Z-Transform
The Z-transform (ZT) is a mathematical tool which is used to convert the
difference equations in time domain into the algebraic equations in z-domain.
The Z-transform is a very useful tool in the analysis of a linear shift
invariant (LSI) system. An LSI discrete time system is represented by
difference equations. To solve these difference equations which are in time
domain, they are converted first into algebraic equations in z-domain using
the Z-transform, then the algebraic equations are manipulated in z-domain
and the result obtained is converted back into time domain using the inverse
Z-transform.
The Z-transform may be of two types viz. unilateral (or one-
sided) and bilateral (or two-sided).
Downsampling
What it is: Downsampling is the process of reducing the sample rate of a signal,
meaning you take fewer samples from the original signal.
How it works: For example, if you have a signal sampled every second and you
decide to keep only every second sample, you’re downsampling by a factor of 2.
Why it matters: This is useful for reducing data size and processing time, especially
when you don’t need the full resolution of the original signal.
Upsampling
What it is: Upsampling is the opposite of downsampling; it involves increasing the
sample rate of a signal, meaning you add more samples.
How it works: For example, if you have a signal sampled every second and you want
to add additional samples in between, you can insert new values (often interpolated)
to create a higher resolution signal.
Why it matters: This is useful when you need to improve the resolution of a signal
for further processing or analysis.
Summary
Z-transform: A mathematical method for analyzing digital signals.
Downsampling: Reducing the number of samples in a signal.
Upsampling: Increasing the number of samples in a signal.
What is Polyphase Representation?
Polyphase representation is a method used in signal processing to make downsampling
(reducing the number of samples) and filtering (removing unwanted frequencies) more
efficient.
Why Use Polyphase Representation?
When you downsample a signal, you want to make sure you don't lose important information.
If you just reduce the number of samples without filtering, you can get something called
aliasing, where different signals become indistinguishable.
Basic Idea
Imagine you have a filter (like a sieve that lets through only certain frequencies) and a signal.
Instead of applying the filter to the entire signal before downsampling, polyphase
representation allows you to split the filter into parts (phases) and apply them separately
based on how you’re downsampling.
