multiplying both sides of 1 by and integrating over the period , we get

Interchanging the order of summation and integration in RHS, we have

…..ii

 But we know
𝑇0 𝑇0

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 Then eq. 2 reduces to

 Therefore,
𝑇0
 In general, …..iii
𝑇0
Eq. 3 is the required expression for Fourier series coefficients .Eq. (iii) is also called
analysis equation.

 Conversion of Trigonometric Fourier Series into Complex Exponential

Fourier Series:


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 Conversion of Complex Exponential Fourier Series into Trigonometric
Fourier Series:


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• Solved examples:
1) Let , which has fundamental frequency Determine the Fourier series coefficients.

2) Determine the Fourier series coefficients of the periodic signal in the figure below.

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1) Solution:
 Given,
where, is the fundamental frequency.

+ +1+

 Comparing this with the eq.

or +…..
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 We get
, ,

 And .

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2) Solution:
 From the given figure the signal is defined as

The signal is periodic with fundamental period T and fundamental frequency

=. This is a square wave.
Fourier series coefficients:
 We have,
𝑇

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 We know,
𝑇

T1

-T1

 Therefore,

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 For , then

and so on.

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 The plot of for is shown below.

𝐷𝑛

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 Dirichlet Conditions:
 This is a set of conditions which guarantees that a signal has its Fourier series
representation except at some isolated values of t for which is discontinuous.
 Conditions:
1) Over any one period, must be absolutely integrable, i.e.,
.....i
𝑇0
In this case is also finite.

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2) The signal contains finite number of maxima and minima over any finite
period.
3) The signal has finite number of discontinuities over any finite period.

• Examples that violets Dirichlet conditions:

1) . This signal is periodic with period 1, but violets condition 1.

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2) for This signal is periodic with period 1 but violets
condition 2.

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 3)

 This signal is periodic with period but violets condition3.

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 The Fourier Spectrum:
 A periodic signal can be specified into two equivalent ways:
1. the time-domain representation where is defined as a function of time, and
2. the frequency-domain representation where the signal is defined in terms of its
spectrum. It consists of frequency components 0,, .. called spectrum.

 We know where {} is the phase.

• Amplitude spectrum:
 The plot of amplitudes versus frequency is called amplitude spectrum.
For real-valued periodic signal = , where is the complex
conjugate of . Then =
That is , amplitude spectrum is symmetric or even function of n.

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• Phase spectrum:
 The plot of phase versus frequency gives the phase spectrum.

Phase spectrum is asymmetric or odd function of n.

 Since both the amplitude and phase of have nonzero values only for discrete
frequencies that are integers, the spectrum (amplitude and phase spectrum) is also
referred as discrete spectrum or line spectrum.

• Note that if we specify the periodic signal we can determine its spectrum;
conversely, if we specify the spectrum, we can determine the corresponding signal.

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 Properties of CTFS:
 The CTFS representation consists of a number of properties which may be used to
develop conceptual fundamentals and in reducing the complexity of Fourier series
of many signals.

1) Linerity:
 Let

and , both are periodic with period .

then , …..i
is also periodic with period .

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 Proof:
 We know,
𝑇0

2) Time Shifting:
 Let
then …..i

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Proof:
 We have ,

 Let, = and it will also range over . Then

𝑇0

• Note that .Hence, time-shifting does not change the amplitude. It only changes the
phase spectrum.
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3) Frequency Shifting:
 Let
then …..i
Proof:
 We have,

This implies that 𝑇0

 Thus we can write,

𝑇0 𝑇0

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4) Time reversal:
 If
then …..i
Proof:
 We have , …..ii

then,

 Let in RHS , we get

 In general, …..iii

 Therefore

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• Time reversal in signal dies not change in the period T0 , but results in a time reversal
of the corresponding sequence of Fourier series coefficients.
• Cases:
I. When = for all t (even signal),= .
II. When = - for all t (odd signal), = .

5) Time Scaling:
 If

then …..i
 That is, this property does not change the Fourier series coefficients but change the
fundamental period (and thus fundamental frequency).
Proof:
 Let

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 where and
𝑇0 ’
 Let = then ’ ,

 Therefore ,

 Put /a

 Therefore, =

 Hence ,

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6) Multiplication:

 If and
then …..i
where are periodic with period T0.
Proof:
 Given

then {}{}

…..ii
 Put in eq.i , then
when and when
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 Then eq.1 becomes

i.e.,

 If are the Fourier series coefficients of then we have

…..iii

where,

• Note that is convolution of and .

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7) Conjugation and Conjugate Symmetry:
 Taking the complex conjugate of a periodic signal has the effect of complex
conjugation and time reversal on the corresponding Fourier series coefficients.
 That is, if

then …..i
Proof:
 Let, …..ii
 Taking complex conjugate on both sides ,we get

 Put , we obtain
…..iii

 Therefore ,

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Cases:
i. If is real:
 Here, then , i.e.,

 Hence

ii. If is real and even:

 If is real

 If is even

Then , i.e.,
 Which shows that is purely real and contains no imaginary part.
 In this case is real.

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iii. If is real and odd:
 If is real

 If is odd

 Then ,i.e.,
 In this case , Fourier series coefficients are purely imaginary and odd.
 Also 0

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8) Convolution:
 If , and
then the convolution of and over a period , results in a signal ,
such that . …..i

Proof:
 The convolution(for periodic signals) is defined as

 From time shifting property, we have , thus

 Hence,

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9) Parseval’s Relation for CT Periodic Signals:
 It states that the total average power of a periodic signal is equal to the sum of the
average power of its harmonic components (or Fourier components).

 Mathematically, …..i
𝑇0
where, is the total average power of the periodic signal .
Proof: 𝑇0


and 𝑇 0

is the complex conjugate of .

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 Then we have,

𝑇0 𝑇0

{} 𝑇0

𝑇0

 Where 2 is the average power in the nth harmonic (or Fourier series) component. The
power spectrum is the symmetric spectrum.

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 Note:
a. A spectrum showing the relation of average power to the corresponding frequency
component(harmonics) is called power density spectrum.

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