Discrete transform

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In signal processing, discrete transforms are mathematical transforms, often linear transforms, of signals between discrete domains, such as between discrete time and discrete frequency. [1]

Many common integral transforms used in signal processing have their discrete counterparts. For example, for the Fourier transform the counterpart is the discrete Fourier transform.

In addition to spectral analysis of signals, discrete transforms play important role in data compression, signal detection, digital filtering and correlation analysis. [2] The discrete cosine transform (DCT) is the most widely used transform coding compression algorithm in digital media, followed by the discrete wavelet transform (DWT).

Transforms between a discrete domain and a continuous domain are not discrete transforms. For example, the discrete-time Fourier transform and the Z-transform, from discrete time to continuous frequency, and the Fourier series, from continuous time to discrete frequency, are outside the class of discrete transforms.

Classical signal processing deals with one-dimensional discrete transforms. Other application areas, such as image processing, computer vision, high-definition television, visual telephony, etc. make use of two-dimensional and in general, multidimensional discrete transforms.

See also

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In signal processing, multidimensional signal processing covers all signal processing done using multidimensional signals and systems. While multidimensional signal processing is a subset of signal processing, it is unique in the sense that it deals specifically with data that can only be adequately detailed using more than one dimension. In m-D digital signal processing, useful data is sampled in more than one dimension. Examples of this are image processing and multi-sensor radar detection. Both of these examples use multiple sensors to sample signals and form images based on the manipulation of these multiple signals. Processing in multi-dimension (m-D) requires more complex algorithms, compared to the 1-D case, to handle calculations such as the fast Fourier transform due to more degrees of freedom. In some cases, m-D signals and systems can be simplified into single dimension signal processing methods, if the considered systems are separable.

References

  1. Jerry C. Whitaker (2001). Television receivers. McGraw-Hill Professional. p. 147. ISBN   978-0-07-138042-3.
  2. Graham Wade (1994). Signal coding and processing (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 332. ISBN   978-0-521-42336-6.