In this paper, the reproduction of trigonometric polynomials with two-overl
apping local cosine bases is investigated. This study is motivated by the n
eed to represent most effectively a Fourier series in the form of a localiz
ed cosine series for the purpose of local analysis, thus providing a vehicl
e for the transition from classical harmonic analysis to analysis by Wilson
-type wavelets. It is shown that there is one and only one class, which is
a one-parameter family, of window functions that allows pointwise reproduct
ion of all global harmonics, where the parameter is the order of smoothness
of the window functions. It turns out that this class of window functions
is also optimal in the sense that all global harmonics are reproduced by us
ing a minimal number of the local trigonometric basis functions. (C) 1999 A
cademic Press.