C. A.

Bouman: Digital Image Processing - January 12, 2015 1

Continuous Time Fourier Transform (CTFT)

Z
F (f ) = f (t)ej2f tdt

Z
f (t) = F (f )ej2f tdf

f (t) is continuous time. (Also known as continuous pa-

rameter.)
F (f ) is a continuous function of frequency < f <
.
C. A. Bouman: Digital Image Processing - January 12, 2015 2

Useful Continuous Time Signal Definitions

Rect Function

1.2


1 for |t| 1/2
1

0.8

Rect function: rect(t) = 0.6

0 otherwise
0.4

0.2

0.2

3 2 1 0 1 2 3

Step Function

1

1 for t 0 0.5

Step function: u(t) = 0

0 for t < 0 0.5

3 2 1 0 1 2 3

1 for t > 0 1

0.5
Sign Function

Sign function: sgn(t) = 0 for t = 0 0

0.5

1 for t < 0
1

3 2 1 0 1 2 3

Sinc Function

1.2

sin(t) 1

0.8

Sinc function: sinc(t) = 0.6

0.4

t 0.2

0.2

3 2 1 0 1 2 3

Lambda Function

 1.2

1 |t| for |t| 1 1

0.8

Lambda function: (t) = 0.6

0 for |t| > 1

0.4

0.2

0.2

3 2 1 0 1 2 3
C. A. Bouman: Digital Image Processing - January 12, 2015 3

Continuous Time Delta Function

The function (t) is actually not a function.

(t) is defined by the property that for all continuous func-

tions g(t) Z
g(0) = (t)g(t)dt

Intuitively, we may think of (t) as a very short pulse with

unit area.
Z  
1
g(0) = lim rect(t/) g(t)dt
0

Intuitively (but not rigorously)

1
(t) = lim rect(t/)
0
C. A. Bouman: Digital Image Processing - January 12, 2015 4

Useful CTFT Relations

CT F T
(t) 1

CT F T
1 (f )

CT F T
rect(t) sinc(f )

CT F T
sinc(t) rect(f )

CT F T
(t) sinc2(f )
C. A. Bouman: Digital Image Processing - January 12, 2015 5

CTFT Properties

Property Time Domain Function CTFT

Linearity af (t) + bg(t) aF (f ) + bG(f )
Conjugation f (t) F (f )
1
Scaling f (at) |a| F (f /a)
Shifting f (t t0) exp {j2f t0} F (f )
Modulation exp {j2f0t} f (t) F (f f0)
Convolution f (t) g(t) F (f ) G(f )
Multiplication f (t)g(t) F (f ) G(f )
Duality F (t) f (f )
Inner product property
Z Z
f (t)g (t)dt = F (f )G(f )df