SQR

L-10

SQR
The quantization error or distortion created by digitizing an analog signal is customarily expressed as an average noise power relative to the average signal power. Thus signal to quantizing noise ratio (SQR) can be determined as

E{x 2 (t )} SQR = E{[ y (t ) x(t )]2 }

where E{.} = expectation or averaging x(t) = analog input signal y(t) = decoded output signal

In determining the expected value of the quantization noise, three observations are necessary: The error y(t) x(t) is limited to amplitude q/2, where q is the height of the quantization interval. (Decoded output samples are ideally positioned at the middle of a quantization interval.) A sample value is equally likely to fall anywhere within a quantization interval, implying a uniform probability density of amplitude 1/q. Signal amplitudes are assumed to be confined to the maximum range of the coder. If a sample value exceeds the range of the highest quantization interval, overload distortion (also called peak limiting) occurs.

Uniformly encoded PCM

The magnitude difference between adjacent steps is called the quantization interval or quantum. The magnitude of a quantum is also called the resolution The resolution is equal to the voltage of the minimum step size.

Quantization Noise Power:

q2 =

m2 p 3L
2

= N q (from comsys course) 2m p L q =

2

Here, q = m2 p

4m 2 p L2

2 q2 mp = 2 L 4

q2 q2 = 2 = 3L 12
(Also Refer Appendix A, Sec A.1)

SQR
The average quantization noise power is q2/12. For uniform quantization,

v2 v SQR(dB) = 10 log10 ( 2 ) = 10.8 + 20 log 10( ) q / 12 q

Where v is the rms amplitude of the input.

SQR
In particular, for a sine wave input the SQR produced by uniform quantization is

A2 / 2 A SQR( dB) = 10 log10 ( 2 ) = 7.78 + 20 log 10( ) q / 12 q

Where A is the peak amplitude of sine-wave.

SQR (Uniform PCM) The performance of an n-bit uniform PCM system is determined by observing that q = 2Amax/2n (= 2mp/L); where Amax is the maximum amplitude. Thus, PCM performance equation for uniform coding: SQR = 1.76 + 6.02n + 20log(A/Amax)

Dynamic Range (DR)

Dynamic Range (DR) = Vmax/Vmin; where, Vmin = quantum value, and Vmax = the maximum voltage. DR (dB) = 20log (Vmax/Vmin)

2 n. A A ) SQR = 7.78 + 20 log10 ( ) = 7.78 + 20 log10 ( 2. Amax q SQR = 7.78 + 20 log10 ( Also, DR = 20 log 2n A ) + 20 log10 ( ) 2 Amax

m Vmax L 2n = 20 log p = 20 log( ) = 20 log10 ( ) Vmin q 2 2

 In linear or uniform quantization, the magnitude of quantization noise is absolute for a particular system and is independent of the input signal amplitude.

Therefore comparatively, the weak and low-level signals suffer worse from quantization noise than the loud and strong signals.

Percentage Quantization Error

ef%

V/Vm

Idle channel noise

The very high percentage error at low input signal levels actually represents idle channel noise. The effect of this is particularly bothersome during speech pauses.

Midriser Quantizer Characteristic

Idle Channel Noise

Midtread Quantizer Characteristic

No Idle Channel Noise

 In the mid-tread scheme, very low signals are decode into a constant, zero-level output. However, if a dc bias exists in the encoder, idle channel noise may appear in mid-tread scheme too.

A more efficient way of minimizing large variations in the percentage quantization error over the signal range is to use nonlinear or non-uniform quantization. Here the quantization intervals are not uniform and are allowed to increase with signal amplitude.

COMPANDING

The effect of permitting larger quantization intervals at higher signal amplitudes is to compress the input signal to achieve a uniform quantization level. It may be seen that successively larger input signal intervals are compressed into constant length quantization intervals. Thus, the larger the sample value, the more it is compressed before encoding.

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 With this technique it is possible to maintain a constant SQR for all signal levels and a fewer bits are required to maintain the chosen SQR. It is interesting to note that uniform quantization intervals result in non-uniform SQR over the signal range and nonuniform intervals result in uniform SQR

Process of companding

A-D

D-A

Compression

Linear

Linear

Expansion

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 The input signal is first compressed by using a non-linear functional device and then by linear quantizer is used. At the receiving end, the quantized signal is expanded by a non-uniform device having inverse characteristic of the compression at the transmitting end. The process of first compressing and then expanding is referred to as companding.

COMPANDING

ANALOG

DIGITAL

A - Law

- Law

A - Law

- Law

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 One technique of reducing the amount of transmission bandwidth allocated to dynamic range is to reduce the dynamic range of the signal at the source before encoding and then restore the original dynamic range of the signal at the receiver while decoding.

- law
Compression Charateristics

Vout

Vmax ln(1 + Vin / Vmax ) = ln(1 + )

Vmax = max. uncompressed analog input amplitude Vin = amplitude of input signal at a particular instant = parameter used to define the amount of compression Vout = compressed output amplitude Typically = 255

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Example For a compressor with a = 255, determine a. Voltage gain for the following relative values of Vin:Vmax, 0.75Vmax, 0.5Vmax, and 0.25Vmax. b. The compressed output voltage for a maximum of input voltage of 4V.
Vin Vmax 0.5Vmax Compressed Voltage Gain 1.00 1.75 Vin Vmax = 4 0.5Vmax = 2 Gain Vout 1.00 1.75 4 3.78 3.5 3

0.75Vmax 1.26 0.25Vmax 3.00

0.75Vmax = 3 1.26 0.25Vmax = 1 3.00

Dynamic range? Expansion ?

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