The Z-Transform of a given discrete signal, x(k), is given by:

Z x(k ) X ( z ) x(k ) z k

k
where z is a complex variable.
In most cases the signal will be causal giving rise to the One-
Sided Z-Transform:

Z x(k ) X ( z ) x(k ) z k

k 0
The Z-Transform is derived from the Laplace Transform of
a train of unit pulses.

The Laplace Transform of the unit pulse is unity, the

delayed pulse an exponential term:

Delayed Impulse Laplace Transform

(t ) 1
(t T ) e sT
(t 2T ) e s 2T

(t iT ) e siT
The Laplace Transform of a sampled function is:

L u kT t kT u kT e
kTs

k 0 k 0

Note that the Laplace Transform of a sampled function is in the

form of an infinite series and involves factors of the form of
powers of e-st.
 We define a new transform called the Z-Transform such
that:

Z u(t ) U ( z )

L
k
u kT t kT u kT z
k 0 e st z k 0
Example:
For the unit impulse, (t), x(k)=1 at k=0 only, therefore:-

Z (t ) (kT ) z k
1 z 0
1
k 0

Likewise,

Z (t n) k n T z k
1 z n
z n

k 0
For the unit step function:

Y ( z) z k 1
1 z z 2

k 0

Note that the result is an infinite geometric series and

the following identity holds:

1
1
n 2

n 0
1
so that:

1 2 1 z
1 z z
1 z 1 z 1

Another useful identity exists for finite geometric series.

1 N 1
N

n 0
n 1 2 N
1
Discrete Signal Z-Transform

1. x ( k ) 1. X ( z )

2. ( k ) 2. 1

k 1
3. a u (k ) 3.
1 az 1
4. a cos ku (k )
k
4.
1 az 1 cos
1 2az 1 cos a 2 z 2
5. a k sin ku (k ) 5.
az 1 sin
1 2az 1 cos a 2 z 2
Discrete Signal Z-Transform

az 1
k
6. ka u (k )
1 az
6.
1 2

7. k (k 1)a u (k )
k
2a 2 z 1
1 az
7.
1 3

8. a1x1 (k ) a2 x2 (k ) 8. a1 X1( z ) a2 X 2 ( z )

9. x ( k n ) 9. z n X ( z )

10. x1 (n) x2 (n) 10. X 1 ( z ) X 2 ( z )

Discrete Signal Z-Transform
n
11. a x(k ) 11. X (a 1 z )

12. kx(k ) z 1dX ( z )

12 .
dz 1
Digital filters are characterized by polynomials (FIR
filters) or rational fractions (IIR filters).

It is preferred to represent DSP filter function using

negative powers of z. Any positive power rational
fraction can be converted to one with negative powers
of z.

z 2 1.5 z 0.9
H ( z)
z 1.8 z 0.7
2
Suppose we have:

z 1.5 z 0.9
2
H ( z)
z 1.8 z 0.7
2

we can multiply numerator and denominator by z-2.

1 2
1 1.5 z 0.9 z
H ( z) 1 2
1 1.8 z 0.7 z
Consider the FIR filter:

yk 6xk 5xk 1 xk 2

Since z represents a delay:

y[k] z-0 Y(z)

x[k] z-0 X(z)
-1
x[k-1] z X(z)
-2
x[k-2] z X(z)
so that the Z transform of

yk 6xk 5xk 1 xk 2
is
0 0 1 2
z Y ( z ) 6 z X ( z ) 5z X ( z ) z X ( z )

which becomes

1 2
Y ( z ) 6 X ( z ) 5z X ( z ) z X ( z )

6 5z 1 z 2 X ( z )
Find the system function H(z) of a FIR filter whose
impulse response is:

h[k ] [k ] 7 [k 2] 3 [k 3]

The solution is:

2 3
H ( z) 1 7z 3z
Suppose that

H ( z ) 1 2z 1 2z 2 z 3

The inverse Z transform is:

h[k ] 1 2 [k 1] 2 [k 2] [k 3]