Hi David, Maybe you'll like the following interpretation more: - Step response shows the "voltage" (but in other applications could be current, wave etc.) when the system transitions from its initial zero state into another state forced by applying the step-wise input stimulus. - Impulse response characterizes a speed with which such transition happens. As speed, it has 1/sec factor in its dimension, and peaks where the step transition changes most quickly. Before time zero, and after transition settles, its speed is zero. That's why impulse response is assumed to be zero for time<0, and end there, too. As you see, it has a clear physical meaning. The speed of changing the output voltage is tremendous. It's not uncommon that you get 1V change in 0.1ns, that's why you get the values of 1e10 Volt/sec and more. Vladimir From: ibis-macro-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ibis-macro-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of David Banas Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 10:04 AM To: fangyi_rao@xxxxxxxxxxx; ibis-macro@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [ibis-macro] Re: On impulse and step responses. Hi Fangyi, Thanks for the reply. Please, see below. Thanks, -db From: fangyi_rao@xxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:fangyi_rao@xxxxxxxxxxx] Sent: Thursday, June 20, 2013 8:18 AM To: David Banas; ibis-macro@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: RE: On impulse and step responses. David; Step response has an unit of volt. Impulse response, which is the derivative of step response by definition, has an unit of volt/sec. [David Banas] If this discussion pertained to the continuous time domain, I would agree with you, but it doesn't. This discussion pertains to the discrete time domain. (It has to, since we're sending in a discrete set of samples, taken at a uniform sampling interval, to Init().) And, in that domain, both quantities must have the same unit, since we require: [cid:image003.png@01CE7191.3566CFD0] where {uk} is the "unit step response sequence" and {hi} the "unit pulse response sequence" of the LSI discrete time system being discussed, and I have taken the liberty of assuming we're only interested in describing causal systems. In our particular application, the most reasonable unit for these two sequences seems to be "Volt", which is why I'm very perplexed as to why several of us seem to feel that "Volts/sec." is the proper unit to be sending into Init(). Does our current spec. call out the exact units to be used? Also, please keep in mind that the Dirac delta function has an unit of 1/sec. Regards, Fangyi From: ibis-macro-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:ibis-macro-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> [mailto:ibis-macro-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of David Banas Sent: Thursday, June 20, 2013 7:50 AM To: ibis-macro@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:ibis-macro@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Subject: [ibis-macro] On impulse and step responses. Hi all, In our work, we often take as a priori that the impulse response is the time derivative of the step response. As I puzzle over this further, I realize that I'm stumped by something very fundamental, which is this: A quantity, which is the time derivative of some other quantity, cannot have the same units as that other quantity. And, yet, when we discuss/measure/simulate either a step response or an impulse response, we expect to be talking about / measuring / viewing a voltage as a function of time, in both cases! How can this be? Thanks, -db ________________________________ Confidentiality Notice. This message may contain information that is confidential or otherwise protected from disclosure. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any use, disclosure, dissemination, distribution, or copying of this message, or any attachments, is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please advise the sender by reply e-mail, and delete the message and any attachments. Thank you. ________________________________ Confidentiality Notice. This message may contain information that is confidential or otherwise protected from disclosure. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any use, disclosure, dissemination, distribution, or copying of this message, or any attachments, is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please advise the sender by reply e-mail, and delete the message and any attachments. Thank you.