UnitDelay Block
Delays input signal by one sample period (z⁻¹ operator)
Open UnitDelay in BlockWerk →# Unit Delay Block
Description
Delays the input signal by exactly one sample period (z⁻¹ operator). This is the fundamental building block for discrete-time systems, digital filters, and state machines.
Mathematical Model
y[n] = u[n-1] y[0] = initialCondition
Parameters
initialCondition
The output value at the first simulation step before any input has been received.
Remarks
- Differs from the Delay block which delays by a time duration (seconds).
- UnitDelay always delays by exactly 1 sample, regardless of sample time.
- Essential for building IIR/FIR filters and discrete state feedback.
See Also
- Delay: Time-based delay (configurable seconds)
- DiscreteTransferFunction: Uses UnitDelay internally
- Integrator: Continuous-time accumulator