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Systems, Filtering & ModelingBIBO Stability Explained with Examples

BIBO Stability Explained with Examples

While BIBO(Bounded-Input, Bounded-Output) stability is often defined mathematically, it is best understood through examples.

Continuous-Time1115e10677f86.png

Discrete-Time

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It means that impulse response must be absolutely integrable or summable if input is bounded.

BIBO Stability Explained with Examples


Example 1: Stable System

Impulse response

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This decays over time, and the system is stable.


Example 2: Unstable System

Impulse response

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This grows exponentially,and the system is unstable.


Interpretation

  • Decaying impulse response โ†’ stable
  • Growing impulse responseย โ†’ unstable
  • โ€œAll FIR filters are inherently BIBO stable, while IIR filters require stability verification.โ€


Physical Meaning

  • Stable systems dissipate energy
  • Unstable systems amplify energy
  • โ€œAn unstable system amplifies energy uncontrollably over time.โ€


Relation to Transfer Function (Digital Filter)

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BIBO stability is determined by the denominator of the transfer function. Therefore, all poles are inside the unit circle

  • |z| < 1ย โ†’ decaying response (stable)
  • |z| > 1 โ†’ growing response (unstable)

Diagram of the Z-plane showing a unit circle centered at the origin with axes labeled Re(z) and Im(z)

Z-plane representation of the unit circle where each point ejฯ‰ corresponds to a frequency component, with angle ฯ‰ indicating the signal frequency.


Example: BIBO stable vs unstable

input x: sine

impulse response h1: pulse (finte duration)

impulse response h2: sine

BIBO stable: h1(pulse) is absolutely summableBIBO stable system: h1 (pulse) is absolutely summable


BIBO unstable: h2(sine) is not absolutely summableBIBO unstable system: h2 (sine) is not absolutely summable


Conclusion

A system is BIBO stable if every bounded input produces a bounded output, which is guaranteed when its impulse response is absolutely summable.


Suggested Further Reading