Signal-to-Noise Ratio in Amplitude Quantizers

A general analysis is made of the relationship between the output signal and noise powers and input signal and noise powers for a 2N-step, symmetric amplitude quantizer. The input to the quantizer is assumed to consist of a sinusoidal signal and zero mean Gaussian noise. The method of analysis involves modification of the general transform method for νth-law devices to make it applicable to non-νth-law devices. The resulting integrals are evaluated in two ways. One of these is suited for calculation of (SNR)out for low values of (SNR)in, and the other is especially useful for high (SNR)in. The formulas developed relate (SNR)out to (SNR)in through the characteristics of the quantizer.