Determining Frequency and Impulse Response Using Asymmetrical Pulses

A method is presented and analyzed for determining the impulse response and frequency response of a system using an asymmetrical stimulus signal. The considered signal is a pulse with a rapid first transition, followed by a nearly constant region followed by a second transition that is much slower than the first. The advantage of such a signal is that, unlike a symmetric pulse, its Fourier transform has no zeros. This allows one to divide by the Fourier transform in the data analysis. It is shown that such a pulse retains the advantages of using an impulse-like or step-like stimulus. Error estimates similar to those previously published for impulse-like and step-like stimuli are given for the asymmetric stimulus