Image parameter filter

A composite image filter is an electronic filter consisting of multiple image filter sections of two or more different types.

The image method of filter design determines the properties of filter sections by calculating the properties they have in an infinite chain of such sections. In this, the analysis parallels transmission line theory on which it is based. Filters designed by this method are called image parameter filters, or just image filters. An important parameter of image filters is their image impedance, the impedance of an infinite chain of identical sections.

The basic sections are arranged into a ladder network of several sections, the number of sections required is mostly determined by the amount of stopband rejection required. In its simplest form, the filter can consist entirely of identical sections. However, it is more usual to use a composite filter of two or three different types of section to improve different parameters best addressed by a particular type. The most frequent parameters considered are stopband rejection, steepness of the filter skirt (transition band) and impedance matching to the filter terminations.

Image filters are linear filters and are invariably also passive in implementation.

The image method of designing filters originated at AT&T, who were interested in developing filtering that could be used with the multiplexing of many telephone channels on to a single cable. The researchers involved in this work and their contributions are briefly listed below;

The image analysis starts with a calculation of the input and output impedances (the image impedances) and the transfer function of a section in an infinite chain of identical sections. This can be shown to be equivalent to the performance of a section terminated in its image impedances. The image method, therefore, relies on each filter section being terminated with the correct image impedance. This is easy enough to do with the internal sections of a multiple section filter, because it is only necessary to ensure that the sections facing the one in question have identical image impedances. However, the end sections are a problem. They will usually be terminated with fixed resistances that the filter cannot match perfectly except at one specific frequency. This mismatch leads to multiple reflections at the filter terminations and at the junctions between sections. These reflections result in the filter response deviating quite sharply from the theoretical, especially near the cut-off frequency.

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