A multi-rate spectral analyzer receives a data sequence through a tapped delay line (510) onto a plurality of filter channels, each of which includes a first decimator (520), a polyphase filter (530), and a second decimator (540). Each filter channel is coupled to a transform processor (550) which modulates the frequency response of the polyphase filters to a plurality of identical bandpass filters spaced evenly at intervals. The transform processor (550) outputs a plurality of time series representative of the frequency component for each of the corresponding filter channels. By choosing a prototype filter order to be much larger than the number of filter channels, the effects of aliasing in the output are greatly reduced. The reduction in aliasing further allows, by prudent selection of the two decimators, for fractional temporal overlap to be implemented in the spectral estimates.
Patent Number: 7,027,942
Date Issued: April 11 2006