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Types and Errors of Quantization in Communication

Quantization is the process of rounding analog signal values to discrete levels. It involves sampling the analog signal at intervals and assigning the closest discrete level. This converts the continuous amplitude values to a discrete-time signal. Quantization results in information loss. There are two main types - uniform quantization which spaces levels uniformly, and non-uniform quantization which spaces them logarithmically. The difference between the original and quantized signal levels is known as quantization error. Quantization noise refers specifically to the error introduced when quantizing audio signals. Companding techniques like A-law and μ-law compression are used to reduce the effects of noise.

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186 views5 pages

Types and Errors of Quantization in Communication

Quantization is the process of rounding analog signal values to discrete levels. It involves sampling the analog signal at intervals and assigning the closest discrete level. This converts the continuous amplitude values to a discrete-time signal. Quantization results in information loss. There are two main types - uniform quantization which spaces levels uniformly, and non-uniform quantization which spaces them logarithmically. The difference between the original and quantized signal levels is known as quantization error. Quantization noise refers specifically to the error introduced when quantizing audio signals. Companding techniques like A-law and μ-law compression are used to reduce the effects of noise.

Uploaded by

Niharika Korukonda
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

11/6/2020 Digital Communication - Quantization - Tutorialspoint

Digital Communication - Quantization

The digitization of analog signals involves the rounding off of the values which are approximately
equal to the analog values. The method of sampling chooses a few points on the analog signal and
then these points are joined to round off the value to a near stabilized value. Such a process is
called as Quantization.

Quantizing an Analog Signal

The analog-to-digital converters perform this type of function to create a series of digital values out
of the given analog signal. The following figure represents an analog signal. This signal to get
converted into digital, has to undergo sampling and quantizing.

The quantizing of an analog signal is done by discretizing the signal with a number of quantization
levels. Quantization is representing the sampled values of the amplitude by a finite set of levels,
which means converting a continuous-amplitude sample into a discrete-time signal.
The following figure shows how an analog signal gets quantized. The blue line represents analog
signal while the brown one represents the quantized signal.

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Both sampling and quantization result in the loss of information. The quality of a Quantizer output
depends upon the number of quantization levels used. The discrete amplitudes of the quantized
output are called as representation levels or reconstruction levels. The spacing between the
two adjacent representation levels is called a quantum or step-size.

The following figure shows the resultant quantized signal which is the digital form for the given
analog signal.

This is also called as Stair-case waveform, in accordance with its shape.


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Types of Quantization

There are two types of Quantization - Uniform Quantization and Non-uniform Quantization.
The type of quantization in which the quantization levels are uniformly spaced is termed as a
Uniform Quantization. The type of quantization in which the quantization levels are unequal and
mostly the relation between them is logarithmic, is termed as a Non-uniform Quantization.
There are two types of uniform quantization. They are Mid-Rise type and Mid-Tread type. The
following figures represent the two types of uniform quantization.

Figure 1 shows the mid-rise type and figure 2 shows the mid-tread type of uniform quantization.
The Mid-Rise type is so called because the origin lies in the middle of a raising part of the
stair-case like graph. The quantization levels in this type are even in number.
The Mid-tread type is so called because the origin lies in the middle of a tread of the stair-
case like graph. The quantization levels in this type are odd in number.

Both the mid-rise and mid-tread type of uniform quantizers are symmetric about the origin.

Quantization Error

For any system, during its functioning, there is always a difference in the values of its input and
output. The processing of the system results in an error, which is the difference of those values.
The difference between an input value and its quantized value is called a Quantization Error. A
Quantizer is a logarithmic function that performs Quantization r
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analog-to-digital converter (ADC) works as a quantizer.

The following figure illustrates an example for a quantization error, indicating the difference
between the original signal and the quantized signal.

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Quantization Noise

It is a type of quantization error, which usually occurs in analog audio signal, while quantizing it to
digital. For example, in music, the signals keep changing continuously, where a regularity is not
found in errors. Such errors create a wideband noise called as Quantization Noise.

Companding in PCM

The word Companding is a combination of Compressing and Expanding, which means that it does
both. This is a non-linear technique used in PCM which compresses the data at the transmitter and
expands the same data at the receiver. The effects of noise and crosstalk are reduced by using this
technique.
There are two types of Companding techniques. They are −

A-law Companding Technique

Uniform quantization is achieved at A = 1, where the characteristic curve is linear and no


compression is done.
A-law has mid-rise at the origin. Hence, it contains a non-zero value.

A-law companding is used for PCM telephone systems.

µ-law Companding Technique

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Uniform quantization is achieved at µ = 0, where the characteristic curve is linear and no


compression is done.
µ-law has mid-tread at the origin. Hence, it contains a zero value.
µ-law companding is used for speech and music signals.
µ-law is used in North America and Japan.

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Common questions

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Companding, combining compressing and expanding, is used in PCM systems to reduce noise and crosstalk effects. It achieves this by compressing the dynamic range of a signal before transmission (A-law for PCM telephone systems and µ-law for speech and music signals) and expanding it back at the receiver, preserving the signal's integrity against transmission impairments. A-law is typically implemented in European systems, while µ-law is used in North America and Japan .

PCM systems predominantly use A-law and µ-law companding techniques. A-law is employed mainly in Europe for PCM telephone systems and features a mid-rise characteristic, ensuring non-zero values at the origin. µ-law, on the other hand, is used in North America and Japan, specifically for speech and music signals, and has a mid-tread characteristic, starting from zero. Both techniques aim to optimize signal quality by efficiently managing dynamic range .

Quantization in digital communication serves to convert a continuous-amplitude sample of an analog signal into a discrete-time signal by representing the sampled values of the amplitude with a finite set of levels. This process, performed by analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), involves some information loss as both the sampling and quantization steps round the values to create a near-exact digital representation of the original analog signal .

In the mid-rise type of uniform quantization, the quantization process starts mid-way up a rising edge of the staircase graph, resulting in an even number of quantization levels. Conversely, the mid-tread type has its origin in the middle of a level or 'tread,' resulting in an odd number of quantization levels. Both types maintain symmetry about the origin but differ in their treatment of the signal at zero level, influencing the quantization error characteristics .

Quantization noise, arising from rounding errors in signal quantization, significantly affects digital audio by introducing unwanted wideband noise. It is particularly problematic in dynamic audio scenarios, such as music, where the noise can distort the audible range. Mitigation strategies include utilizing higher bit-depth for quantization, applying dithering to mask noise, and employing companding techniques to better manage dynamic range and signal fidelity, effectively reducing perceived noise in the output .

Quantization error arises from the difference between an input's continuous analog value and its corresponding quantized digital value. This error is inherent in any quantization process and results in a loss of precision, often manifesting as quantization noise in audio applications. Such noise is particularly noticeable in scenarios like music recording, where it introduces unwanted wideband noise into the signal, compromising the audio quality .

µ-law companding optimizes the signal-handling capacity of speech and music by utilizing a logarithmic quantization characteristic, which enhances detail retention for low amplitude signals and efficiently utilizes available bits. This approach reduces quantization error by preserving subtle signal components that might otherwise be lost with linear quantization. It adjusts the dynamic range effectively, enhancing signal quality in systems where µ-law is implemented, such as in North American PCM systems .

The quality of quantization output directly correlates with the number of quantization levels. Increasing the levels reduces the spacing between representation levels, minimizing quantization error and preserving more details of the original analog signal, thus enhancing the output quality. Conversely, fewer levels increase quantization noise, as larger step-sizes result in greater disparities between original and quantized values .

The staircase waveform in quantization represents the conversion from a continuous analog signal to a discrete digital signal, where the analog signal is sampled at intervals. Each sampled value is then rounded to the nearest quantization level, creating a step-like appearance. This depiction indicates the intrinsic approximation inherent in digital conversion, as the continuous flow of analog inputs is translated into distinct, finite digital outputs, resembling a staircase .

Uniform quantization is characterized by equal spacing between quantization levels, while non-uniform quantization involves unequal spacing, often with a logarithmic relationship. Uniform quantization is typically used in scenarios where signal dynamics are consistent, whereas non-uniform quantization better handles signals with variable dynamics, adapting efficiently to amplitude variations. Uniform quantization further divides into mid-rise and mid-tread types, each having even or odd numbers of quantization levels, respectively .

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