Chapter 4

DIGITAL SAMPLING,
FILTERING AND CONTROL

NOORLISA HARUN
Faculty of Chemical and Natural Resources Engineering,
University Malaysia Pahang.
PhD (University of Waterloo), MEng (UTM), BEng (UTM)
noorlisa@ump.edu.my, 09-5492885, 019-9708277

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 MKK 1263
Chapters Overview

 Chapter 4 Discrete Systems

 Sampling and Signal Reconstruction

 Signal Processing and Data Filtering

 Z-transform and Discrete Transfer Functions

Chapter 4

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 MKK 1263
Chapter 4 Sampling and Signal Reconstruction

Green Line – Continuous Signal

Blue Dots – Discrete Signal

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 MKK 1263
Sampling and Signal Reconstruction

 Sampler is a switch, which closes every T seconds and

remains closed for an infinitesimally short period of time.
 As the sampling period tends zero, the sampled
Chapter 4

representation comes closer to the continuous signal but

requires an explosively large number of sampled values.
 On the other hand, as the sampling period increases, fewer
sampled values are required, but the sampled
representation of a continuous signal deteriorates, and the
reconstruction of the original signal becomes poor or
sample.

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 MKK 1263
Chapter 4 Sampling and Signal Reconstruction

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 MKK 1263
Chapter 4 Sampling and Signal Reconstruction

Sampling an oscillating signal more than 2 times per

cycle of oscillation; otherwise its impossible to
reconstruct the original signals from its sampled values.

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 MKK 1263
Signal Processing and Data Filtering
In process control applications, noise associated with
measurements can arise from a number of sources: the
measurement device, electrical equipment or the process
Chapter 4

The effects of both process noise and measurement noise can be

reduced by signal conditioning or filtering

The most common filters:

a) Exponential filter
b) Moving average filter

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 MKK 1263
Data Filtering: Exponential Filter

General expression:

𝑦𝐹 𝑘 = 𝛼𝑦𝑚 𝑘 + 1 − 𝛼 𝑦𝐹 𝑘 − 1
Chapter 4

Where:
𝑦𝐹 𝑘 : current filtered sampling
𝑦𝑚 𝑘 : current measured sampling
𝑦𝐹 𝑘 − 1 : previous filtered sampling
𝛼: filter constants between 0 and 1

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 MKK 1263
Data Filtering: Moving Average Filter

General expression:

1
𝑦𝐹 𝑘 = 𝑦𝐹 𝑘 − 1 + ∗ 𝑦𝑚 𝑘 − 𝑦𝑚 𝑘 − 𝑁 ∗
𝑁
Chapter 4

Where:
𝑦𝐹 𝑘 : current filtered sampling
𝑦𝑚 𝑘 : current measured sampling
𝑦𝐹 𝑘 − 1 : previous filtered sampling
𝑁 ∗ : average filter constants (based on past data points)

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 MKK 1263 Exercise:

The following level measurement data were obtained from product storage
tank:

Time (min) Level Measurement (m)

0 0
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1 1.5
2 0.3
3 1.6
4 0.4
5 1.7
6 1.5
7 2.0
8 1.5

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 MKK 1263
Chapter 4 Exercise:

a) Filter the data using an exponential filter with ∆t = 1 min. Consider α =

0.5.
b) Use a moving average filter with N* = 4.
c) Plot and compare both graphs.

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Discrete System
 Both continuous (analog) and sampled (digital)
signals appear in the block diagram
Chapter 4

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 MKK 1263
Discrete System
 Consider the operation of periodic sampler converting a continuous
signal y(t) to a discrete signal y*(t)
Chapter 4

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 MKK 1263
Chapter 4 Discrete System

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 MKK 1263
Chapter 4 Discrete System

Continuous System

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 MKK 1263 Discrete System: Exercise

a) Calculate the response if u(0) = 1 and y(0) = 0 for k = 1,…,20

Chapter 4

b) Plot the graph (assume sampling k as the real time; k = 1 = 1 minute).

c) What is the steady state value of y?.

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