Theory of the Hilbert Spectrum

Abstract: This paper is a contribution to the old problem of representing a signal in the coordinates of time and frequency. As the starting point, we abandon Gabor's complex extension and re-evaluate fundamental principles of time-frequency analysis. We provide a multicomponent model of a signal that enables rigorous definition of instantaneous frequency on a per-component basis. Within our framework, we have shifted all uncertainty of the latent signal to its quadrature. In this approach, uncertainty is not a fundamental limitation of analysis, but rather a manifestation of the limited view of the observer. With the appropriate assumptions made on the signal model, the instantaneous amplitude and instantaneous frequency can be obtained exactly, hence exact representation of a signal in the coordinates of time and frequency can be achieved. However, uncertainty now arises in obtaining the correct assumptions, i.e.~how to correctly choose the quadrature of the components.