Decimation - definition
Decimation - definition
Decomposition is the process of reducing the number of samples of a discrete signal by systematically omitting parts of them according to a specific factor. In the context of digital signal processing this means reducing the sampling rate of the signal by retaining every nth sample and discarding the others. This procedure makes it possible to reduce the amount of data without storing the full information of the original signal, which is useful in applications that require optimisation of computational and memory resources.
From a technical point of view, successful decimation requires the prior application of a low-pass filter to reduce the signal bandwidth to a value compatible with the new downsampled frequency. Skipping this step can lead to aliasing, i.e. overlapping of the signal spectra, resulting in distortion. Therefore, an anti-aliasing filter is an integral part of the circuit implementing decimation.
This process is used, among others, in data recording and transmission systems, acoustic signal processing, communication systems and measurement devices. It makes it possible to simplify further signal analysis or to reduce the required channel bandwidth transmission without losing any relevant information, provided that the conditions of sampling theory are met. In digital architectures, such as DSP chips, decimation is sometimes implemented in hardware or software, using specialised algorithms and filters with optimised structures.
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