Abstract: A spectrum analyzer for FFT analyzing and displaying the frequency spectrum of a digital signal over a given frequency band (background), as well as over a more limited frequency band (foreground). The spectrum of the signal over each frequency band is calculated and displayed so as to appear on a screen as a simultaneous display. The position of the limited frequency band as well as the width thereof, may be varied.

Abstract: A spectrum analyzer using digital filters for providing third octave spectrum analysis comprises means for breaking up input information into a plurality of digital data blocks, each block being of a given time duration and being within respective frequency ranges, means for weighting the information contained in the data blocks and means for digitally filtering the weighted digital data blocks with digital filtering devices having at least one center frequency falling within the frequency range represented by each of the data blocks, each of the data blocks comprising N samples satisfying the following equation-N >Kf.sub.o/ B.sub.nWhere K is a constant which is a function of the sampling rate and the falloff rate of the skirt of filter characteristic, B.sub.n is the filter bandwidth and f.sub.o is the center frequency of the filter.