Using the functional approach, we state and prove a characterization theorem for classical orthogonal polynomials on non-uniform lattices (quadratic lattices of a discrete or a q-discrete variable) including the Askey–Wilson polynomials. This theorem proves the equivalence between seven characterization properties, namely the Pearson equation for the linear functional, the second-order divided-difference equation, the orthogonality of the derivatives, the Rodrigues formula, two types of structure relations, and the Riccati equation for the formal Stieltjes function.

The main aim of this paper is the development of suitable bases that enable the direct series representation of orthogonal polynomial systems on nonuniform lattices (quadratic lattices of a discrete or a q-discrete variable). We present two bases of this type, the first of which allows one to write solutions of arbitrary divided-difference equations in terms of series representations, extending results given by Sprenger for the q-case. Furthermore, it enables the representation of the Stieltjes function, which has already been used to prove the equivalence between the Pearson equation for a given linear functional and the Riccati equation for the formal Stieltjes function. If the Askey-Wilson polynomials are written in terms of this basis, however, the coefficients turn out to be not q-hypergeometric. Therefore, we present a second basis, which shares several relevant properties with the first one. This basis enables one to generate the defining representation of the Askey-Wilson polynomials directly from their divided-difference equation. For this purpose, the divided-difference equation must be rewritten in terms of suitable divided-difference operators developed in previous work by the first author.

We state and prove characterization theorem for semi-classical orthogonal polynomials on nonuniform lattices (quadratic lattices of a discrete or q-discrete variable). This theorem proves the equivalence between the four characterization properties, namely, the Pearson type equation for the linear functional, the strictly quasi-orthogonality of the derivatives, the structure relation, and the Riccati equation for the formal Stieltjes function. We give the classification of the semi-classical linear functional of class one on nonuniform lattice. Using the definition and the properties of the associated orthogonal polynomials, we prove that semi-classical orthogonal polynomials satisfy the second-order divided difference equation on nonuniform lattices.

In this paper, we provide a formal proof of the existence of a polynomial solution of fixed degree for a second-order divided-difference equation of the hypergeometric type on non-uniform lattices, generalizing therefore previous work proving existence of the polynomial solution for second-order differential, difference or q-difference equation of hypergeometric type. This is achieved by studying the properties of the mean operator and the divided-difference operator as well as by defining explicitly, the right and the “left” inverse for the second operator. The method constructed to provide this formal proof is likely to play an important role in the characterization of orthogonal polynomials on non-uniform lattices and might also be used to provide hypergeometric representation (when it does exist) of the second solution—non polynomial solution—of a second-order divided-difference equation of hypergeometric type.

We introduce $q$-analogues of the hypergeometric Bernoulli polynomials in one and two real parameters and study several of their properties. Also we provide the inversion, the power representation, the multiplication and the addition formula for these polynomials. Classical results are recovered by limit transition.