2.1 FUNDAMENTALS 15
by many engineers and scientists, although it is currently the subject of much active
research [Marvasti 87]. We will revisit this topic later when we discuss nonlinear image
warping.
2.1.3. Impulse Response
In the continuous domain, we define
a (x) = (2.1.6)
0, x0
to be the impulse function, known also as the Dirac delta function. The impulse function
can be used to sample a continuous function f (x) as follows
f (xo) = i f (?)5(x-?)d? (2.1.7)
If we are operating in the discrete (integer) domain, then the Kronecker delta function is
used:
1, x=0
(x)= 0, x0 (2.1.8)
for integer values ofx. The two-dimensional versions of the Dirac and Kinnecker delta
functions are obtained in a separable fashion by taking the product of their 1-D coonter-
parts:
Dirac: 8(x,y) = /5(x)8(y) (2.1.9)
Kronecker: 8(m,n) = 8(m)(n)
When an impulse is applied to a filter, an altered impulse, referred to as the impulse
response, is generated at the output. The first direct outcome of linearity and spatial-
invariance is that the filter can be uniquely characterized by its impulse response. The
significance of the impulse and impulse response function becomes apparent when we
realize that any input signal can be represented in the limit by an infinite sum of shifted
and scaled impulses. This is an outcome of the sifting integral
f(x) = i f(?)(x-?)d? (2.1.10)
which uses the actual signal f (x) to scale the collection of impulses. Accordingly, the
output of a linear and space-invariant filter will be a superposition of shifted and scaled
impulse responses.
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