Demo program for Frequency Sampling FIR filter design method

Demo programs that illustrate concepts with visual aids have become one of the more important tools in the field of engineering education. They help students learn faster, remember longer, and identify the fundamental concepts better. Demo programs are especially beneficial in terms of saving time and effort for both teaching and learning. To this end a demo program for teaching Frequency Sampling Finite Impulse Response design method is developed. In particular, a frequency sampling design of a differentiator using comb and resonator filters is demonstrated. The program is implemented in MATLAB using tool makeshow, which has several favorable characteristics. It is demonstrated, step by step, how the initial comb characteristic is being changed by introducing the corresponding second order resonators. All the steps are demonstrated in z-plane and in the frequency domain. Finally, all steps are presented together in the same slide and the obtained differentiator characteristic is compared with the desired characteristic. The program can be used as a complement to theoretical classes on the fundamentals of digital signal processing at the graduate level. The student validation of the program is also included.