Examples of Convolution Let's look at some examples of convolution and see how the graphical nature of the convolution

process is useful. Taking an example as below:

x( k )

( k) ( k

( k

5) ( k ( k

h( k )

2)

( k

8)

11 )

17 )

These are linear combinations of discrete time unit step functions:

k 0 , 1 .. 50

x( k )

0 0 5 10 k 15 20 25

h( k )

0 0 5 10 k 15 20 25

Let's now construct the convolution summation expression of these two signals:
25 y( k ) n = 25 h( n ) .x( k n)

This is equivalent to taking the input signal x(k) and expressing it as a function of a dummy variable. The signal is then folded about the y-axis and shifted left by "k" units. The result of the convolution at any time step "k" is equal to the product of the "overlap" between the two functions.
10

y( k )

0 0 5 10 k 15 20 25

This response is characteristic of the convolution between rectangular pulses -- a triangular pulse. Notice that the result of the convolution is largest when the two functions have the greatest "overlap". the above graph represents the output of a discrete time system which has an impulse response (or weighting sequence) equal to h(k) when the input to the system is x(k). It is easy to prove that convolution is commutative, so it doesn't matter which function we fold and shift. The geometric interpretation of convolution tells us that. Let's take another example. We have a discrete time system with impulse response:

h( k )

10 . e

k 10 .

( k)

We excite this system with an input signal of:

x( k ) 10 . sin 3 .k . ( k) 5 10 .sin 3 .k 5 . ( k 15 )

h( k ) x( k ) 0

10 k

15

20

25

The convolution sum:

50 y( k ) n = 50 h( n ) .x( k n)

200

y( k )

200

10

20 k

30

40

50

Here we see that during the period of time where the excitation function is present, the response of the system is being "driven" by the input. Once the input excitation is no longer present, the response of the system reverts to its impulse response. Note that in the above examples we have used the unit step function feature of MathCAD to allow us to turn the signals on and off at appropriate times, most notably for times less than zero. This simulates a signal which is "turned on" at time t=0 and is "turned off" some time later. Let's look at several examples of continuous time convolution integrals. We have a continuous time system which is excited with a portion of a sinusoidal signal:
h( t ) 4 .e
2 .t .

( t)

x( t ) t

3 3 . e .sin( 5 .t ) . ( t )

5 , 4.9 .. 5
5

h( t ) x( t ) 0

5 4 2 0 t 2 4

The graph above displays both the impulse response of the system, and the excitation function. The next graph illustrates what happens when we take the impulse response and fold it about the y-axis:
5

h( t ) x( t ) 0

5 4 2 0 t 2 4

We now apply a time shift to the impulse function equal to "p":

p 3

h( p x( t )

t) 0

5 4 2 0 t 2 4

By changing the value of the delay parameter "p" you can see how the impulse response slides across the excitation function. The product of these two functions is shown below with various values of delay "p":

h( 0 h( 1 h( 2 h( 3 h( 4

t ) .x( t ) t ) .x( t ) t ) .x( t ) t ) .x( t ) t ) .x( t )

10

10

0 t

MathCAD has a great deal of difficulty integrating these functions with the algorithm it uses (Romberg Quadrature). Try it and you'll see what happens.